Billy Murray (singer)

Billy Murray
Murray in May 1911
Murray in May 1911
Background information
Birth nameWilliam Thomas Murray
Born(1877-05-25)May 25, 1877
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
OriginNew York City
DiedAugust 17, 1954(1954-08-17) (aged 77)
Jones Beach, New York, United States
GenresPop
OccupationSinger
InstrumentVocals
Years active1893–1944
LabelsEdison, OkeH, Victor Talking Machine Company, many others

William Thomas Murray (May 25, 1877 – August 17, 1954) was one of the most popular singers in the United States in the early 20th century.[1] While he received star billing in Vaudeville, he was best known for his prolific work in the recording studio, making records for almost every record label of the era. Murray was the best-selling recording artist of the first quarter of the 20th century, selling over 300 million records during the phonograph era.[2][3]

  1. ^ Ruhlmann, William. "Billy Murray". Allmusic. Retrieved October 14, 2011.
  2. ^ Walsh, Jim (January 9, 1957). "Bing Crosby's 130,000,000 Disk Sales Makes Him Champ of Modern Era". Variety. p. 239. Retrieved June 12, 2019 – via Archive.org.
  3. ^ "Billy Murray Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Retrieved April 17, 2023.