Chick Bullock

Charles (Chick) Bullock (September 16, 1898 – September 15, 1981) was an American jazz and dance band vocalist, most active in the 1930s. He recorded some 500 tunes over the course of his career. Bullock was mostly associated with the ARC group of labels (Melotone, Perfect, Banner, Oriole, Romeo). Many of his records were issued under the name "Chick Bullock and his Levee Loungers".

Bullock belonged to select group of mostly freelance vocalists who sang the vocal refrains on hundreds of New York sessions, which included Smith Ballew, Scrappy Lambert, Irving Kaufman, Arthur Fields, and Dick Robertson. Some of these vocalists were also instrumentalists, but their singing was more often featured. (All of the above had records also issued under their own name, and in case of Ballew, actually had a working orchestra for a couple of years.)

Bullock, who rarely performed live because his face was disfigured due to an eye disease, was born in Montana to William and Emily Bullock, both of whom were immigrants from England. He began his career in vaudeville and sang in movie palaces. His career as a studio musician took off in the late 1920s, and in the 1930s he sang with musicians such as Duke Ellington, Luis Russell, Cab Calloway, Bunny Berigan, Bill Coleman, Jack Teagarden, Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey, Joe Venuti, and Eddie Lang. Bullock's recordings proved so popular that he used pseudonyms for some recordings, including the name Sleepy Hall.

In the early 1940s the recording ban by the American Federation of Musicians essentially ended Bullock's career, and he quit the music business in 1942. He moved to California in 1946 and took up real estate, opening his own company.

Birth and Death Data: Born September 16, 1898 (Butte), Died September 15, 1981 (California)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1930 - 1932

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 26-37 of 37 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BRC-70971 10-in. 12/7/1931 Pagan moon Ted Black Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BRC-71890 10-in. 2/24/1932 Let's have another cup o' coffee Chick Bullock ; Pennsylvanians ; Three Waring Girls ; Fred Waring Jazz/dance band, with female vocal trio and male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BRC-71918 10-in. 3/8/1932 Somebody loves you Chick Bullock ; Peter Van Steeden Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BRC-71920 10-in. 3/8/1932 You're dancing on my heart Chick Bullock ; Peter Van Steeden Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BRC-71921 10-in. 3/8/1932 Everything must have an ending (But my love for you) Chick Bullock ; Peter Van Steeden Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BSHQ-73029 10-in. 6/22/1932 In a shanty in old Shanty Town Chick Bullock ; Ted Black Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BSHQ-73038 10-in. 6/27/1932 Holding my honey's hand Chick Bullock ; Pennsylvanians ; Fred Waring Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BSHQ-73039 10-in. 6/27/1932 Old man of the mountain Chick Bullock ; Pennsylvanians ; Fred Waring Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and traps vocalist  
Columbia [W]149949 10-in. 1/31/1930 St. James' Infirmary Chick Bullock Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist  
Columbia W151467 10-in. 3/26/1931 That little boy of mine The Melodiers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Columbia W151468 10-in. 3/26/1931 If you should ever need me (You'll always find me here) The Melodiers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Columbia W151469 10-in. 3/26/1931 Think a little kindly of me Ipana Troubadours ; Sam Lanin Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
(Results 26-37 of 37 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Bullock, Chick," accessed April 25, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110440.

Bullock, Chick. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110440.

"Bullock, Chick." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110440

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

Feedback

Send the Editors a message about this record.