Biography
Born on 30 June 1866 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA, and passing away on 16 August 1939 in Ocean Park, California, USA, Tally began his performing life as a member of the vaudeville troupe Empire City Quartet. His clear tenor voice soon drew interest from record firms, leading to a sustained career that commenced in late 1902 with the company that would evolve into Columbia Records. Initial releases appeared on cylinders before he shifted to acoustic discs, and his output eventually surfaced on Edison and Victor Records plus assorted smaller imprints. The material he chose comprised current popular numbers, many drawn from contemporary stage productions.
Among the titles he committed to wax were “Honeymooning,” “Mister Dooley,” “Pinky Panky Poo,” “Love Me, Phoebe, Love Me,” “My Little Coney Isle,” “There’s Music In The Air,” “Seminole,” “Mandy, Won’t You Be My Beau?,” “Why Don’t You Try?,” “Egypt,” “Wait Till The Sun Shines, Nellie,” “Marie,” “My Bonnie Blue Bell,” “Come, Josephine, In My Flying Machine,” “Come Back, Let’s Be Sweethearts Once More,” and “Let’s Go Into A Picture Show.” The last of these, cut in 1909, is regarded as the earliest reference to motion pictures within a popular song. In addition to solo work, he partnered on duets, several with bass singer Harry Mayo, among them “I Was Never Nearer Heaven In My Life.”
While maintaining his recording schedule, Tally kept appearing in vaudeville, where he performed the same pieces that had been committed to disc. His studio activity concluded in 1917 with the sides “How Can I Forget” and “I’m All Bound Round With The Mason Dixon Line.” The next year he also left the stage, settling in California to operate a cigar store. A surviving example of his singing, “Daisy Donohue” by Robert J. Adams, appears on the 2003 release The Wizard of Oz - Vintage Recordings From The 1903 Broadway Musical issued by Original Cast Recordings.
Among the titles he committed to wax were “Honeymooning,” “Mister Dooley,” “Pinky Panky Poo,” “Love Me, Phoebe, Love Me,” “My Little Coney Isle,” “There’s Music In The Air,” “Seminole,” “Mandy, Won’t You Be My Beau?,” “Why Don’t You Try?,” “Egypt,” “Wait Till The Sun Shines, Nellie,” “Marie,” “My Bonnie Blue Bell,” “Come, Josephine, In My Flying Machine,” “Come Back, Let’s Be Sweethearts Once More,” and “Let’s Go Into A Picture Show.” The last of these, cut in 1909, is regarded as the earliest reference to motion pictures within a popular song. In addition to solo work, he partnered on duets, several with bass singer Harry Mayo, among them “I Was Never Nearer Heaven In My Life.”
While maintaining his recording schedule, Tally kept appearing in vaudeville, where he performed the same pieces that had been committed to disc. His studio activity concluded in 1917 with the sides “How Can I Forget” and “I’m All Bound Round With The Mason Dixon Line.” The next year he also left the stage, settling in California to operate a cigar store. A surviving example of his singing, “Daisy Donohue” by Robert J. Adams, appears on the 2003 release The Wizard of Oz - Vintage Recordings From The 1903 Broadway Musical issued by Original Cast Recordings.
Albums