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For the first time ever on a commercial CD, here are 30 songs that span the five
decades of Billy Murray's career. Included are Murray's biggest hits, such
as "The Grand Old Rag," "In
My Merry Oldsmobile," and "I
Love a Piano." Also featured are tracks representing the depth and
breadth of Billy's recordings, such as one of his first, "The
Way to Kiss a Girl"; one of his most biting, "He
Goes to Church on Sunday"; one of his most wry, "He's
a Devil in His Own Home Town"; and one of his very last, "It's
the Same Old Shillelagh." Anthology includes a 24-page booklet
featuring contributions from Murray biographers Frank Hoffmann, Quentin Riggs,
and Dick Carty, as well as the story behind the biggest hit Murray never recorded—"Take
Me Out to the Ball Game."
The Biggest Star of the Acoustic Recording Industry
Through 1925, nobody else even came close. Murray outsold all other performers
from the time of his breakout records in 1903 through to his retirement in
1943. Each of Murray's successive efforts—first, "Yankee
Doodle Boy," then "The
Grand Old Rag," and later, "Casey
Jones," by the Murray-led American Quartet—was announced as
the biggest seller for Victor Records. Prior to 1950, only Bing Crosby surpassed
Murray in popularity, and from 1951 through 1999, only Elvis and the Beatles
have had a similar impact on the recording industry.
American Classics
The songs that Billy Murray popularized are classic American tunes, from "Meet
Me in St. Louis, Louis" to "Give My Regards to Broadway," and
from "Harrigan" to "K-K-K-Katy (Stammering Song)." You'll
notice that a number of the songs were composed by George M. Cohan: more than
any other recording artist of the early industry, Murray was the primary interpreter
of the now-famous songs of Cohan, the original "Yankee
Doodle Boy."
Dynamic Duos
Murray was also part of several of the most important early duos and ensembles
making records. The team of Ada Jones and Billy Murray sold more records
than any other duo in the acoustic period. But Murray had success later on
singing duets with Aileen Stanley, Walter Scanlan, and Ed Smalle. Each pairing
brought him new challenges, and Anthology lets you hear Murray's
amazing versatility. Some of his finest work was with quartets, especially
the American Quartet, and as guest tenor with the Haydn Quartet. These groups
are also represented on Anthology.
A Master Stylist
Billy Murray has been noted for his unique ability to enunciate so that every
syllable could be clearly heard and understood. He was a master of style
and form, performing every kind of popular music, from tender ballad to comic
song. If you don't have any music from the acoustic era, this CD is the one
to start with!
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