Peerless Quartet
Encyclopedia
The Peerless Quartet, was a vocal group from the acoustic era (see for example Edison Records
). It was organised in 1904 as the Columbia Quartet. It remained active until 1928 and had many changes of personnel during that time, the one constant being Henry Burr
. The group made hundreds of recordings between 1904–1928, including popular versions of hits such as "Sweet Adeline", "By the Light of the Silvery Moon", "Let Me Call You Sweetheart", and "I Want a Girl Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad".
While no official Billboard chart existed during the Peerless Quartet's career, the magazine's staff archivist Joel Whitburn
used a variety of sources such as Talking Machine World's list of top-selling recordings, and Billboard's own sheet music and vaudeville charts to estimate the hits of 1890-1954. By his reckoning, the Peerless Quartet had 108 "charting" singles, the 9th-most of the pre-rock period. During their heyday, they trailed only Billy Murray
and the group's own Henry Burr.
Henry Burr continued as a soloist in his own right, concurrently with his participation in the Quartet. He was one of the most popular singers of the first three decades of the 20th century.
Around 1926, James Stanley, a Victor recording artist, became a member of the Peerless Quartet and traveled with the quartet across the country. They made a film at that time with Pathé Films
and first tenor, Albert Campbell. In 1906 Frank C. Stanley
replaced Tom Daniels and the group was renamed the Peerless Quartet. In 1909 Arthur Collins replaced Steve Porter and upon Stanley's death in 1910, John H. Meyer filled the bass role. At this point too, Henry Burr took over as manager and lead singer and remained so until the group's dissolution in 1928. In 1918 Collins left and was replaced by Frank Croxton. This line-up remained stable for the next seven years until, in 1925, the group was reformed as Henry Burr, Carl Mathieu, Stanley Baughman and James Stanley.
in 2003.
There is a recording by the Columbia Quartet on a Camp Meeting Jubilee (around 1900) in which the phrase "rockin' 'n' rollin'" can be heard; probably one of the earliest mentions of rock 'n' roll.
Edison Records
Edison Records was one of the earliest record labels which pioneered recorded sound and was an important player in the early recording industry.- Early phonographs before commercial mass produced records :...
). It was organised in 1904 as the Columbia Quartet. It remained active until 1928 and had many changes of personnel during that time, the one constant being Henry Burr
Henry Burr
Henry Burr was a Canadian singer of popular songs from the early 20th century, an early radio performer and producer...
. The group made hundreds of recordings between 1904–1928, including popular versions of hits such as "Sweet Adeline", "By the Light of the Silvery Moon", "Let Me Call You Sweetheart", and "I Want a Girl Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad".
While no official Billboard chart existed during the Peerless Quartet's career, the magazine's staff archivist Joel Whitburn
Joel Whitburn
Joel Carver Whitburn is an American author and music historian.Whitburn founded Record Research Inc. in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, in 1970, and put together a team of researchers to examine in detail all of Billboards music and video charts...
used a variety of sources such as Talking Machine World's list of top-selling recordings, and Billboard's own sheet music and vaudeville charts to estimate the hits of 1890-1954. By his reckoning, the Peerless Quartet had 108 "charting" singles, the 9th-most of the pre-rock period. During their heyday, they trailed only Billy Murray
Billy Murray (singer)
William Thomas "Billy" Murray was one of the most popular singers in the United States in the early decades of the 20th century...
and the group's own Henry Burr.
Henry Burr continued as a soloist in his own right, concurrently with his participation in the Quartet. He was one of the most popular singers of the first three decades of the 20th century.
Around 1926, James Stanley, a Victor recording artist, became a member of the Peerless Quartet and traveled with the quartet across the country. They made a film at that time with Pathé Films
Membership
The 1904 line-up consisted of bass, Tom Daniels, baritone, Steve Porter, second tenor, Henry BurrHenry Burr
Henry Burr was a Canadian singer of popular songs from the early 20th century, an early radio performer and producer...
and first tenor, Albert Campbell. In 1906 Frank C. Stanley
Frank C. Stanley
Frank C. Stanley was a bass-baritone singer, stage performer and banjoist who made many early gramophone recordings on disc and cylinder during the 1890s and the 1900s. His real name was William Stanley Grinsted. He was born on 29 December 1868 in Orange, New Jersey...
replaced Tom Daniels and the group was renamed the Peerless Quartet. In 1909 Arthur Collins replaced Steve Porter and upon Stanley's death in 1910, John H. Meyer filled the bass role. At this point too, Henry Burr took over as manager and lead singer and remained so until the group's dissolution in 1928. In 1918 Collins left and was replaced by Frank Croxton. This line-up remained stable for the next seven years until, in 1925, the group was reformed as Henry Burr, Carl Mathieu, Stanley Baughman and James Stanley.
Awards and recognition
The Peerless Quartet was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of FameVocal Group Hall of Fame
The Vocal Group Hall of Fame was organized to honor outstanding vocal groups throughout the world. It is headquartered in Sharon, Pennsylvania, United States. It includes a theater and a museum....
in 2003.
There is a recording by the Columbia Quartet on a Camp Meeting Jubilee (around 1900) in which the phrase "rockin' 'n' rollin'" can be heard; probably one of the earliest mentions of rock 'n' roll.
External links
- 'The Peerless Quartet' Vocal Group Hall of Fame Page
- Recordings at the Internet Archive:
- as the Columbia Quartet
- as the Peerless Quartet
- Peerless Quartet recordings, from the Cylinder Preservation and Digitization ProjectCylinder Preservation and Digitization ProjectThe Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project is a free digital collection maintained by the University of California, Santa Barbara Libraries with streaming and downloadable versions of over 10,000 phonograph cylinders manufactured between 1893 and the mid 1920s.- History :The project began...
at the University of California, Santa BarbaraUniversity of California, Santa BarbaraThe University of California, Santa Barbara, commonly known as UCSB or UC Santa Barbara, is a public research university and one of the 10 general campuses of the University of California system. The main campus is located on a site in Goleta, California, from Santa Barbara and northwest of Los...
Library. - Popular American Recording Pioneers, 1895-1925 by B. Lee Cooper, Tim Gracyk, Frank W. Hoffman. ISBN 0789012200
- Discography of the Peerless Quartet on Victor RecordsVictor Talking Machine CompanyThe Victor Talking Machine Company was an American corporation, the leading American producer of phonographs and phonograph records and one of the leading phonograph companies in the world at the time. It was headquartered in Camden, New Jersey....
from the Encyclopedic Discography of Victor Recordings (EDVR)