Up in the Clouds: A Betty Bolton Discography

This discography documents Betty Bolton’s 116 sound recordings (1929-1935).

by A. G. Kozak

ORCID iD iconhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-8307-9716

Version 1.1.0
(Updated: June 30, 2026)

Creative Commons License
© 2025–2026 A. G. Kozak. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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Table of Contents

Introduction

In the course of just under six years (1929–1935), English singer Betty Bolton recorded 116 sides and thus established herself as a prolific recording artist by the standards of the interwar period. Bolton’s origins were in the musical comedies of the London stage, and record producers must have recognized her significant talent for making funny or risqué songs even more entertaining through her bold and idiosyncratic delivery. Yet she could also inject sincerity into a song that called for it, and her vocals can be incredibly touching, memorable, and beautiful.

I will reserve further questions of biography and artistic excellence for the rest of my Betty Bolton website. A discography should be simply a systematic account of facts and reasonable conjectures about artists’ known recordings, both extant and lost. It is worth making a few observations, however, about factors that complicate our identifying Betty Bolton records. It is particularly important to acknowledge some of the prior research that makes it possible for me to attempt as complete a list of her output as possible.

Bolton produced quite a few records that helpfully have the name “Betty Bolton” right on the label. However, like many artists of her time, she used two pseudonyms on the Eclipse label: “Miss Lydia Russell” and “Gracie Collins.” But both of these names were also used by other female artists on Eclipse, so firmly establishing that a given Lydia Russell or Gracie Collins record is a recording of Betty Bolton ultimately requires a copy of the record or a transfer—and a good ear.

Another major challenge is that Betty Bolton’s name usually does not appear on a record when the label features primarily the dance band for which she is providing the vocal chorus. So far, we know her to have recorded with:

  • The Piccadilly Players (Al Starita dir.)
  • Ray Starita and His Ambassadors Band
  • The Four Bright Sparks (Van Phillips dir.)
  • Roy Fox and His Band
  • Spike Hughes and His Dance Orchestra
  • Sid Phillips and His Melodians
  • Jack Payne and His BBC Dance Orchestra
  • Jay Wilbur and His Salon Orchestra (or “Jay Wilbur and His Band”; also known as The Radio Syncopators)
  • Don Porto’s Novelty Accordion Band (also known as Primo Scala’s Accordion Band; Harry Bidgood dir.)
  • Scott Wood and His Orchestra

The best source for identifying Bolton’s dance band vocals is, naturally, Rust and Forbes’s British Dance Bands on Record (1989). But that only covers part of her artistic output. Much of the rest of her career falls into the bailiwick of Ross Laird, whose magisterial 1996 Moanin’ Low provides discographies for all female Anglophone popular singers—but with an arbitrary cutoff date of 1933, which leaves out the last two years of Bolton’s career. For Betty Bolton, as for so many artists included in that book, Laird represents the single greatest step forward in research. It has, however, been nearly thirty years since Moanin’ Low was published, and in that time there has been great progress in the creation both of relevant label discographies and of internet resources that allow us to establish facts about records. It is especially worth mentioning the online label discographies of Mike Thomas, who provides up-to-date, complete, and correct discographies for all British labels not covered by more traditional sources. I particularly like his ethos of making vast bodies of knowledge available to the public in a format that is easily updated and thus evergreen.

For their assistance with the research for this discography, I would like to thank:

  • Terry Brown
  • Charles Hippisley-Cox
  • Jonathan David Holmes
  • Erin Kozak
  • Steve Paget
  • Ray Pallett
  • Henry Parsons
  • Mike Taylor
  • David Weavings



A. G. Kozak
Berkeley, California
bettybolton.co.uk
January 26, 2025 (Betty Bolton’s 119th birthday)
(Introduction updated February 16, 2026, for version 1.0.5)

