Whispering

Bourne End is very quiet and peaceful in the evenings. It's often nice to just light the fire, kick back, and listen to some old tunes from a bygone and more sedate era. Recently, I discovered a site that's a treasure trove for fans of vintage music and audio curiousities..

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The collection is comprised of recordings made on Edison wax cylinders and acetate 78's, between 1898 and the 1950's. Some suffer from their age, obviously. And the grinding noise of the gramaphone mechanism on some pieces may spoil your enjoyment somewhat. But if 'retro' is your bag, you'll be surprised at how many of them are totally pristine, and could have been recorded yesterday.


The Forgotten Crooner..

Radio announcer Jack Smith had a distinctive style, which was a combination of singing & talking in an "intimate" way. Using the microphone effectively, as opposed to just "belting" the song out. His suave "whispering" delivery developed as a result of a WW1 injury from poison gas, which kept him from singing at full volume.

In nearly every musical reference book, Jack "Whispering" Smith is not even mentioned. He sadly died of a heart attack at the age of 52. And his grave is unmarked.

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