Elise Stevenson

Elise Stevenson

Source: Tim Gracyk

Born Eliza Stevens in Liverpool on 9 February 1878, Elise Stevenson was a soprano who immigrated to America in an unknown year. Though highly popular during the first decade of the 20th century, she is now an obscure figure, beyond her recordings along a career of only some five years. She made her first recording for Victor in Philadelphia on 2 April 1906 with Harry Macdonough per 'Cross Your Heart', but that was destroyed without issue [DAHR].

Stevenson's first recordings to see release arrived on 2 May of 1906 with the Trinity Choir per 'Praise Ye the Father' (Victor 4749), 'There Is a Fountain Fill'd with Blood' (Victor 4736) and 'Lead, Kindly Light' (victor 4793). Other members of the Trinity Choir included Macdonough, Corinne Morgan and Frank C. Stanley (the latter a major figure in early popular recording whose absence from the VF History is glaring). Stevenson put away another version of 'Cross Your Heart' with Stanley on 12 June toward issue on Victor 4776. 'I Would Like to Marry You' on the same date saw release on Victor 4777. Her initial solo recording on the same date, 'The Last Rose of Summer', was destroyed. Stevenson's next session with Stanley on September 24 caused 'The Linger-Longer Girl' (Victor 4876) to tarry at #3 on the charts in January of 1907. Their later issue of 'Good Evening, Caroline' on Victor 5627 topped the charts at #1 in January of 1909. Elise used the pseudonym, Alice C. Stevenson, on many of her records with Stanley.

'The Linger-Longer Girl'   Elise Stevenson w Frank Stanley

Recorded probably early 1907 in NYC

Issued on Aretino A-1060 / D&R 45274 / Sun 45430 / Imperial 45430

Victor 4876 version of 24 Sep 1906 charted at #3 in Jan 1907

Music: Alfred Solman   Lyrics: Arthur J. Lamb

Stevenson held several solo sessions along a trail of recordings with Stanley, Macdonough and the Lyric Quartet, but none saw issue until 'When the Swallows Homeward Fly' on 14 March 1907 toward Victor 5109. Her duet with Macdonough per 'Because You're You' on Victor 5020 topped the charts in April 1907. Two years later their 'Shine on, Harvest Moon' (Victor 16259) placed at #1 in April 1909. In the meantime her own 'The Vilia Song' had charted at #3 in May of 1908, followed by 'Are You Sincere?' in July. 'Dear Heart' would rise to #8 in January 1910. Per 'Shine On, Harvest Moon' below, numerous takes went down per Victor matrix B-6666 from which four masters were made toward Victor 16259 with sessions on 23 December 1908, 16 January 1909 and others unidentified sometime between 15 Dec 1908 and 15 January 1909.

'Because You're You'   Elise Stevenson w Harry Macdonough

Recorded 16 Jan 1907 in Philadelphia toward Victor-5020   #1 April 1907

Music: Victor Herbert   Lyrics: Henry Blossom

'I Love You So' ('Merry Widow Waltz')  Elise Stevenson w Frank Stanley

Indestructible cylinder 709 issued Feb 1908    #1 April 1907

Music: Franz Lehár   Lyrics: Viktor Léon / Leo Stein

'Vilia Song' ('The Merry Widow')  Elise Stevenson

Recorded 11 Feb 1908 in Camden NJ toward Victor 5391   #3 May 1908

Music: Franz Lehár   Lyrics: Viktor Léon / Leo Stein

'Are You Sincere?'   Elise Stevenson

Recorded 30 April 1908 in Camden NJ toward Victor 5467   #3 July 1908

Music: Albert Gumble   Lyrics: Alfred Bryan

'Shine On, Harvest Moon'   Elise Stevenson as Miss Walton w Harry Macdonough

Recorded Dec 1908-Jan 1909 in Camden NJ toward Victor 16259   #1 April 1909

Composition: Nora Bayes / Jack Norworth (married)  1908

Stevenson had also performed as both Elise and Elsie Wood, having married one Milton Wood in 1905. She had left behind 'A Waltz Dream' (Columbia cylinder 33225) with Henry Burr as Elsie Wood in 1908. DAHR has Stevenson and Burr recording numerously together to no later than June of 1912 in New York City per 'Same Old Love' (Zonophone disc 5927). Her own last session of certain date is cited as 12 December 1911 for 'Light as Air' with the Victor Light Opera Company and 'National Airs of All Nations' with the Victor Mixed Chorus.

'When You're in Town'   Elise Stevenson w Henry Burr

Recorded 28 June 1911 in Camden NJ toward Victor 16898   #6 Oct 1911

Composition: Irving Berlin

But blink not, for after only a handful of years, although a lot of records, Stevenson put the brakes to her career to raise a family, not a peep to be heard from her again. Living above another half century, she died on 18 November 1967 in Laguna Beach, California, old enough to have heard the 5th Dimension on the radio, though not the Archies or Helen Reddy.