Frank Crumit (Sept.26,1889 - Sept.7,1943) was a popular United States singer and songwriter, born in Jackson, Ohio, the son of Frank and Mary Poore Crumit, and he died of a heart attack in New York City. By 1913, he performed on the vaudeville stage, first with a trio and then a year later on his own, playing ukulele (and his work with the ukulele apparently inspired George Formby) and singing his favorite songs; he was referred to as "the one-man glee club" in New York City's night spots.
Crumit began making records for American Columbia in 1919, using the old acoustic, or "horn," method of recording (he also occasionally added vocals and banjo to recordings by the Paul Biese Trio on the same label). Unfortunately, the broad and pleasant overtones of his voice were not suited to this technology.
This changed after 1925, with the industry's introduction of the microphone. By this time, Frank Crumit was singing at Victor Talking Machine. The new recording method was able to capture the rich tenor sound of his voice and Crumit produced a series of the traditional ballads he loved, as well as a number of his own compositions, which he wrote in the style of his old-time favorites.
Frank Crumit - I'm Sitting on Top of the World (1925)
[video=youtube;44nWQ7RglTk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44nWQ7RglTk[/video]
Frank Crumit - Three Little Words (1930)
[video=dailymotion;x8k267]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8k267_frank-crumit-three-little-words_music[/video]
Crumit began making records for American Columbia in 1919, using the old acoustic, or "horn," method of recording (he also occasionally added vocals and banjo to recordings by the Paul Biese Trio on the same label). Unfortunately, the broad and pleasant overtones of his voice were not suited to this technology.
This changed after 1925, with the industry's introduction of the microphone. By this time, Frank Crumit was singing at Victor Talking Machine. The new recording method was able to capture the rich tenor sound of his voice and Crumit produced a series of the traditional ballads he loved, as well as a number of his own compositions, which he wrote in the style of his old-time favorites.
Frank Crumit - I'm Sitting on Top of the World (1925)
[video=youtube;44nWQ7RglTk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44nWQ7RglTk[/video]
Frank Crumit - Three Little Words (1930)
[video=dailymotion;x8k267]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8k267_frank-crumit-three-little-words_music[/video]
