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Fred Lowery

Fred Lowery (2 November 1909 – 11 December 1984) was a blind professional whistler who recorded a No. 9 Billboard chart hit version of "The High and the Mighty" with conductor and arranger LeRoy Holmes. Lowery whistled with Horace Heidt and Vincent Lopez in the 1930s and 40s. His 'Silent Night' and 'William Tell Overture' demonstrate the difference between everyday whistling and puccalo.

Lowery was born in Palestine in Anderson County in east Texas and lost his eyesight at the age of two after being stricken with scarlet fever. With an artificial right eye and limited vision in the left, Fred Lowery was legally blind – not totally blind. From the age of eight he was educated at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. In 1929, when he was attending school, he met a bird imitator. "He encouraged me," he recalled, "and I began to discover there was more to whistling than bird calls." After a series of minor successes, including a radio show on WFAA in Dallas, and a 4+12-year engagement with the Vincent Lopez orchestra in New York, he was heard by Horace Heidt. Heidt gave Lowery his chance for national recognition as a featured part of his show. In 1945, Lowery struck out on his own. His 1939 version of the song Indian Love Call sold over 2 million copies. During his career, he performed at Carnegie Hall and at the White House.

Birth and Death Data: Born November 2, 1909, Died December 11, 1984

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1929 - 1960

Roles Represented in DAHR: whistling

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

Recordings (Results 26-36 of 36 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca NA 11040 3/26/1960 Whispering Fred Lowery vocalist, whistling  
Decca NA 11041 3/26/1960 Mockin' bird hill Fred Lowery vocalist, whistling  
Decca NA 11042 3/26/1960 Londonderry air Fred Lowery vocalist, whistling  
Decca NA 11043 3/26/1960 Whistle a happy tune Fred Lowery vocalist, whistling  
Decca NA 11044 3/26/1960 Marie Fred Lowery vocalist, whistling  
Decca NA 11045 3/26/1960 Red River valley Fred Lowery vocalist, whistling  
Decca NA 11046 3/26/1960 Over the rainbow Fred Lowery vocalist, whistling  
Decca NA 11047 3/27/1960 William Tell overture Fred Lowery vocalist, whistling  
Decca NA 11048 3/27/1960 Gypsy love song Fred Lowery vocalist, whistling  
Decca NA 11049 3/27/1960 Estrellita Fred Lowery vocalist, whistling  
Decca NA 11050 3/27/1960 Tammy Fred Lowery vocalist, whistling  
(Results 26-36 of 36 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Lowery, Fred," accessed April 25, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/328324.

Lowery, Fred. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/328324.

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

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/328324

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