Reference List

  • Adrian, Karlo, and Arthur Badrock. 1989. Edison Bell Winner Records. 2nd ed., rev. E. Bayly. (EBWR)
  • Andrews, Frank. 1985. Columbia 10″ Records, 1904–30. City of London Phonograph and Gramophone Society. (FA-Col)
  • Andrews, Frank, and Bill Dean-Myatt. 2014. The Imperial Records. CLPGS Reference Series No. 33. City of London Phonograph and Gramophone Society. (ADM-Imp)
  • Andrews, Frank, Jim Hayes, and Michael Smith. 2003. Columbia ‘DB’ and ‘LB’ Series. City of London Phonograph and Gramophone Society. (DB)
  • Andrews, Frank, et al. 2019. Vocalion Records. CLPGS Reference Series No. 42. 3rd ed. City of London Phonograph and Gramophone Society. (VR)
  • Badrock, Arthur. 1994. “Gracie Collins.” Talking Machine Review 88 (Autumn/Winter): 2559–60. (AB)
  • Badrock, Arthur, with Frank Andrews and Grant Pilcher. 1998. Filmophone Discography. Talking Machine Review. (BAP)
  • Kozak, A. G. 2022. Croonette: An Elsie Carlisle Discography (version 2.1.0). Zenodo. (AGK-EC)
  • Laird, Ross. 1996. Moanin’ Low: A Discography of Female Popular Vocal Recordings, 1920–1933. Greenwood Press. (ML)
  • Rust, Brian. 2016. Jazz and Ragtime Records 1897–1942. 6th ed. Free Personal-Use Edition. Mainspring Press. (JRR)
  • Rust, Brian, and Sandy Forbes. 1989. British Dance Bands on Record, 1911 to 1945, and Supplement. General Gramophone Publications Ltd. (BDBR)
  • Smith, Michael. 2009. Decca Record Company, Ltd. Royal Blue and Gold ‘F’ Series 10 Inch 78 rpm Records. Volumes I and II. The Whitley Press. (MS-F)
  • Thomas, Michael G. 2021. “Radio.” Mike Thomas’ Website. Last modified May 1, 2021. (MGT-EBR)
  • Thomas, Michael G. 2023. “Columbia.” Mike Thomas’ Website. Last modified November 7, 2023. (MGT-Col)
  • Thomas, Michael G. 2024a. “Eclipse8.” Mike Thomas’ Website. Last modified November 13, 2024. (MGT-Ecl)
  • Thomas, Michael G. 2024b. “Filmophone.” Mike Thomas’ Website. Last modified October 2, 2024. (MGT-Film)
  • Thomas, Michael G. 2024c. “Rex.” Mike Thomas’ Website. Last modified July 13, 2024. (MGT-Rex)
  • Thomas, Michael G. 2024d. “Trusound.” Mike Thomas’ Website. Last modified December 15, 2024. (MGT-Trusound)
  • Wright, John. 2021. “Len Fillis Discography.” r2ok! Last modified April 20, 2021. (JW)

Sources

AB Arthur Badrock. “Gracie Collins.”
ADM-Imp Frank Andrews and Bill Dean-Myatt. The Imperial Records.
AGK My collection.
AGK-EC A. G. Kozak. Croonette: An Elsie Carlisle Discography.
BAP Arthur Badrock, Frank Andrews, and Grant Pilcher. Filmophone Discography.
BDBR Brian Rust and Sandy Forbes. British Dance Bands on Record, 1911 to 1945, and Supplement.
DB Frank Andrews, Jim Hayes, and Michael Smith. Columbia ‘DB’ and ‘LB’ Series.
DW The collection of David Weavings.
EBWR Karlo Adrian and Arthur Badrock. Edison Bell Winner Records.
FA-Col Frank Andrews. Columbia 10″ Records, 1904–30.
JDH The collection of Jonathan David Holmes.
JRR Brian Rust. Jazz and Ragtime Records 1897–1942.
JW John Wright. “Len Fillis Discography.”
MGT-Col Michael G. Thomas. “Columbia.”
MGT-EBR Michael G. Thomas. “Radio.”
MGT-Ecl Michael G. Thomas. “Eclipse8.”
MGT-Film Michael G. Thomas. “Filmophone.”
MGT-Rex Michael G. Thomas. “Rex.”
MGT-Trusound Michael G. Thomas. “Trusound.”
ML Ross Laird. Moanin’ Low.
MS-F Michael Smith. Decca Record Company, Ltd. Royal Blue and Gold ‘F’ Series 10 Inch 78 rpm Records.
MT The collection of Mike Taylor.
VR Frank Andrews et al. Vocalion Records.

