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Kate Smith

Kathryn Elizabeth Smith (May 1, 1907 – June 17, 1986) was an American contralto. Referred to as The First Lady of Radio, Smith became well known for her renditions of "God Bless America" and "When the Moon Comes over the Mountain". She began to use the descriptor The Songbird of the South in the late 1920s, while performing on the stage. This term was also used by other southern vocalists of that era; however, as the Washington D.C. Sunday Star noted, Smith was not really southern—born in Virginia, she had spent nearly all of her life in the D.C. area. But as Smith became nationally known, she became more identified with the term. By early 1929, she was being referred to that way on a regular basis: a version of the term, using "from" rather than "of," was seen in newspaper advertisements that promoted her stage performances. "Songbird of the South" was used when she appeared on the NBC Radio Network in April. Then, in the summer of that year, she starred in a Vitaphone short feature entitled "Songbird of the South," in which she sang two of her hit songs,"Bless You Sister" and "Carolina Moon."

Birth and Death Data: Born Greenville (census-designated place in Augusta County, Virginia, United States), Died June 17, 1986 (Raleigh (city in and state capital of North Carolina, United States of America) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1926 - 1939

Roles Represented in DAHR: soprano vocal, songwriter, lyricist, vocalist

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

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 105 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-36396 10-in. 10/7/1926 White house Kate Smith Female vocal solo, with piano vocalist, soprano vocal  
Victor BVE-36397 10-in. 10/7/1926 Mary dear Kate Smith Female vocal solo, with piano vocalist, soprano vocal  
Victor BVE-36398 10-in. 10/7/1926 Jersey walk Kate Smith Female vocal solo, with piano vocalist, soprano vocal  
Victor BRC-68271 10-in. 7/21/1931 When the moon comes over the mountain Milton Charles Male vocal solo, with piano songwriter  
Victor BRC-69970 10-in. 6/23/1931 Makin' faces at the man in the moon Connecticut Yankees ; Rudy Vallée Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and whistling solo lyricist  
Victor BRC-69990 10-in. 6/30/1931 When the moon comes over the mountain Ben W. Gordon ; Leo Reisman Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BRC-70201 10-in. 7/21/1931 When the moon comes over the mountain Bud Billings ; Carson Robison Male vocal duet, with instrumental quartet songwriter  
Victor BS-017776 10-in. 12/28/1937 When the moon comes over the mountain Kate Smith Female vocal solo, with male vocal ensemble and jazz/dance band vocalist, soprano vocal  
Victor BS-017777 10-in. 12/28/1937 There's a gold mine in the sky Kate Smith Female vocal solo and vocal ensemble, with jazz/dance band vocalist, soprano vocal  
Victor BS-017778 10-in. 12/28/1937 You're a sweetheart Kate Smith Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band vocalist, soprano vocal  
Victor BS-017779 10-in. 12/28/1937 Bei mir bist du schön Kate Smith Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band vocalist, soprano vocal  
Victor BS-035319 10-in. 3/21/1939 God bless America Kate Smith Female vocal solo, with mixed vocal chorus and orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Victor BS-035320 10-in. 3/21/1939 The star spangled banner Kate Smith Female vocal solo, with mixed vocal chorus and orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Victor BS-035321 10-in. 3/21/1939 It's never too late Kate Smith Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Victor BS-035322 10-in. 3/21/1939 I cried for you Kate Smith Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Victor BS-035753 10-in. 4/17/1939 Don't worry 'bout me Kate Smith Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Victor BS-035754 10-in. 4/17/1939 If I had my way Kate Smith Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Victor BS-035755 10-in. 4/17/1939 And the angels sing Jack Miller ; Kate Smith Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band vocalist, soprano vocal  
Victor BS-035756 10-in. 4/17/1939 If I didn't care Kate Smith Female vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, soprano vocal  
Victor BRC-Test-1118 10-in. 7/1/1931 I'm thru with love Frances Langford Female vocal solo, with piano lyricist  
Victor [Trial 1926-09-16-01] 10-in. 9/16/1926 Mary dear Kate Smith Female vocal solo, with piano vocalist, soprano vocal  
Victor [Trial 1926-09-16-02] 10-in. 9/16/1926 White house Kate Smith Female vocal solo, with piano vocalist, soprano vocal  
Victor [Trial 1926-09-16-03] 10-in. 9/16/1926 Jersey walk Kate Smith Female vocal solo, with piano vocalist, soprano vocal  
Columbia W142884 10-in. 10/28/1926 The little white house Kate Smith Female vocal solo, with piano vocalist, soprano vocal  
Columbia W142885 10-in. 10/28/1926 Mary dear Kate Smith Female vocal solo, with piano vocalist, soprano vocal  
(Results 1-25 of 105 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Smith, Kate," accessed January 3, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104568.

Smith, Kate. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 3, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104568.

"Smith, Kate." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 3 January 2026.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104568

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