"Nearer and Dearer" Helen Clark & Lewis James (1923) song by Egbert Van Alstyne & Haven Gillespie

Описание: "Nearer and Dearer"

Helen Clark & Lewis James on Victor 19208

1923

Music by Egbert Van Alstyne Lyrics by Haven Gillespie

Lewis James was born on July 29, 1892.

This tenor was among the most prolific recording artists of the 1920s, cutting titles as a solo artist but also singing as a member of duos, trios, and quartets.

He contributed vocal refrains to many dance band records.

He sang everything from "Songs for Little People" nursery rhymes and popular ballads to sacred songs and concert and oratorio fare.

Lewis James records generally sold because buyers wanted the popular songs on the discs, not because he was the featured singer. He was not an entertainer instantly recognizable to the public. He did not have an important stage career.

Unlike male singers of the 1920s such as Wendell Hall, Vernon Dalhart, and Gene Austin, James as a solo artist never made a record that was incredibly successful.

Nevertheless, managers of various record companies relied heavily on him, obviously prizing his professionalism and versatility.

Born in Dexter, Michigan, Lewis Lyman James attended the State Normal School and the University of Michigan, where he was a track and baseball star. While studying engineering at the Ann Arbor campus, James was persuaded to forego his appointment to the Naval Academy in favor of vocal studies. He married Jeanette Wallace of Detroit and they had a daughter, Janet.

James sang in churches and did concert work with such ensembles as the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and the Philadelphia Orchestra.

He began his recording career with Frank Croxton's help, making his debut with Columbia using the nom de disque Robert Lewis. The song was Clarke's "I Know I Got More Than My Share," which was backed on Columbia A2108 by Vernon Dalhart's first recording for a major company, Van Alstyne's "Just A Word of Sympathy."

It was an interesting coupling since the two unknown tenors--James and Dalhart--would go on to enjoy great success in the 1920s as record artists. The disc was issued in December 1916.

Other companies used the name Robert Lewis for him, including the Grey Gull Record Company in the 1920s.

Columbia's January 1917 supplement announced the formation of a new group, the Knickerbocker Quartet, which consisted of first tenor George Eldred, second tenor Robert Lewis, baritone William Morgan, and basso Glenn Howard. One early Knickerbocker disc featured Meyer's "Yaddie, Kaddie, Kiddie, Kaddie, Koo" (A2151), issued in February 1917.

The group cut many titles for the label over the next year or so, including the 1917 "Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag (And Smile, Smile, Smile)" (A2181; with James F. Harrison, who was really Frederick Wheeler).

In the World War I era he made many Pathé records as a solo artist, beginning with Head's "Sometime You'll Remember" (20193), issued in late 1917. Other early Pathé titles are Molloy's "Rose Marie" (22010) and Lieutenant Gitz Rice's "Waiting for You" (29222), both issued in January 1919.

For Pathé he recorded many duets with Charles Hart, including Whiting's "You're Still An Old Sweetheart of Mine" (22093).

Page 19 of the August 1920 issue of Talking Machine World reports that James along with Marion Cox entertained in late July at a convention held in Omaha, Nebraska, for Pathé dealers.

Various pseudonyms were used for James--not only Robert Lewis but Harold Harvey, Robert Bruce, Bruce Wallace, Howard Clarke, even Uncle Lewis on a series of seven-inch discs for children. In addition, a quartet of which he was a member, the Shannon Four, was usually listed as the Lyric Male Quartet on Edison Diamond Discs and Blue Amberol cylinders. Pathé called the ensemble the Acme Male Quartet and named the Crescent Trio--consisting of James, Charles Hart and Elliott Shaw--the Apollo Trio.

He recorded with many other singers. His first duet partner was James Harrod (this tenor occasionally used the pseudonym "George Wilson" but from 1918 onwards he used the name "Colin O'More").

Their performance of Albert Von Tilzer's "When The Sun Goes Down In Dixie" was issued as Columbia A2207 in May 1917 (James was on the reverse side of the disc as member of the Knickerbocker Male Quartet). Issued one month later was Columbia A2222, with "Robert Lewis" on one side, "George Wilson" on the other.

The two tenors sang together again on "Georgia," issued on Columbia A2230 in July 1917.

James had attacks of claustrophobia which affected his career. Quentin Riggs reported that the tenor suffered one attack when the Revelers were gathered for a radio broadcast, and tenor Charles Harrison substituted for James that day.

He relocated to Chicago in 1940 after his singing career ended, his health having deteriorated. He worked as a production manager at WGN radio in Chicago's Tribune Tower until his retirement in 1957.

He died on February 19, 1959.