Harry Macdonough | |
|---|---|
 A picture of Macdonough from Bain News Service. | |
| Background information | |
| Born | John Scantlebury Macdonald (1871-05-30)May 30, 1871 Hamilton, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | September 26, 1931(1931-09-26) (aged 60) New York City, New York, United States |
| Genres | Pop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, studio manager, label executive |
| Years active | 1898/99-1920 |
| Labels | Edison,Victor,Columbia Records |
Written by Paul Dresser, recorded by Macdonough forEdison Records, c. 1902 | |
John Scantlebury Macdonald (May 30, 1871 – September 26, 1931), known professionally asHarry Macdonough, was aCanadian-born singer andrecording executive. He was one of the most prolific and populartenors during the formative years of the recording industry. His most popular recordings included “Shine On, Harvest Moon” (with Elise Stevenson), “Down By The Old Mill Stream”, “They Didn’t Believe Me” (with Olive Kline), “Tell Me, Pretty Maiden” (with Grace Spencer), and “Where The River Shannon Flows”.
Macdonald was born inHamilton,Ontario, Canada.[1] His earliest recorded performances were for the Michigan Electric Company inDetroit, which madephonograph cylinders forpenny arcades.[2] He caught the attention ofEdison Records with ademo recording he made in October 1898, and began recording for Edison inthe Haydn Quartet.[3] From 1899 until his retirement in 1920, he recorded hundreds of songs both as a soloist and in ensembles.[4]
One of Macdonald's lesser-known performances is for performing "Tessie", then billed as "Tessie (You Are the Only Only Only)" from the Broadway musicalThe Silver Slipper in 1903, becoming a rallying cry for theBoston Red Sox until 1918 and starting again in 2004 during theWorld Series.[5][6][7]
During the 1900s, Macdonald took a job with theVictor Talking Machine Company, becoming assistant manager and later manager of its New York City studio.[8] As studio manager he oversaw the studio schedule, as well as negotiating contracts with artists and music publishers.[9] In October 1913, he recorded a duet with the American singerMarguerite Dunlap of "When It's Apple Blossom Time in Normandy".[10] Macdonald rose rapidly at Victor, becoming its national sales manager in 1920 and manager ofartists and repertoire in 1923.[9] He moved toColumbia Records in 1925 and oversaw the technical development of its studios until his death.[11]
