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Last updated: July 28, 2008
Articles and documents pertaining to Murray's personal life and career.
New! JIMMY MARTINDALE A large collection of letters and correspondence from one of Murray's closest friends. Martindale describes first-hand about Murray's final years, from 1938 to 1954. A must read!
Updated! THE MURRAY FAMILY ALBUM Patrick, Julia, Mae, John, James, and Barton—read all about Billy Murray's family history and genealogy.
BILLY MURRAY IN THE 1880 CENSUS See where two-year-old William was living in Philadelphia.
BILLY MURRAY IN THE 1885 COLORADO STATE CENSUS Now see where the future Denver Nightingale was living.
BILLY MURRAY IN THE 1890 CENSUS Unfortunately, the 1890 census of Arapahoe County [Denver] no longer exists. Sorry!
WILLIAM MURRAY AND JAMES MACKIN Billy Murray teams up with James Mackin in a singing and dancing act.
AL G. FIELD'S GREATER MINSTRELS This section contains all of the details on Murray's travels with this highly popular turn-of-the-century minstrel show.
BILLY MURRAY ON SHEET MUSIC COVERS 1902-1929
DINNER TO MR. EDISON Billy Murray entertains at a dinner party for Thomas Edison. Edison Phonograph Monthly, March 1907, pages 3 & 4.
BILLY MURRAY IN THE 1910 CENSUS Murray was residing in Manhattan with pianist/songwriter Dick Richards.
THE PREMIER QUARTET Billy Murray, John Bieling, Steve Porter, and William Hooley on the front cover of the Edison Phonograph Monthly.
FRANK C. STANLEY TESTIMONIAL CONCERT Murray took part in a concert to honor the recently deceased Frank C. Stanley, held on March 8, 1911.
ARCADIAN PASSENGER LIST Murray returns from the New York Yankees' spring training camp in Bermuda on March 17, 1913.
BILLY MURRAY'S WEDDING ANNOUNCEMENT For his second marriage.
BILLY MURRAY'S SECOND MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE to Grace Kathrine Brinckerhoff, November 25, 1915.
MY TWIN—THE PHONOGRAPH Murray's autobiography, from the Edison Phonograph Monthly, January 1917, pages 3 & 13.
FAMOUS TALKING MACHINE ARTISTS A rare concert program presented by Henry Burr, Albert Campbell, Arthur Collins, Byron G. Harlan, John Meyer, Theodore Morse, Billy Murray, and Fred Van Eps.
WITH THE EDISON ARTISTS Along Broadway, June 1918, page 8.
BILLY MURRAY'S WORLD WAR I DRAFT CARD Dated September 9, 1918.
EMERSON PHONOGRAPH ADVERTISEMENT Featuring songwriter Irving Berlin, and Billy Murray's record of "I've Got My Captain Working for Me Now." (Emerson 1042). Talking Machine World, September 15, 1919, page 138.
VICTOR RECORDING CONTRACT A contract dated October 1, 1919 (during Murray's freelance period) permitting the Victor Talking Machine Company the first choice of new material over the other companies.
BILLY MURRAY IN THE 1920 CENSUS With his wife Grace Brinckerhoff, a servant to another family, and a stepson?
DO YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A VOCATION AND AN AVOCATION? Along Broadway, April 1920, page 5.
BILLY MURRAY'S HOUSE 255 Southside Avenue, Freeport, New York.
AUTO RIDES FIGURE IN ALIENATION SUIT Mrs. Raymond F. Rode Asks $50,000 Damages From Mrs. 'Billy' Murray [Grace Brinckerhoff, Murray's second wife]. New York Times, June 18, 1922, page 35.
WHEN MRS. R— [RODE] HEARD OF THOSE MIDNIGHT PHOTO KISSES A more scandalous story concerning the lawsuit between Mrs. Raymond F. Rode and Grace Murray. Lima (OH) News, July 16, 1922.
EIGHT FAMOUS VICTOR ARTISTS PROGRAM Early 1920s.
