VICTOR 78 RPM Record 17809 Billy Murray “The War in Snider’s Grocery Store”/”Are

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VICTOR 78 RPM Record 17809 Billy Murray “The War in Snider’s Grocery Store”/”Are You the O’Reilly?” E Visible Condition, beautiful record. During his recording career Billy Murray made 1498 different records. Trying to find some more of the unusual titles.

As you know, Billy Murray was perhaps one of the greatest vaudevillian stars. Vaudeville soon was recorded on records which reached a much larger audience. This is a very nice condition record and an unusual title.

Billy Murray was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Patrick and Julia (Kelleher) Murray, immigrants from County Kerry, Ireland. His parents moved to Denver, Colorado in 1882, where he grew up. He became fascinated with the theater and joined a traveling vaudeville troupe in 1893. He also performed in minstrel shows early in his career. In 1897 Murray made his first recordings for Peter Bacigalupi, the owner of a phonograph company in San Francisco. As of 2010 none of Murray’s cylinder records with Bacigalupi are known to have survived. In 1903, he started recording regularly in New York City and New Jersey area, where major record companies in the U.S. as well as the Tin Pan Alley music industry were concentrated.

In 1906, he recorded the first of his popular duets with Ada Jones. He also performed with Aileen Stanley, the Haydn Quartet, the American Quartet (also known as the Premier Quartet), and Elsie Baker as well as performed solo work. Nicknamed "The Denver Nightingale", Murray had a strong tenor voice with excellent enunciation and a conversational delivery compared with bel canto singers of the era. On comic songs, he often deliberately sang slightly flat, which he felt helped the comic effect. Although he often performed romantic numbers and ballads which sold well, his comedy and novelty song recordings continue to be popular with later generations of record collectors.

If possible we gladly combine shipping items to lessen postage. PLEASE don?t use eBay auto pay. I will invoice you for general shipping costs which will be easier and cheaper for you: insurance added for all items $10+ or at your request. We will pack securely ? but are not responsible for shipping company damage if uninsured.

1 record - $4.70 ? Add $1 for each additional record (+ insurance if required). (USA ONLY) (Int?l use eBay calculator and I will adjust to get cheapest rate)

E++, Visibly nearly new with no visible signs of wear or damage.

E+, Looks and plays like new with only few signs of handling and play.

E Still very shiny, near new looking, with slight visible signs of wear and a few nearly inaudible scuffs and scratches

E- Still shiny but without the luster of a new record, few scuffs that have little or no effect on play, some light scratches.

E- - Mostly shiny but with even less of the luster of an E- record, more scuffs than E-that have little or no effect on play, light scratches with some light noise.

VG+, Slightly above average condition 78 in which scuffs and general use has dulled the finish somewhat. Wear is moderate but playing is generally free from distortion. Surface noise not overly pronounced.

VG, An average condition 78 - moderate wear throughout, but still very playable and enjoyable. Surface somewhat dull with noise and scratches audible but not intrusive.

VG-, Quite playable still, but with some distortion and may have some graying in loud passages. Music remains loud in most passages. Surface noise and scratches well below music level.

VG- - Quite playable still, but with distortion and most have some graying in loud passages. Music remains loud in most passages. Surface noise and scratches noticeable and may be loud at times.

G+ Quite worn and scratched, but music level is still higher than surface noise. Grey may be throughout but still serviceable. Music begins to sound muffled.

G Not so good. Wear and scratch damage extensive. Listening can become uncomfortable as music and surface noise probably blending. Lowest level music can be understood.

G-, Music barely audible over surface noise & listening is uncomfortable. Record is borderline unplayable.

P Used only for high dollar space fillers like Black Patti, Okeh blues, etc. Music covered by surface noise, scratches, and needle digs, label may be trashed, & listening is almost if not definitely impossible. Record is basically unplayable. What you keep because you can?t bear to toss ? while you look for that E+ copy of Robert Johnson on Vocalion at the local flea markets for $1 (Good Luck!)

See Description, A wildcard grade that can be used when standard grading does not apply or when a record (or item) has special attributes (or defects) that can affect how the item is assigned a grade.