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Billy Jones

William Reese Jones (March 15, 1889 – November 23, 1940) was a tenor who recorded during the 1920s and 1930s, finding fame as a radio star on The Happiness Boys radio program.

Jones worked in such occupations as mining, banking, and blacksmithing before his 1918 recording debut. He recorded with the Cleartone Four, the Crescent Trio, the Harmonizers Quartet and the Premier Quartet, and he performed under a variety of names (Harry Blake, Billy Clarke, Lester George, Duncan Jones, Reese Jones, John Kelley, Dennis O'Malley, William Rees, Victor Roberts, Billy West, William West, and Carlton Williams).

After he met Ernie Hare in 1919, they teamed in 1920 when Brunswick executive Gus Haenschen had them sing an accompaniment on a Brunswick Records recording. They went on to do numerous recordings together for Brunswick, Edison, and other companies.

They began on radio October 18, 1921 on WJZ (Newark, New Jersey). Sponsored by the chain of Happiness Candy stores, they were heard on The Happiness Boys program beginning August 22, 1923 on New York's WEAF, moving to NBC from a run from 1926 to 1929. As "The Happiness Boys", they sang popular tunes, mostly light fare and comic songs, and they joked with one another between numbers.

By 1928, they were the highest paid singers in radio, earning $1,250 a week. The partnership ended with Hare's death on March 9, 1939. Jones continued to perform, teaming with Hare's 16-year-old daughter, Marilyn Hare, in 1939-40. He died November 23, 1940, in Manhattan, of a heart attack, and is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx, New York City.

Among Jones' hits was "The grass is always greener in the other fellow's yard" which became the theme song of the "Big Brother Bob Emery " a children's program, first on radio, then on TV in both New York and Boston in the 1940s and 1950s.

Birth and Death Data: Born March 15, 1889 (New York City), Died November 23, 1940 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1916 - 1951

Roles Represented in DAHR: tenor vocal, speaker, author, saxophone, tenor saxophone, songwriter, vocalist, lyricist

Notes: Also recorded under the name Victor Roberts.

See Also: Roberts, Victor

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 626-650 of 738 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Edison 9581 10-in. 6/24/1924 You'll never get to heaven with those eyes Atlantic Dance Orchestra ; Billy Jones Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 9583 10-in. 6/25/1924 I'm gonna bring a watermelon (To my girl to-night) Ernest Hare ; Billy Jones Male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 9602 10-in. 7/7/1924 The sidewalks of New York Billy Jones Male vocal solo and vocal chorus, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 9649 10-in. 7/29/1924 Dumb Dora Billy Jones Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 9655 10-in. 8/2/1924 She loves me Green Brothers' Novelty Band ; Billy Jones Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 9704 10-in. 9/12/1924 Fol-the-rol-lol Ernest Hare ; Billy Jones Male vocal duet, with piano vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 9758 10-in. 10/1/1924 Oh you can't fool an old hoss fly Ernest Hare ; Billy Jones Male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 9779 10-in. 10/9/1924 It ain't gonna rain no mo' The Happiness Boys Male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 9846 10-in. 11/13/1924 No one knows what it's all about The Happiness Boys Male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 9885 10-in. 12/2/1924 On my ukulele (Tra la la la la) The Happiness Boys Male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 9907 10-in. 12/12/1924 Laff it off! The Happiness Boys Male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 9943 10-in. 1/15/1925 How do you do The Happiness Boys Male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 9989 10-in. 2/3/1925 Cross-words (Between sweetie and me) Billy Jones Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 9998 10-in. 2/10/1925 Nuthin's gonna stop me now Billy Jones Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 10099 12-in. 2/17/1926 March sample record no. 4 Ernest Hare ; Hotel Carlton Terrace Orchestra ; Irving Aaronson Crusaders ; Billy Jones ; Kaplan's Melodists ; Mike Speciale Dubbed recordings vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 10101 12-in. 3/15/1926 April sample record no. 5 Ernest Hare ; Henry Ford's Old Time Dance Orchestra ; Jazz Babies ; Billy Jones ; Mike Speciale Orchestra ; Earl Oliver ; Tennessee Happy Boys Dubbed recordings vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 10105 12-in. 5/14/1926 June sample record no. 7 Frank Braidwood ; Ernest Hare ; Charles Harrison ; Billy Jones ; Radio Franks ; Elizabeth Spencer Dubbed recordings vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 10110 12-in. 8/13/1926 September sample record no. 10 Anna Case ; Glen Ellison ; Arthur Hall ; Ernest Hare ; Billy Jones ; Jerry Macy ; John Ryan ; Ed Smalle Dubbed recordings vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 10201 10-in. 2/11/1925 I'll make the pies like Mother made (If you'll make the dough like Dad) Billy Jones Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 10263 10-in. 3/18/1925 Ain't my baby grand Billy Jones ; Nathan Glantz Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 10280 10-in. 3/26/1925 Titina Billy Jones Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 10282 10-in. 3/27/1925 As a porcupine pines for its pork (That's how I pine for you) The Happiness Boys Male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 10320 10-in. 4/15/1925 Of all my wife's relations (I love myself the best) Billy Jones Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 10341 10-in. 4/29/1925 Don't bring Lulu The Happiness Boys Male vocal duet, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
Edison 10359 10-in. 5/8/1925 Christofo Columbo (Thought the world was round-o) Billy Jones Male vocal solo and male vocal ensemble, with orchestra vocalist, tenor vocal  
(Results 626-650 of 738 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Jones, Billy," accessed November 7, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/109631.

Jones, Billy. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 7, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/109631.

"Jones, Billy." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 7 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/109631

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