MADELINE FUNK'S 1924 PASSPORT APPLICATION More details about Billy Murray's future wife, with a photograph of her included.
DIVORCES A short note published in Billboard stating that Billy Murray was filing a divorce action against his second wife, Grace Brinckerhoff. November 22, 1924.
BATH-ROOM ROMANCE WRECKS BILLY MURRAY'S MARITAL SHIP Murray divorces Grace Katherine Brinckerhoff, who's been dating a Freeport police officer, Billy Combs. Read what Aileen Stanley has to say!
VICTOR ARTISTS CONCLUDING TOUR Variety, May 6, 1925.
BILLY MURRAY'S HOUSE DEEDS The deeds to his home at 255 Southside Avenue, Freeport, Long Island, New York.
SHEA'S BUFFALO Original theater program featuring the Eight Popular Victor Artists at Shea's Buffalo.
BILLY MURRAY—OLD-TIMER An interview in which Murray describes his life in Denver, as well as with Harry Leavitt's High Rollers, and with Al G. Fields' Greater Minstrels.
REQUEST FOR RETURN OF COPYRIGHT DEPOSITS Gives a detailed description of the short film, "At the Club," starring Billy Murray and the Eight Popular Victor Artists.
BILLY MURRAY IN THE 1930 CENSUS With his third wife Madeline Funk.
SCANLON [SIC], MURRAY AND SHIELDS A review of the Comedy Trio from Variety, December 29, 1931, page 159.
POSTCARD ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE COMEDY TRIO Billy Murray, Walter Van Brunt (as Walter Scanlon), and Marcella Shields. Sponsored by Horton's Ice Cream.
MURRAY, SCANLON [SIC] AND SHIELDS A review of the Comedy Trio on WOR, sponsored by Horton's Ice Cream. Variety, April 26, 1932, page 50.
LITTLE BITS FROM THE AIR Another review of the Comedy Trio, featuring Billy Murray, Walter Van Brunt (as Walter Scanlon), and Marcella Shields. Variety, August 30, 1932, page 48.
MADELINE MURRAY'S SOCIAL SECURITY APPLICATION Billy Murray's wife Madeline Funk applied for Social Security on November 24, 1936.
BILLY MURRAY'S SOCIAL SECURITY APPLICATION Dated July 30, 1937.
VICTOR BRINGING BACK BILLY MURRAY "Veteran Of 4,000 Recordings." Variety, August 21, 1940, page 1.
NOSTALGIA BOOMS DEMAND FOR MURRAY'S GILT-EDGE LILTS Another one of the few newspaper interviews Murray gave. New York World-Telegram, August 26, 1940, page 19.
JANUARY RECORDS An article writen by Ulysses "Jim" Walsh (uncredited) promotes Billy Murray's new RCA Bluebird release of "The Guy at the End of the Bar" (10980). Time, January 13, 1941, page 47.
BEACON CONTRACT Billy Murray and Monroe Silver's final commercial recording contract for Joe Davis' Beacon label on February 11, 1943.
POSTCARD FROM BILLY MURRAY Mailed to his friends in hoping for a comeback (from 1944).
LETTER FROM BILLY MURRAY Mailed to fellow collector Quentin Riggs, dated January 6, 1946.
MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM BILLY AND MADELINE A collection of greeting cards mailed to friends during the Christmas and New Year seasons.
FAN LETTERS FROM JIM WALSH Writer and researcher Jim Walsh, who wrote extensively about Murray for Hobbies magazine and other publications, frequently wrote personal appreciation letters to Murray and kept carbon copies of them. Read them here!
BILLY MURRAY'S DEATH CERTIFICATE Died August 17, 1954.
BILLY MURRAY'S OBITUARY Freeport (NY) Leader, August 26, 1954, pages 1 & 4.
LETTERS FROM MADELINE MURRAY Billy's widow Madeline Murray writes to Jim Walsh and Quentin Riggs about how much she misses her late husband. Dates from 1954, 1964, and 1973.
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