Charles W. Harrison

Charles W. Harrison

Source: ADP - DAHR

Born on 11 September 1878 in Jersey City, New Jersey, Charles W. Harrison formally studied voice in New York City before making his initial recordings as a 28 year-old tenor with the Trinity Choir on 2 May 1906 [DAHR]. Those were 'Praise ye the Father' (Victor 4749/16419) and 'Blest Be the Ties That Bind' (Victor 720/16178). Label scans exist of both issues of the former, but I only presume they were released that year. The Trinity Choir was one of the more important ensembles in Harrison's career, recording numerously with them into 1909 and later in the twenties into 1930.

Also major to Harrison's career were the numerous ensembles in which he performed for Victor, notably the Victor Light Opera Company from 1910 to 1914 and later in the twenties into 1930.

In 1925 Harrison married soprano, Beulah Gaylord Young (b 1873). But he first recorded with her fourteen years earlier in 1911. DAHR demurs to give a date more specific than c 1911 for 'Love Divine, All Loves Excelling' (Columbia-Rena 333 and Columbia ‎ A5338). Rust and Brooks [refs below] lend the month of January for that while the ODP shows a month of March. 'Where Love Is King' (Columbia A1090) went down later on 3 October that year. Other duets with Young followed in 1912 like ''Aeroplane Duet' (Columbia A1135), 'Awakened Love (Columbia A1135) and 'Are You Going to Dance?' (Columbia A1225).

Rust/Brooks have Harrison recording solo the same year as his first tracks with Young, 'Mignon' and 'Maritana' going down as early as 29 May 1911 for release on Columbia A5313. His first solo release to chart was 'I'm Falling in Love with Someone' (Columbia 5327) at #9 in February 1912. Harrison positioned 29 titles in the Top Eleven to as late as 'Play That Song of India Again' (Victor 18877) at #4 in May 1922. Three of those peaked the charts at #1: 'Peg o' My Heart' (11/13), 'Ireland Must be Heaven, for My Mother Came from There' (10/16) and 'I'm Always Chasing Rainbows' (11/18). Numerous of Harrison's ballads come with Irish orientation, even as Irish themes pervade modern recording in its infancy in general.

Also large in Harrison's career were numerous ensembles for Columbia, Victor's archrival between which competition was already beginning to spell Edison Records' coming doom in 1929. 'The Columbia Master Book Discography Vol II' by Rust and Brooks has Harrison w the Columbia Quartet(te) as early as 12 Feb 1912 for 'Take Me Back to the Garden of Love' (Columbia A1141) which reached #3 on the popularity charts. Come the Columbia Stellar Quartet(te) from 1912 to 1921, placing 'The Battle Hymn of the Republic' (Columbia 2367) at #1 along the way in Feb 1918. That group also recorded a few titles as the Broadway Quartette.

'Take Me Back to the Garden of Love'   Charles Harrison leading the Columbia Stellar Quartet

Recorded 7 Feb 1912 in NYC toward Columbia A-1141   Charted at #3 May 1912

Music: Nat Osborne   Lyrics: E. Ray Goetz

'Absent'   Charles Harrison w Elisabeth Spencer

Issued July 1912 on Edison Blue Amberol 1045

Music: John Metcalf   Lyrics: Catherine Young Glen

'Peg o' My Heart'   Charles Harrison

Recorded 27 July 1913 in Camden NJ toward Victor 17412   Charted at #1 Nov 1913

Music: Fred Fisher  Lyrics: Alfred Bryan

'A Little Love, A Little Kiss'   Charles Harrison

Recorded 3 Dec 1913 in Camden NJ toward Victor 17509

Composition: Lao Silesu

Harrison also recorded as Billy Burton beginning in 1914 per 'Cotton Blossom Time'/'Tennessee, I Hear You Calling Me' (Columbia A1663). DAHR has Harrison as Burton on numerous titles to as late as 1917 per 'Your Eyes, Your Lips, Your Heart' (Columbia A2359) and 'Oh! Jack, When Are You Coming Back?' (Columbia A2274).

'It Was In the Time of Roses'   Charles Harrison as Billy Burton w Herbert Stuart

Recorded 22 Jan 1916 in NYC toward Columbia A-1953

Composition: Bert Grant

'Ireland Must Be Heaven'   Charles Harrison

Recorded 29 July 1916 in Camden NJ toward Victor 18111   Charted at #1 Oct 1916

Music: Fred Fisher  Lyrics: Howard Johnson / Joseph McCarthy

'I'm Always Chasing Rainbows'   Charles Harrison

Recorded 26 July 1918 in Camden NJ toward Victor 18496   Charted at #1 Nov 1918

Music: Adapted by Harry Carroll from Chopin's 1834 'Fantaisie-Impromptu'

Lyrics: Joseph McCarthy

'I'll Be With You in Apple Blossom Time'   Charles Harrison

Recorded 3 June 1920 in Camden NJ toward Victor 18496   Charted at #2 Nov 1920

Violin: Howard Rattay   Composition: Albert Von Tilzer / Neville Fleeson

'Avalon'   Charles Harrison

Recorded 5 Oct 1920 in Camden NJ toward Victor 18707

Composition: Al Jolson / Vincent Rose

'Peggy O'Neil'   Charles Harrison

Recorded 31 May 1921 in NYC toward Columbia A-3438   Charted at #8 Sep 1921

Composition: Harry Pease / Ed Nelson / Gilbert Dodge

Harrison sang w the Eveready Mixed Quartet in 1924 on the 'Eveready Hour' radio program. Advertising Eveready Battery, that was the initial commercially sponsored radio variety show, first broadcasting circa November 1923 to February 1924 from WEAF Radio in New York City. Later organizations with which Harrison recorded include the Jean Goldkette Orchestra [Tom Lord], the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, the Revelers, the American Singers, the High Hatters, the Connecticut Yankees, the Lee Jones Madrigal Singers and the Hotel McAlpin Orchestra.

Harrison began appearing on Broadway in 1930 ('This One Man'). He performed in 'Precedent' in 1931, 'The Sellout' in 1933 and 'One More Honeymoon' in 1934. Discogs traces releases by him to as late as 1932 before he disappears for another twenty years. He was 75 years of age when he made his last recordings in 1954, an album titled 'Charles Harrison Sings Again'. Harrison died on 2 February 1965 in New Providence, New Jersey.