Record Label Abbreviations

Bcst Broadcast
Col Columbia
Dec Decca
Ecl Eclipse
EBR Edison Bell Radio
EBW Edison Bell Winner
Film Filmophone
Imp Imperial
Re Regal
RZ Regal Zonophone
Voc Vocalion

Two-Letter Country Abbreviations

AU Australia

1929

Betty Bolton, contralto, with piano: Edward Cooper; and guitar: Len Fillis (also with celeste [-1]; with vibraphone [-2]). London, March 6, 1929.

WA-8643-1 Everything I do—I do for you (Sherman–Silver–Lewis) Col 5366
WA-8647-2 Evening star, help me to find my man (Turk–Ahlert) Col 5320 (-1)
WA-8648-2 Ready for the river (Kahn–Moret) Col 5320 (-2)
WA-8649-1 Me and the man in the moon (Leslie–Monaco) Col 5366

I have confirmed that Bolton’s first matrix number is WA-8643, followed by WA-8647; two intervening matrices (WA-8645 and WA-8646 on Col 5384) consist of Terance Casey’s Wurlitzer organ music.

Edward Cooper and Len Fillis’s names are mentioned explicitly on the labels of Col 5366 but not 5320.

At the very beginning of “Evening star,” someone appears to be harmonizing with Bolton.

John Wright has “March 9, 1929” for this session (JW).

FA-Col, ML, JW, AGK

The Piccadilly Players, under the direction of Al Starita (as the Stellar Dance Band on Regal), with vocal chorus by Betty Bolton. London, March 9, 1929.

WA-8674-2 Up in the clouds (from The Five O’Clock Girl) (Kalmar–Ruby) Col 5307, Re G-20471 (AU)
WA-8675-2 Happy go lucky bird (from The Five O’Clock Girl) (Kalmar–Ruby) Col 5308, Col 01492 (AU)
WA-8676-2 Thinking of you (from The Five O’Clock Girl) (Kalmar–Ruby) Col 5307, Re G-20471 (AU)
WA-8677-2 Who did? You did (from The Five O’Clock Girl) (Kalmar–Ruby) Col 5308, Col 01492 (AU)

FA-Col, BDBR, ML

Ray Starita and His Ambassadors Band, vocal chorus. London, March 22, 1929.

WA-8738-2 Second hand Rose (Clarke–Hanley) Col 5361, Col 01566 (AU)
WA-8739-2 My man (Channing Pollock–Maurice Yvain) Col 5361, Col 01566 (AU)
WA-8740-1-2 I was a Florodora baby (Ballard MacDonald–Harry Carroll) Col unissued
WA-8741-1-2 Just an hour of adoration (Haven–Collins) Col unissued

FA-Col, BDBR, ML

The Piccadilly Players, under the direction of Al Starita, vocal chorus. London, April 13, 1929.

WA-8591-4 I found you “out” when I found you “in” somebody else’s arms (Charles O’Flynn–Phil Ponce) Col 5357, Col 01568 (AU)
WA-8593-3 Lisette (Major–Andrew) Col 5357, Col 01568 (AU)
WA-8863-1 I’m tickled to death I’m me (Butler–Evans) Col 5372, Col 01567 (AU)
WA-8864-1 Bogey wail (A weird affair) (Wallace–Myers) Col 5372, Col 01567 (AU)

FA-Col, BDBR, ML

Ray Starita and His Ambassadors Band, vocal chorus. London, April 25, 1929.

WA-8923-2 All alone in Lover’s Lane (Rose–Nicholls) Col 5376
WAX-4876-1 “Thinking of you” (in “The Five O’Clock Girl – selection, part 1”) (Kalmar–Ruby) Col 9715, Col 02886 (AU)
WAX-4877-2 “Up in the clouds” (in “The Five O’Clock Girl – selection, part 2”) (Kalmar–Ruby) Col 9715, Col 02886 (AU)

FA-Col, BDBR, ML

Ray Starita and His Ambassadors Band, vocal chorus. London, May 4, 1929.

WA-8924-1 My flame of love (Bryan–Nicholls) Col 5376
WA-8950-2 The wedding of the painted doll (A. Freed–N. H. Brown) Col 5380
WA-8951-2 Wake up! Chill’un, wake up! (J. Trent–W. Robison) Col 5380, Col 01595 (AU)

WA-8924-1 was originally scheduled to be recorded on April 25, 1929 (BDBR).

