Billy Murray: The Phonograph Industry's First Great Recording Artist

The authors trace the life of this seminal recording artist from his childhood to the crest of his fame in New York where he worked for Edison, Victor, and other record labels. The appendixes provide a wealth of detailed information on this great artist as well as the early recording industry. They include ratings of pioneer era recording artists, a Billy Murray discography, an analysis and commentary on selected recordings, and listings of archives and private collections specializing in Billy Murray and acoustic era recordings.

About the Author :
Frank Hoffmann is a Professor in the Department of Library Science at Sam Houston State University. His previous books include the Cash Box series and the Literature of Rock series. Dick Carty, a specialist in the acoustic era of the phonograph, is collector of old time music recordings. Quentin Riggs is a long-time collector and researcher of pioneer recording artists.

Review :
...a well-written and well-researched biography of Billy Murray...detailed, informative, and at times fascinating history of recording in the United States during Murray's most active years...will become a classic of the literature about early recording...Highly recommended... Music Reference Services Quarterly ...amazingly, until now this man [Billy Murray] has been virtually ignored...this book is a stunning achievement which compensates us for the years of neglect...the authors have done an incredible amount of research and compiled it into an enjoyable package. Going further, they have provided an appendix of biographies of ALL (over two hundred) of the major artists of the period! This data alone is worth the price of the book...highly recommended. The Paragon Ragtime News Murray was that scourge of modern biographers, a "thoroughly nice guy" with nary a skeleton in his closet. What is fascinating are the anecdotes and incidents that surround the creation of the music, and this is rivetingly provided. I know that as a result of this book, I will go back to my Billy Murray collection with a renewed sense of discovery and a keener appreciation of that astounding talent. American Book Review ...superb...No other study rivals this extensive exploration...This study is a masterpiece. It not only highlights the life and career of a mysteriously unheralded yet immensely popular singer, but it also illuminates an American musical culture... Popular Music & Society Because the authors provide a sober, scholarly treatment, they have offered a source for significant information on the last years of minstrelsy and the earlier days of the recording industry, with relevant excursions that may supplement local histories and biographies...[an] important source on U.S. music from the first half of the twentieth century. American Reference Books Annual