Beth Slater Whitson

Beth Slater Whitson (December 1, 1879 – April 26, 1930) was an American lyricist. She was born on December 1, 1879, in Goodrich, Tennessee and died on April 26, 1930. She was the daughter of John H. Whitson and Anna Slater Whitson. Her Father was the Co- Editor of the Hickman Pioneer Newspaper. Whitson began her songwriting in Hickman country. In 1913 Whitson and her family moved to Nashville where she and sister Alice continued to write and publish, Beth’s local biographer, Grace Baxter Thompson, remarked at the dedication of a state historical marker to Whitson’s career in 1978: “She gave beauty and color and enjoyment to her community from which those qualities have been far-reaching and long-lasting”. She composed lyrics to over 400 songs, and is best remembered for the songs "Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland" (1909) and "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" (1910), both becoming one of the largest selling songs in sheet music. Her first major hit Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland really became known in 1949 when it was featured in the movie In the Good Old Summertime She wrote the words to her songs but got someone else to write the music.

In 1913, Whitson and her family moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where she and her sister, Alice, continued to write.

"Let me call you sweetheart I'm in love with you. Let me hear you whisper that you love me too" - Beth Slater Whitson, from Let Me Call You Sweetheart

Birth and Death Data: Born December 1, 1879, Died April 26, 1930

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1910 - 1947

Roles Represented in DAHR: lyricist, composer

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

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor B-9533 10-in. 10/10/1910 Meet me to-night in Dreamland John Young Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor B-10389 10-in. 5/26/1911 Don't wake me up, I am dreaming Walter Van Brunt Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor B-12962 10-in. 3/5/1913 When I met you last night in Dreamland Charles Harrison Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor B-15333 10-in. 11/4/1914 Just close your eyes, big moon Henry Burr ; Albert Campbell Male vocal duet, with orchestra composer, lyricist  
Victor B-30871 10-in. 9/30/1924 Let me call you sweetheart (I'm in love with you) International Novelty Orchestra ; Lewis James Orchestra, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BVE-30871 10-in. 8/18/1926 Let me call you sweetheart (I'm in love with you) Lewis James ; Victor Orchestra Orchestra, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BVE-34291 10-in. 1/21/1926 Let me call you sweetheart (I'm in love with you) Shannon Quartet Male vocal quartet, with orchestra lyricist  
Victor BVE-34745 10-in. 4/3/1926 Meet me to-night in Dreamland Pennsylvanians ; Fred Waring Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BVE-36170 10-in. 9/9/1926 Let me call you sweetheart Maurice J. Gunsky Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet lyricist  
Victor BRC-72520 10-in. 4/28/1932 Let me call you sweetheart (I'm in love with you) Dick Robertson Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble lyricist  
Victor BS-94184 10-in. 9/5/1935 Let me call you sweetheart (I'm in love with you) Buddy Clark ; Xavier Cugat Waldorf-Astoria Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-0552 10-in. 10/1/1936 Let me call you sweetheart (I'm in love with you) Wingy Manone Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor BS-014621 10-in. 10/4/1937 Let me call you sweetheart The Old Timer's Orchestra ; Jimmy Ray Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Victor CS-066745 12-in. 9/2/1941 Let me call you sweetheart Raymond Paige Orchestra lyricist  
Victor BS-067621 10-in. 8/7/1941 Meet me tonight in Dreamland Eton Boys ; Claude Garreau Male vocal quartet, with piano lyricist  
Victor PD6VB-2675 10-in. 8/17/1946 Meet me tonight in dreamland Moon Maids ; Vaughn Monroe's Orchestra Male vocal solo, with female vocal group and instrumental ensemble lyricist  
Victor D7VB-2410 10-in. 1947 Let me call you sweetheart Stuart Foster ; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Dub from film: Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band lyricist  
Columbia 4658 10-in. between January and October 1910 Meet me tonight in Dreamland Henry Burr Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 19245 10-in. 2/28/1911 Don't wake me up, I am dreaming Savoy Girl Quartette Female vocal quartet, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia 19503 10-in. 7/28/1911 Let me call you sweetheart Columbia Quartette Male vocal quartet, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia W140697 10-in. 6/17/1925 Let me call you sweetheart Riley Puckett Male vocal solo, with guitar lyricist  
Columbia 141147 10-in. 10/17/1925 Let me call you sweetheart Franklyn Baur ; Billy Travers Male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Columbia W141157 10-in. 10/19/1925 Let me call you sweetheart Art Gillham Male vocal solo, with piano lyricist  
Columbia 141278 10-in. 11/17/1925 Let me call you sweetheart Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Columbia 141279 10-in. 11/18/1925 Meet me to-night in Dreamland Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Columbia W146015 10-in. 4/11/1928 Meet me to-night in dreamland Riley Puckett Male vocal solo, with guitar lyricist  
Columbia W149977 10-in. 2/11/1930 Let me call you sweetheart (I'm in love with you) Will Osborne and his Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Columbia DAL975 10-in. 4/15/1940 Let me call you sweetheart (I'm in love with you) Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys String band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Brunswick 14749-14751 10-in. 1/29/1925 Let me call you sweetheart Ernest Hare ; Billy Jones Male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Brunswick E27664 10-in. 6/7/1928 Meet me in Dreamland Richard Brooks Male vocal solo, with violin and guitar lyricist  
Brunswick E1744-E1746 10-in. 11/17/1925 Meet me tonight in Dreamland Miami Marimba Band [Castlewood Marimba Band] Marimba band lyricist  
Brunswick E22087-E22088 10-in. 3/23/1927 Let me call you sweetheart (I'm in love with you) Vernon Dalhart Male vocal solo, with fiddle (violin), guitar, and harmonica lyricist  
Brunswick E22241-E22242 10-in. 4/4/1927 Meet me tonight in Dreamland Vernon Dalhart Male vocal solo and male vocal duet, with fiddle (violin), guitar, and piano lyricist  
Brunswick E22406-E22408 10-in. 4/14/1927 Let me call you sweetheart (I’m in love with you) Carter's Orchestra Jazz/dance band lyricist  
Brunswick C2518 10-in. 11/5/1928 Meet me tonight in Dreamland Jack Major Male vocal solo, with whistling and orchestra lyricist  
Brunswick C1448-C1449 10-in. 1/12/1928 Let me call you sweetheart (I’m in love with you) Floyd Jones Male vocal solo, with piano lyricist  
Brunswick ATL991 10-in. 3/22/1930 Let me call you sweetheart Melton and Minter Male vocal duet, with guitar lyricist  
Edison 9645 10-in. 7/25/1924 Love gives a thorn with its roses Walter Scanlan Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 11785 10-in. 7/8/1927 Let me call you sweetheart (I'm in love with you) Walter Scanlan Male vocal solo and male vocal ensemble, with orchestra lyricist  
Gramophone [ViC cat 263226-A] 10-in. June 1926 or earlier Laisse-moi t'aimer Hector Pellerin Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble lyricist  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Whitson, Beth Slater," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111093.

Whitson, Beth Slater. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111093.

"Whitson, Beth Slater." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111093

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