WA-8950-2 appears only on early pressings of Col 5380; later ones have a version of “The wedding of the painted doll” by Debroy Somers, with Tom Barratt as the vocalist (BDBR).

FA-Col, BDBR, ML

Betty Bolton, contralto, with piano, violin, and guitar (-1); with violin, clarinet, piano (plus guitar and vibraphone) (-2); with orchestra (-3). London, May 10, 1929.

WA-9001-2 I’m thirsty for kisses, hungry for love (from Why Be Good?) (Davis–Coots) Col 5405 (-1)
WA-9002-2 It wasn’t meant to be (Steinberg–Endor–Benson) Col 5405 (-2)
WA-9003-2 Peace of mind (Dyrenforth–Gibbons) Col DB-18, Re G-20699 (AU) (-3)

John Wright tentatively identifies Len Fillis as the guitarist in (-1) and (-2) and lists “~May 12, 1929” as the session date (JW).

FA-Col, ML, DB, JW

Ray Starita and His Ambassadors Band (as The Rhythmic Troubadours on Regal), vocal chorus. London, May 31, 1929.

WA-9072-1 You’re the cream in my coffee (from Hold Everything) (de Sylva–Brown–Henderson) Col 5423, Re G-20555 (AU)
WA-9073-1 To know you is to love you (from Hold Everything) (de Sylva–Brown–Henderson) Col 5423, Re G-20555 (AU)

FA-Col, BDBR, ML

The Piccadilly Players (as The Rhythmic Troubadours on Regal), under the direction of Al Starita, vocal chorus. London, June 1, 1929.

WA-9076-1 Jericho (from Syncopation) (Myers–Robin) Col 5418, Re G-20532 (AU)
WA-9079-1 There’ll be you and I (from Mother’s Boy) (Green–Stept) Col 5419, Col 01639 (AU)

FA-Col, BDBR, ML

Ray Starita and His Ambassadors Band, vocal chorus. London, June 13, 1929.

WA-9075-1 Blue hills of Pasadena (Wallace–Herbert) Col 5424

WA-9075-1 was originally scheduled to be recorded on May 31, 1929 (BDBR).

FA-Col, BDBR, ML

Betty Bolton, contralto, with novelty accompaniment. London, October 19, 1929.

WA-9673-1 Smiling Irish eyes (film Smiling Irish Eyes) (Ruby–Perkins) Col 5613, Re G-20627 (AU)
WA-9674-1 Wishing and waiting for love (film Broadway Babies) (Clarke–Akst) Col 5613, Re G-20653 (AU)

WA-9675 (“When my dreams come true”) and WA-9676 (“Yet you forget!”) on Col 5614 are by Norah Blaney, not Betty Bolton.

FA-Col, ML

1930

Betty Bolton, contralto; at the piano: Edward Cooper. London, February 14, 1930.

WA-10055-2 Sentimental fool (Rose–David) Col DB-33
WA-10056-1 Sweet nothings of love (from Hot for Paris) (Leslie–Donaldson) Col DB-33
WA-10057-2 Dream lover (film The Love Parade) (Grey–Schertzinger) Col DB-18, Re G-20699 (AU)

ML, DB

The Four Bright Sparks (Van Phillips dir.). London, February 18, 1930.

WA-10087-1-2 Body and soul (Sour–Heyman–Eyton–Green) Col rejected

Take 4 was issued, with a vocal by Lou Abelardo (BDBR; ML).

BDBR, ML, JW

Betty Bolton, contralto; at the piano: Edward Cooper. London, April 2, 1930.

WA-10231-2 Reach out for a rainbow (film Mirth and Melody) (Conrad–Mitchell–Gottler) Col DB-94
WA-10232-1 Until love comes along (film Love Comes Along) (Clare–Levant) Col DB-94

Laird has WA-10231-1 as the issued take (ML).

ML, DB

Betty Bolton, contralto, with Edward Cooper at the piano. London, May 8, 1930.

