The stylistic contrast to my previous upload could hardly be more flagrant. This is a traditional ballad, although a particularly lovely one. Canadian Henry Burr (1888-1941) was the most prolific recording artist of his time (over 12,000!). Né Harry McClaskey, he was a boy soprano with a St John concert band. In 1902, he left New Brunswick for New York City, where he studied with John D. Meehan and Ellen Burr (from whom he adopted his most often used professional pseudonym). In 1906, he joined the Columbia Male Quartet, which recorded under the name Peerless Quartet for the Victor label. He assumed the leadership of the group in 1910, managing it until 1928. Over the years, he recorded under many names (a.o. Harry McClaskey, Henry Burr and Irving Gillette). He also sang with the Heidelberg Quintette and the Sterling Trio, and performed many popular duets with Albert Campbell. In 1927 he assumed the position of programme director for the Columbia Broadcasting Company. Burr was never content to rely solely on his singing career for income, involving himself in a record company, a banjo factory and a music publishing company. Though his recording career was largely over by the late 1920s, Burr made a successful comeback on Chicago radio station WLS's "National Barn Dance" in the 1930s. This is one of his late recordings, which nevertheless - but deservedly was a huge success in 1926.
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