Great Tenor: John McCormack - Little Pal, 1929

Little Pal (DeSylva, Brown & Henderson) from Warner Bros. Picture "Say It With Song", HMV 1929 (UK)

NOTE: John McCormack Irish tenor who is still considered to be the standard by which all Irish tenors are measured. He had a long and much-honored career on the recital stage, the opera house and radio. His Victor and HMV records sold in the hundreds of thousands. Born in 1884 to Scottish parents in the mill town of Athlone, Ireland, young John showed an early interest in music. When he fetched the Irish singing prize in 1903, he decided about his career. After studies in Italy he first sang in opera in 1906. In 1907 he became the youngest leading tenor at Covent Garden, singing with Melba, Tetrazzini and others. He later ventured to America where he sang with the Hammerstein Manhattan Opera in 1909 and then sang periodically with the Metropolitan Opera, from 1910-18.
By 1912 he had become a major name on the recital stage. He sang all over the world, in large cities and small towns, and his records enhanced his fame. He numbered the most-famous musicians of his day as his friends and was known in many society and artistic circles as a jovial racounteur and loyal friend. The Vatican honored him with a title of Papal Count in 1928; Holy Cross gave him an honorary doctorate in 1917; the French government gave him the Legion of Honor in 1924. In 1929 he made a Hollywood sound film entitledSong o' My Heart. He retired from the stage in 1938. He died in September, 1945, in Ireland, of respiratory problems.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• America
• 1920
• Hollywood
• sound
• film
• Al
• Jolson
• Ireland
• singer
• great
• tenor
• Metropolitan
• Opera
• 78rpm
• shellack

[paulostroff99]

Lovely as ever singing by John McCormack TY 240252 for posting.

[cfhosford1]

The depicted scene from "Song o' my Heart" showing McCormack and a woman in a doorway -- the actress actually is Alice Joyce, not Maureen O'Sullivan as cited, who played a supporting role in that movie. Ms. Joyce was the lead in this movie, and a treasure in this role. Also, the release date cited should actually be 1930, not 1929.

[quoichang]

Is nowhere close to Al Jolson's version. My dad used to sit us on his knee and sing this to us. He saw it performed when he was eight and he never forgot it. His parents were killed in a car accident when he was 27 and he always thought about the fact that not only did his dad go away but he also lost his beloved mother. He never really got over that loss.

[snuffythedog1974]

My Dad used to sing this to me... what a beautiful song.

[Corrie121]

I know this song very well, but I did not know that John McCormack recorded it. It is very sweet.

Thank you for sharing.

[clickclopclack]

magnifique!!!!

[Dobrib]

Superb ! TY

[paulostroff99]

New to me,but no less dear! Bravo!

[UBIQUITOUS12]

He could make even the mediocre song worth listening to. Thanks for the interesting old photos.

[abendstunde49]

Have always loved John McCormack, but Little Pal is new to me! Thank you for posting!