WA-10362-2 I like to do things for you (film King of Jazz) (Yellen–Ager) Col DB-126
WA-10363-2 A man of my own (film They Learned About Women) (Yellen–Ager) Col DB-126

ML, DB, DW

The Four Bright Sparks (Van Phillips dir.) (with vocal chorus by Betty Bolton). London, August 27, 1930.

WA-10609-1 If your kisses can’t hold the man you love (Yellen–Ellis) Col CB-124

BDBR, ML, JW

Betty Bolton, comedienne; with orchestra. London, October 14, 1930.

GB-2055-1-2-3 That’s where the South begins (Ted Shapiro) Dec F-2010
GB-2056-1-2-3 If your kisses can’t hold the man you love (Vivian Ellis–Jack Yellen) Dec F-2010

ML, MS-F

Betty Bolton, vocal, with instrumental accompaniment. London, October 25, 1930.

GB-2140-1-2 What good am I without you? (Ager) Dec F-2044
GB-2141-1-2-3 What’s the use of living without love? (from Man Trouble) (James F. Hanley) Dec F-2044

ML, MS-F, DW

Betty Bolton, comedienne; with instrumental accompaniment. London,November 4, 1930.

GB-2181-1-2-3 Okay, baby (Maceo Pinkard–William Tracey) Dec F-2070
GB-2182-1-2 Why am I so romantic? (Kalmar–Ruby) Dec F-2070

Laird’s “De F2071” is a typographical error for Dec F-2020 (ML).

ML, MS-F

Betty Bolton, vocal, with instrumental accompaniment. London, November 18, 1930.

GB-2296-1-2 I’m wearing out my heart for you (Keyes–Layton) Dec F-2137
GB-2297-1-2 I’m yours (John W. Green–E. Y. Harburg) Dec F-2137

ML, MS-F

Betty Bolton, vocal, with orchestral accompaniment. London, December 19, 1930.

GB-2419-1-2 I’ll be good because of you (Noble–Murray) Dec rejected
GB-2420-1-2-3 Lancashire blues (Fields) Dec F-2170

ML, MS-F

1931

Roy Fox (The Whispering Cornetist) and His Band, with vocal refrain by Betty Bolton. London, January 5, 1931.

GB-2497-1-2-3 Ten cents a dance (from Simple Simon) (Rodgers–Hart) Dec F-2294

BDBR, ML, MS-F

Betty Bolton, vocal, with pianoforte accompaniment. London, January 20, 1931.

GB-2419-3-4 I’ll be good because of you (Noble–Murray) Dec F-2170
GB-2529-1-2 My handy man ain’t handy no more (from Lew Leslie’s Blackbirds of 1930) (Blake–Razaf) Dec F-2254
GB-2530-1-2-3 Makin’ wicky-wacky down in Waikiki (Hoffman–Lane) Dec F-2254

Smith’s “GB1419” is a typographical error for GB-2419 (MS-F).

ML, MS-F, DW

Spike Hughes and His Dance Orchestra, vocal refrain. London, January 23, 1931.

MB-1059-1-2-3 Moanin’ low (Rainger–Dietz) Dec F-2217
GB-2544-1-2-3 Button up your overcoat (from Follow Through) (de Sylva–Brown–Henderson) Dec F-2217

ML, JRR, MS-F

Betty Bolton, comedienne, with Reg. Casson at the piano. London, February 1931.

L-0887 Oh! How he looks at me (Leigh–Casson*) Bcst 3027, Voc 838
L-0888 Please Percy (Don’t do it now) (Beresford–Le Clerq) Bcst 3027, Voc 838

*Reg. Casson is here playing one of his own compositions.

ML, VR

Betty Bolton, vocal, with orchestral accompaniment. London, c. March 1931.

13349-1 Ten cents a dance (L. Hart–R. Rodgers) EBW 5247
13350-1 I’m yours (Green–Harburg) EBW 5247

EBWR, ML

Sid Phillips and His Melodians, vocal chorus. London, March 1931.

90101-1 Clowning (Kurtz–Spitzhoff–Golden) EBR 1486
90102-2 Blue again (D. Fields–J. McHugh) EBR 1486

BDBR, ML, MGT-EBR

Jack Payne and His BBC Dance Orchestra. London, March 24, 1931.

