Chick Bullock

Charles (Chick) Bullock (September 16, 1898 – September 15, 1981) was an American jazz and dance band vocalist, most active in the 1930s. He recorded some 500 tunes over the course of his career. Bullock was mostly associated with the ARC group of labels (Melotone, Perfect, Banner, Oriole, Romeo). Many of his records were issued under the name "Chick Bullock and his Levee Loungers".

Bullock belonged to select group of mostly freelance vocalists who sang the vocal refrains on hundreds of New York sessions, which included Smith Ballew, Scrappy Lambert, Irving Kaufman, Arthur Fields, and Dick Robertson. Some of these vocalists were also instrumentalists, but their singing was more often featured. (All of the above had records also issued under their own name, and in case of Ballew, actually had a working orchestra for a couple of years.)

Bullock, who rarely performed live because his face was disfigured due to an eye disease, was born in Montana to William and Emily Bullock, both of whom were immigrants from England. He began his career in vaudeville and sang in movie palaces. His career as a studio musician took off in the late 1920s, and in the 1930s he sang with musicians such as Duke Ellington, Luis Russell, Cab Calloway, Bunny Berigan, Bill Coleman, Jack Teagarden, Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey, Joe Venuti, and Eddie Lang. Bullock's recordings proved so popular that he used pseudonyms for some recordings, including the name Sleepy Hall.

In the early 1940s the recording ban by the American Federation of Musicians essentially ended Bullock's career, and he quit the music business in 1942. He moved to California in 1946 and took up real estate, opening his own company.

Birth and Death Data: Born September 16, 1898 (Butte), Died September 15, 1981 (California)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1930 - 1932

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist

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

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BRC-53082 10-in. 5/8/1931 A lonely gondolier Chick Bullock ; Victor Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BRC-53083 10-in. 5/8/1931 Under your window tonight Chick Bullock ; Victor Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BVE-67447 10-in. 2/16/1931 By special permission of the copyright owners, I love you Chick Bullock ; Nathaniel Shilkret ; Victor Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BVE-67448 10-in. 2/16/1931 I'm one of God's children Chick Bullock ; Nathaniel Shilkret ; Victor Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BVE-67798 10-in. 1/16/1931 The river and me Chick Bullock ; Cotton Club Orchestra ; Duke Ellington Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BVE-67799 10-in. 1/16/1931 Keep a song in your soul Chick Bullock ; Cotton Club Orchestra ; Duke Ellington Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BVE-67800 10-in. 1/16/1931 Sam and Delilah Chick Bullock ; Cotton Club Orchestra ; Duke Ellington Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BRC-68893 10-in. 4/13/1931 Let's get friendly Andy Sanella All Star Orchestra ; Chick Bullock Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BRC-68894 10-in. 4/13/1931 I'm mad about you Andy Sanella All Star Orchestra ; Chick Bullock Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BRC-68895 10-in. 4/13/1931 Bubbling over with love Andy Sanella All Star Orchestra ; Chick Bullock Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BRC-69688 10-in. 6/4/1931 Green eyes Don Azpiazu ; Chick Bullock ; Havana Casino Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BRC-69980 10-in. 6/26/1931 Minnie the Moocher Chick Bullock ; Mills Blue Rhythm Band Jazz/dance band, with male vocal duet and vocal chorus vocalist  
Victor BRC-69987 10-in. 6/29/1931 Come to me Chick Bullock ; High Hatters ; Leonard W. Joy Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BRC-69988 10-in. 6/29/1931 Parkin' in the moonlight High Hatters Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BRC-69989 10-in. 6/29/1931 As long as you're there Chick Bullock ; High Hatters ; Leonard W. Joy Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BRC-70167 10-in. 8/13/1931 The kiss that you've forgotten Chick Bullock ; Johnny Hamp Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BRC-70168 10-in. 8/13/1931 (With you on my mind, I find) I can't write the words Chick Bullock ; Johnny Hamp Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BRC-70196 10-in. 8/28/1931 Goin' to town Chick Bullock ; Luis Russell Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BRC-70197 10-in. 8/28/1931 Say the word Chick Bullock ; Luis Russell Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BRC-70207 10-in. 9/3/1931 I idolize my baby's eyes Chick Bullock ; The Troubadours Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BRC-70208 10-in. 9/3/1931 How's your uncle? Chick Bullock ; The Troubadours Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BRC-70247 10-in. 9/18/1931 Sugar Chick Bullock ; High Hatters ; Leonard W. Joy Jazz/dance band, with a male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BRC-70248 10-in. 9/18/1931 It's the darndest thing Chick Bullock ; High Hatters ; Leonard W. Joy Jazz/dance band, with a male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BRC-70249 10-in. 9/18/1931 Singin' the blues Chick Bullock ; High Hatters ; Leonard W. Joy Jazz/dance band, with a male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BRC-70970 10-in. 12/7/1931 An ev'ning in Caroline Chick Bullock ; Ted Black Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BRC-70971 10-in. 12/7/1931 Pagan moon Ted Black Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BRC-71890 10-in. 2/24/1932 Let's have another cup o' coffee Chick Bullock ; Pennsylvanians ; Three Waring Girls ; Fred Waring Jazz/dance band, with female vocal trio and male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BRC-71918 10-in. 3/8/1932 Somebody loves you Chick Bullock ; Peter Van Steeden Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BRC-71920 10-in. 3/8/1932 You're dancing on my heart Chick Bullock ; Peter Van Steeden Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BRC-71921 10-in. 3/8/1932 Everything must have an ending (But my love for you) Chick Bullock ; Peter Van Steeden Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BSHQ-73029 10-in. 6/22/1932 In a shanty in old Shanty Town Chick Bullock ; Ted Black Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BSHQ-73038 10-in. 6/27/1932 Holding my honey's hand Chick Bullock ; Pennsylvanians ; Fred Waring Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Victor BSHQ-73039 10-in. 6/27/1932 Old man of the mountain Chick Bullock ; Pennsylvanians ; Fred Waring Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and traps vocalist  
Columbia [W]149949 10-in. 1/31/1930 St. James' Infirmary Chick Bullock Male vocal solo, with piano vocalist  
Columbia W151467 10-in. 3/26/1931 That little boy of mine The Melodiers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Columbia W151468 10-in. 3/26/1931 If you should ever need me (You'll always find me here) The Melodiers Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  
Columbia W151469 10-in. 3/26/1931 Think a little kindly of me Ipana Troubadours ; Sam Lanin Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo vocalist  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Bullock, Chick," accessed October 31, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/110440.

Bullock, Chick. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved October 31, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/110440.

"Bullock, Chick." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 31 October 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/110440

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