Henry Burr - When You And I Were Young, Maggie (1909)

Henry Burr (Jan.15,1882 - April 6,1941)

was a Canadian singer of popular songs from the early part of the early 20th century, early radio performer and producer.

He was born Harry Haley McClaskey and used Henry Burr as one of his many pseudonyms, in addition to Irving Gillette, Harry Haley, Henry Gillette, Alfred Alexander, Robert Rice, Carl Ely, Harry Barr, Frank Knapp, Harry Haley, Al King, and Shamus McClaskey.[ He was one of the first singers to make popular acoustic recordings and one of the most prolific recording artists of all time, with more than 12,000 recordings by his own estimate. A tenor, he performed as a soloist and also in duets, trios and quartets. His most famous collaboration was the Peerless Quartet.

His vocal talents were recognized early and by the age 13 he was performing as a boy tenor with the Artillery Band in the nearby city of Saint John. Perhaps doubting that he could make a career in music, he later attended Mt. Allison Academy in Sackville, New Brunswick, and afterwards worked for his father. On April 14, 1901, he appeared at the opera house in Saint John in his first notable concert with the Scottish soprano Jessie MacLachlan. On September 30, 1901 he was discovered by the Metropolitan Opera baritone Giuseppe Campanari who was in St. John to perform at the St. John Opera House. Campanari insisted that McClaskey go to New York for musical training.

Emboldened by Campanari's endorsement, McClaskey ventured to New York in 1902, where he began lessons and sang with the Grace Methodist Episcopal Church choir. He ultimately rose to tenor soloist for the choir. His teachers included John Dennis Meehan (or Mehan) and Miss Ellen Burr, from whom he would adopt his stage name in her honour.

It was around 1902 that he started to make recordings with Columbia Records and he used the name Henry Burr at that time. He arrived at a particularly opportune time for Columbia, as their star tenor George J. Gaskin was in the final years of his career. He started recording for Edison Records as well in November 1904, under the name Irving Gillette. Disagreements with company executives resulted in him no longer recording for Edison after October 1914.He first recorded with Victor on January 4, 1905, and the recordings were first released that March. He first recorded with Victor on January 4, 1905, and the recordings were first released that March. On April 7, 1905 he recorded Egbert Van Alstyne's "In The Shade Of The Old Apple Tree" which proved to be highly popular. It was also recorded by contemporary Billy Murray the same year. Burr proved to be a successful artist, recording as noted, thousands of songs for various labels under various names. He would record with Leeds Talk-O-Phone, Imperial, Busy Bee Records and the American Record Company as well.

Burr performed live on the radio while broadcasting technology was still in its infancy. He made his first appearance in 1920 in Denver, Colorado using a microphone improvised from a wooden bowl with an inverted telephone transmitter.[4] The broadcast was heard as far west as San Francisco. Burr is also credited with making the first transcontinental 'broadcast' by singing into the telephone in New York and being heard by diners wearing headphones at a Rotary dinner in California. Also in 1920, he signed an exclusive contract with Victor records that lasted seven years. A lucrative contract, it made him (for a time) a wealthy man.

By the late 1920s, his recording career was over (electrical recording technologies had led to the crooner style of tenor first exemplified in the voice of Gene Austin), but the commercial potential of radio continued to interest Burr. As a result, he became involved in early radio programming, forming Henry Burr, Inc. in 1928 as a producer of radio programming. He produced numerous programs for commercial radio networks into the 1930s. He originated the Cities Service broadcast, which he produced for two years. In October 1929, he reputedly lost a substantial portion of his wealth in the Wall Street Crash of 1929. Less than a month later, however, he was appointed Director of the Artist's Bureau at CBS which had just been organized under the ownership of William S. Paley. Around 1935, he returned to performing on the radio as a member of the WLS Chicago National Barn Dance troupe, which was broadcast over NBC on Saturday evenings. He soon became a featured performer on the show, which he stayed with for five years until shortly before his death. He suffered from throat cancer and died in Chicago on April 6, 1941. Buried near his stepdaughter Marguarite, he was survived by his wife, Cecilia.


Henry Burr, Tenor Solo with Orchestral Accompaniment - When You And I Were Young, Maggie (1909)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Henry
• Burr
• 1909
• 1900's
• 10's
• 20's

[skiprydell1]

Actually, amazingly well done, even by modern standards....without the overly theatric presentation that was the preference of nineteenth century audiences (and any criticism of that style must take that as its starting point). A great artist.

[NGFlip81]

Great beats nigga

[Ocelllian2]

@mothbits What you said was, though perhaps not offensive, could be seen as disgusting depending on who hears it.

Think of it this way - You could have simply said "this is a nice song", but instead you choose a bizarre, less clear way to express your enjoyment. While not a "sin", of the two choices I just presented it certainly was more likely to start trouble and had no obvious benefit to off-set that.

[mothbits]

@kampfychair94 You're 17 years old, I take what you say with a grain of salt. You don't even know me and you think you can tell me to 'grow up' Stop trying to push your bullshit down my throat, You are nothing to me let alone a figure of authority or wisdom. I'm all grown up, I have a husband and a daughter dear but nice try. Honestly, You are rather annoying and this conversation has deemed itself rather useless to keep feeding. Take care.

[mothbits]

@kampfychair94 I don't understand how it was so inappropriate, If anything I believe its flattering to say something of that kind towards a musician/song. I'd personally, take it as a highest honour for someone to consider my art as a piece of material to fornicate to. Redirect your whining elsewhere. xo

[mothbits]

@kampfychair94 Says who? You, and you are what to me? Nothing. Therefor dear stranger,I don't think I need to censor myself for the likes of prudes on the internet with some kind of authority complex. If I like this music, and you do aswell then why waste your time bitching about my choice of words and expressions, Its not like I'm some jackass who came here and comment about how this music sucks, I'm a lover of this tune. Its our common bond, so get off your high horse you pompous baby.

[mothbits]

@kampfychair94 To each their own. I don't expect you nor anyone else to 'understand' my thought process. I like what I like, and I'll say what I please, as for obscene language, I don't consider 'blow job' all that obscene, Trust me I could of said something much more obscene. I think all that matters here is I fucking love early 20th century music, I love Henry Burr, and this song is something I'd play to set a romantic mood. BUT THATS JUST ME. Meowza.

[mothbits]

@kampfychair94 I'm 21 actually, and I don't understand what is so immature about what I said. I adore early 20th century music and in my humble opinion its a great tune to fool around to. SO, relax/ xo.

[khoham]

@mothbits i love it too.

[mothbits]

@khoham I'm serious, I love this music that much.