CA-11275-3-4 Ten cents a dance (Hart–Rodgers) Col rejected

The issued takes were 1 and 2 (recorded on March 3, 1931) and 5 (recorded on March 31, 1931)—but in those takes the singer was Elsie Carlisle, not Betty Bolton (BDBR; ML; AGK-EC).

BDBR, ML, AGK-EC

Miss Lydia Russell, vocal (with piano accompaniment). London, April 11, 1931.

JW-175-4 You’re driving me crazy! (Walter Donaldson) Ecl 38

Laird’s “JW176-4” is a typographical error for JW-175-4 (ML).

ML, MGT-Ecl

Jay Wilbur and His Salon Orchestra, vocal refrain. London, April 30, 1931.

5674-1-2 “Because I love you” and “What’ll I do?” (in “Famous waltzes of the past – part 1”) (Irving Berlin) Imp 2463

Laird lists only take 2 and has both “Because I love you” and “What’ll I do?” sung Betty Bolton ((ML))—quite possibly correctly—but Mike Taylor tells me that his take 1 has her singing only “What’ll I do?” with Jack Plant singing “Because I love you.”

BDBR, ML, ADM-Imp, MT

Betty Bolton, vocal, with orchestral accompaniment. London, c. May 1931.

13505-1 It must be true (Arnheim–Clifford–Barris) EBW 5300
13506-1 I surrender, dear (G. Clifford–H. Barris) EBW 5300

EBWR, ML, DW

Bobbie Comber and Company (as Sammy Gay and Company on Rex), with chorus and orchestra. May 1931.

L-01026-1 “In the good old summer time” (in “A music hall show in grandpa’s day, humorous sketch, part 1”) Bcst 3071, Rex 8096
L-01027-1 “I can’t tell why I love you” (in “A music hall show in grandpa’s day, humorous sketch, part 2”) Bcst 3071, Rex 8096

VR, MT

Jay Wilbur and His Salon Orchestra, vocal refrain. London, May 2, 1931.

5678-1-2 “All alone” (in “Famous waltzes of the past – part 2”) (Irving Berlin) Imp 2463

BDBR, ML, ADM-Imp, MT

Gracie Collins, vocal. London, May 11, 1931.

JW-227-1-2 Crying myself to sleep (Klenner–Wendling) Ecl 68
JW-229-1 You didn’t have to tell me (I knew it all the time) (Walter Donaldson) Ecl 86

AB, ML, MGT-Ecl, DW

Gracie Collins, vocal (with orchestral accompaniment). London, May 26, 1931.

JW-235-1-2 Homesick blues (Raymond–Winston) Ecl 50

AB, ML, MGT-Ecl

Jay Wilbur and His Band. London, June 3, 1931.

5710-1-2 Ten cents a dance (Rodgers–Hart) Imp 2484

BDBR, ML, ADM-Imp

Gracie Collins, vocal; with orchestra. London, June 26, 1931.

JW-298-1-2 Lonesome (Haslam–Grayson) Ecl 68

AB, ML, MGT-Ecl

Gracie Collins, vocal (with orchestral accompaniment). London, July 20, 1931.

JW-321-1-2 Yearning for you (Kennedy–Winston) Ecl 100
JW-322-1 I want a man (Leslie Rome) Ecl 86
JW-333-1-2 If I had my time over again (Tinsley–Evans–Stanley) Ecl 100

AB, ML, MGT-Ecl, DW

Betty Bolton, with piano. London, c. August 1931.

F-1336-1-2 Birds of a feather (McGowan–Moran) Film 276

ML, MGT-Film

Betty Bolton, with piano. London, c. August 1931.

F-1360-2 Feeling the way I do Film 276

ML, BAP, MGT-Film

Betty Bolton, vocal; vocal duet with Billy Scott-Coomber (with speaking by Jay Wilbur) (-1). London, c. September 1931.

5792-2 I like a little girl like that (Yellen–Ager) Imp 2552 (-1)
5793-4 Just a dancing sweetheart (Tobias–de Rose) Imp 2552

ML, ADM-Imp

Gracie Collins, vocal; with orchestra. London, September 2, 1931.

JW-350-1-2-3 Poor kid (Gilbert–Greer) Ecl 98
JW-351-1-2 Always return a smile (Hanley–Mills) Ecl 98

AB, ML, MGT-Ecl

Betty Bolton, vocal, with piano accompaniment. London, c. October 1931.

