edisonrecords

Alfred A. "Al" Bernard (1888-1949) was an American vaudeville singer, known as "The Boy From Dixie", who was most popular during the 1910s through early 1930s. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Bernard became a blackface singer in minstrel shows before starting his recording career around 1916.   Bernard composed and recorded more than 100 songs in the first three decades of the 20th century.   He was one of the first white singers to record blues songs.   W. C. Handy credited Bernard with helping his own career by recording a number of his songs, notably "St. Louis Blues".  Bernard recorded the song for nine different record labels, the most successful being what Handy called "the sensational Victor recording in which he sang with the Dixieland Jazz Band". For a brief period in the early 20's Bernard was teamed with Jimmy Durante and wrote the lyrics for "Papa String Bean" for Durante.  He teamed up with the ragtime composer J. Russell Robinson in a vaudeville team called the Dixie Stars and they recorded songs together for a number of famous labels.  Bernard usually sang while Robinson played the piano and added some vocals. Together they composed a number of hit songs including "Blue Eyed Sally" and "Let Me Be The First To Kiss You Good Morning".   Excerpted – [1] [2]

Vernon Dalhart (April 6, 1883 – September 14, 1948),[1] born Marion Try Slaughter, was a popular American singer and songwriter of the early decades of the 20th century. He is a major influence in the field of country music. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernon_Dalhart

Here's a patriotic song he recorded on an Edison cylinder at the beginning of his long recording career. www.youtube.com/watch?v=XH7Y7yFI_lQ

see

Thanks to both of you for this information, and for connecting the photographs. We'll fill in the caption the next time we update the records.

American singer/songwriter Vernon Dalhart, see

Thanks Art Siegel. We will update the description.