J. Fred Helf
J. Fred. Helf (1871 – November 19, 1915) was an American composer and sheet music publisher during the early 20th century. Helf was born in Maysville, Kentucky. He went to seek his fortune in New York City at the age of 27. There he composed over 100 songs, some in collaboration with Will A. Heelan. In October 1910 his music publishing company, J. Fred Helf Music, filed for bankruptcy with Elihu Root Jr. acting as receiver. All the company's property and assets were sold at auction on March 12, 1913, in New York. He retired from the music business five months before he died due to an illness. He died in Liberty, New York, at the age of 44 leaving a widow and a daughter. |
Birth and Death Data: Died November 19, 1915
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1899 - 1947
Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, lyricist, songwriter
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 1-25 of 186 records)
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berliner | 1959 | 7-in. | Before April 1899 | How’d you like to be the iceman | Dan W. Quinn | Male vocal solo | songwriter | |
| Berliner | 0125 | 7-in. | 5/2/1899 | How’d you like to be the iceman | Will F. Denny | Male vocal solo | songwriter | |
| Berliner | 0762 | 7-in. | 11/22/1899 | A picture no artist can paint | Albert Campbell | Male vocal solo | composer | |
| Berliner | 0935 | 7-in. | 2/6/1900 | A picture no artist can paint | Harry Macdonough | Male vocal solo | composer | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix A-]538 | 7-in. | 11/24/1900 | Every race has a flag but the coon | Arthur Collins ; Metropolitan Orchestra | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix A-]612 | 7-in. | 1/8/1901 | A picture without a frame | Harry Macdonough | Male vocal solo | composer | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix A-]683 | 7-in. | 2/16/1901 | The fatal rose of red | Joseph Natus | Male vocal solo, with piano | composer | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix A-]744 | 7-in. | 4/26/1901 | That's what the Germans sang | Dan W. Quinn | Male vocal solo | composer | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix B-]744 | 10-in. | 4/26/1901 | That's what the Germans sang | Dan W. Quinn | Male vocal solo | composer | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix C-]744 | 12-in. | 7/11/1902 | That's what the Germans sang | Dan W. Quinn | Male vocal solo | composer | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix A-]768 | 7-in. | 5/3/1901 | In the house of too much trouble | Harry Macdonough | Male vocal solo | composer | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix B-]768 | 10-in. | 11/20/1901 | In the house of too much trouble | Harry Macdonough | Male vocal solo | composer | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix A-]796 | 7-in. | 5/14/1901 | I ain't got no happy home to leave | Silas F. Leachman | Male vocal solo | composer | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix B-]796 | 10-in. | 5/14/1901 | I ain't got no happy home to leave | Silas F. Leachman | Male vocal solo | composer | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix A-]830 | 7-in. | 5/21/1901 | A picture no artist can paint | J. W. Myers | Male vocal solo, with piano | composer | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix B-]830 | 10-in. | 5/21/1901 | A picture no artist can paint | J. W. Myers | Male vocal solo, with piano | composer | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix A-]865 | 7-in. | 6/12/1901 | There are two sides to a story | Steve Porter | Male vocal solo, with piano | composer | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix A-]1467 | 7-in. | 7/10/1902 | I'll be your rainbow | Dan W. Quinn | Male vocal solo | composer | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix B-]1467 | 10-in. | 7/10/1902 | I'll be your rainbow | Dan W. Quinn | Male vocal solo | composer | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix C-]1467 | 12-in. | 7/10/1902 | I'll be your rainbeau | Dan W. Quinn | Male vocal solo | composer | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix A-]1631 | 7-in. | 9/18/1902 | If money talks, it ain't on speaking terms with me | Arthur Collins | Male vocal solo | composer | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix B-]1631 | 10-in. | 9/18/1902 | If money talks, it ain't on speaking terms with me | Arthur Collins | Male vocal solo | composer | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix A-]1643 | 7-in. | 9/30/1902 | Rainbeau medley | Metropolitan Orchestra | Orchestra | composer | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix B-]1643 | 10-in. | 9/30/1902 | Rainbeau medley | Metropolitan Orchestra | Orchestra | composer | |
| Victor | [Pre-matrix A-]1858 | 7-in. | 1/12/1903 | Tobie, I kind o' likes you | Silas Leachman | Male vocal solo | composer |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Helf, J. Fred," accessed January 3, 2026, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106560.
Helf, J. Fred. (2026). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved January 3, 2026, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106560.
"Helf, J. Fred." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2026. Web. 3 January 2026.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Helf, J. Fred - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n92056858
Wikidata: J. Fred Helf - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q6105756
VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/279185335
MusicBrainz: J. Fred Helf - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/32a53ffa-580c-4e53-95e1-4c510b6dc83b
Fast: https://id.worldcat.org/fast/304835 - https://id.worldcat.org/fast/304835
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