F-1518-? I’ve done everything for you Film 298
F-1519-? [unknown title] Film unissued
F-1520-? [unknown title] Film unissued
F-1521-? Nevertheless (Kalmar–Ruby) Film 298

Laird’s “Filmophone 278” is a typographical error for Film 298 (ML).

ML, BAP

Jay Wilbur and His Band as The Radio Syncopators. London, October 8, 1931.

JW-389-1-2 Just a dancing sweetheart (Tobias–DeRose) Ecl 106

BDBR, ML, MGT-Ecl

Gracie Collins, vocal. London, October 27, 1931.

JW-378-3-4-5 You can’t stop me from loving you (Nichols–Holiner) Ecl 115

AB, ML, MGT-Ecl

Betty Bolton, vocal, with orchestra. London, November 1931.

5885-2 You can’t stop me from lovin’ you (Holiner–Nichols) Imp 2598
5886-1 I want a man (Leslie Rome) Imp 2598

ML, ADM-Imp, AGK

Betty Bolton (Ivor Dennis at the piano). London, November 1931.

5904-1-2 My private affair (Johnson–Connor) Imp 2622
5905-2 She jumped on her push bike (and pedalled away) (Wheldon) Imp 2622

ML, ADM-Imp, AGK, MT

1932

Betty Bolton, vocal (with piano). London, February 1932.

5951-1 The mocking bird went cuckoo (John Malvern) Imp 2663
5952-? The party’s getting rough (Pat Aza) Imp 2663

ML, ADM-Imp, JDH

Betty Bolton, vocal (with piano). London, February 1932.

6007-2 The party’s getting rough (Pat Aza) Imp 2663

ML, ADM-Imp

Betty Bolton, comedienne; with orchestra. London, June 1932.

JW-746-? I wonder why poor Nellie never writes? Ecl 254
JW-747-2 Don’t let him know too much Ecl 254

Laird has “Don’t let them know too much” (ML); I am not yet sure which title is correct.

ML, MGT-Ecl

Betty Bolton, vocal (with orchestral accompaniment). With additional vocals by chorus (-1). London, September 1932.

JW-837-2 He’s dead – but he won’t lie down (Haines–Beresford–Harper) Ecl 306 (-1)
JW-838-2 Don’t go any higher, Jeremiah (Haines–Harper) Ecl 306

ML, MGT-Ecl

Betty Bolton, vocal (with orchestral accompaniment). Additional vocals by chorus (-1). London, November–December 1932.

JW-946-1 I’m a lady policeman (Raymond Wallace [pseud. Huntley Trevor]) Ecl 333 (-1)
JW-947-1 I shan’t bring him home anymore (J. P. Long) Ecl 333

ML, MGT-Ecl

1933

Betty Bolton, accompanied by Ivor Dennis on the piano. C. 1933.

     He did it while I waited Levy’s unissued

No matrix number was assigned to this recording, which was made privately by Levy’s of Aldgate. At least one pressing is known to survive; its reverse side, Imp mx. 6480 (“No Funny Business,” sung by Leslie Holmes), was recorded c. early October 1933. The song “He did it while I waited” is copyright 1932, so Mark Berresford’s suggested approximate date of 1933 seems reasonable.

JDH

Tarrant Bailey Junr. and his banjo, vocal chorus. May 16, 1933.

6398-2 “Old Black Joe” (in “Old time selections – part 1”) (Stephen Foster) Imp 2882

ADM-Imp, MT

Betty Bolton, with instrumental accompaniment. London, c. September 1933.

554-2 Don’t blame me (Fields–McHugh) Trusound A-1027
555-3 You’ve got everything (Kahn–Donaldson) Trusound A-1027

Freddy Gardner (cl, as, bar) and others accompany (JRR).

ML, JRR, MGT-Trusound

Don Porto’s Novelty Accordion Band (Harry Bidgood dir.). December 1933.

1582-? “Poor old Joe” (in “A plantation medley, part 1”) (Stephen Foster) Ecl 646

The tune is more commonly known as “Old Black Joe” (see May 16, 1933).

