American Quartet (ensemble)

The American Quartet
Background information
Also known as	The Premier Quartet(te) The Premier American Quartet
Origin	New York City, United States
Genres	Vocal group
Years active	1899–1925
Labels	Victor, Edison, Columbia, etc.
Past members	John Bieling William F. Hooley S. H. Dudley Jere Mahoney Harry Macdonough Albert C. Campbell W. T. Leahy Billy Murray Steve Porter Walter B. Rogers Robert D. Armour John Young Donald Chalmers John H. Meyer Frank Croxton (NOTE: Core members 1909-1913 in bold.)

The American Quartet was a four-member vocal group that recorded for various companies in the United States between 1899 and 1925. The membership varied over the years, but the most famous line-up — comprising John Bieling (first tenor), Billy Murray (second tenor), Steve Porter (baritone), and William F. Hooley (bass) — recorded for the Victor Talking Machine Company from 1909 to 1913. The same group of singers also recorded for Edison Records as the Premier Quartet (or Quartette), and for that and other labels as the Premier American Quartet. From 1912 to 1914 the quartet also recorded with countertenor Will Oakland as the Heidelberg Quintet.