Video

The Peerless Quartet is said to be the most commercially successful vocal group of the acoustic recording era. Personnel changed frequently. The Quartet is an off shoot of the Columbia Male Quartet. In 1904 it consisted of tenors Henry Burr and Albert Campbell, baritone Steve Porter, and bass Tom Daniels. In 1906 Frank C. Stanley replaced Daniels and assumed lead singing and managing responsibilities. The "Peerless Quartet" name appeared in 1906-1907. The group was called the Columbia Quartet on Columbia records for many years after other companies adopted the Peerless name. Arthur Collins filled Porter's slot in 1909. When Stanley died in 1910, John Meyer became the bass and Burr sang the lead. Frank Croxton joined the group when Collins left in 1918. In 1925 Burr changed to personnel to include himself, Carl Mathieu, Stanley Baughman and James Stanley. The Quartet disbanded in 1928. _______________________________ Henry Burr was the pseudonym of Harry McClaskey, a world famous pop singer and recording artist of the 1902-1929 period. Credited with making over 5000 phonograph recordings for almost every record company and performing in many concerts throughout North America, this Canadian-American remains one of the most famous, and yet, one of the most forgotten recording artists of all time. Most information about Burr has come from a series of article written by Jim Walsh and the New York Times obituary. Peerless Quartet with Henry Burr In the Evening By the Moonlight (1926) Victor-20055