MGT-Ecl

1934

Don Porto’s Novelty Accordion Band (Harry Bidgood dir.). C. January–February 1934.

1682-2 “Old folks at home” (in “A plantation medley, part 2”) (Stephen Foster) Ecl 646

MGT-Ecl

Scott Wood and His Orchestra, vocal chorus. London, January 4, 1934.

CAR-2460-1 You, or no one (Rothberg–Nicholls–Tinturin) RZ MR-1192
CAR-2461-1 You, or no one (Rothberg–Nicholls–Tinturin) RZ rejected
CAR-2462-1 Little you know (Young–Ager–Schwartz) RZ MR-1193

BDBR

Primo Scala’s Accordion Band, vocal chorus. Additional vocals by chorus. C. February 1934.

F-730-1 “Out in the cold, cold snow” (Haines–Harper) (in “Love, Life and Laughter, selection, part 2”) Rex 8143

MGT-Rex, AGK

Betty Bolton. Additional vocals by chorus. March 1934.

F-745-2 Out in the cold, cold snow (film Love, Life and Laughter) (Haines–Harper) Rex 8156

MGT-Rex, MT

1935

Betty Bolton, vocal. Mid-February 1935.

2349-1-2 Don’t ’ang my ’Arry (Newman) Ecl 906
2350-2 And how? (Long–Scott) Ecl 906

MGT-Ecl, DW, AGK

Song Index

Appendix: Conventions Used in This Discography

1. Session Headers

Capital letters represent band names and personal names that actually appear on the record labels, whereas mixed-case names do not appear on the labels and reflect research and aural evidence. Other information on the labels (e.g., “vocal chorus” or “with piano”) is provided in lowercase, with details not on the label (such as the name of an uncredited musical director) appearing in parentheses. Any information after the first period in a session header is entirely supplemental and will not be found on the record label. The tentative identification of a person is indicated by a question mark prepended to their name.

When an important detail (e.g., “with speaking by Jay Wilbur”) is true of one or more recordings made at a session, but not of all of them, the detail will be marked with a hyphen and a number in parentheses in the session header (e.g., “(-1)”) and also below in the individual song entries.

Locations are given when known; dates (exact or approximate) refer to the original recording session, not to issue dates.

As this is a vocalist discography, individual personnel of full-sized bands are not generally listed. Readers may consult Rust and Forbes (1989) for the personnel in dance band recordings. Solo accompanists and members of small ensembles are sometimes identified.

2. Tables

The tables that list the recordings made at every session provide:

  1. Matrix and take numbers: A matrix number identifies a record side and will be found on the shellac itself (often also on the label). A take number frequently also appears on the shellac; when it does not, discographers try to supply it from other sources (such as studio ledgers). Matrix numbers often involve a prefix followed by a number (e.g., “CA-15813”). Takes known to have been issued are underlined in this text (e.g., “CA-15813-1”), while those that are unknown are sometimes indicated with a question mark. I list every take mentioned by my sources, as well as any I have found on the records themselves.
  2. Song name and songwriter(s): Each song’s name is listed as it appears on the record. I include any extra information provided by record labels, such as the stage play or film origin of a title, in parentheses (in the format “from West End Musical,” “film Hollywood Movie”). Songwriters’ names are included as they are listed on the label; in rare cases I have quietly corrected a spelling error or added a known songwriter who was for some reason omitted from the label.
  3. Record label(s), catalogue number(s), etc.: For each known 78-rpm-era record pressed from a given matrix, I list the label name (using the abbreviations established by Rust and Forbes [1989]) and the catalogue number. Non-UK issues (so far, only Australian ones have surfaced) have a two-letter country code in parentheses. If no take of a matrix was ever issued, I mark the matrix “rejected” if a further attempt was made to record the song, and “unissued” if none was. Labels in italics are ones that I have yet to encounter; if you have them, please contact me to share your label scans or photographs.

3. Session Notes

Any further discussion of a session or of individual songs appears in italics below the session's table.

4. Source Abbreviations

Small, boldface codes are listed after every session to show relevant sources. I generally include all sources that mention any element of a session, not just those that I believe to be correct. I rely on the evidence of my own collection implicitly, but I mention it (thus: “AGK”) when evidence from a record in my collection affects my listing in a particularly noteworthy way.