Arthur Hall

Arthur Hall (14 October 1889—March 1, 1960) was an American concert tenor, vaudeville performer, and guitarist from New York. He often recorded under the pseudonyms Billy De Rex, Frank Nichols, George Perry, H. Croft, Howard Lewis, and James Potter.

Over the years, Hall worked and/or recorded as a solo artist and part of vocal groups ranging from duets to quartets. He also provided vocal refrains for various jazz and dance band records such as the Plaza group, Regal, Oriole, Emerson, Everybodys, the Grey Gull label group (Grey Gull, Madison, Supreme, Radiex, Globe, Amco, etc.), New York Recording Laboratories group (Paramount, Puritan, Broadway, Puretone, etc.), the Pathé Frères Phonograph Co. (Pathé Actuelle, Actuelle, Perfect, Davega, etc.), and The Arto Company (Bell and Cleartone).

He frequently worked with brothers Nathaniel Shilkret and Jack Shilkret.

Hall's music career was at its peak in the mid-1920s.

Arthur Hall was born Adolph Joseph Hohl in New York City on October 14, 1889.

He began his professional music career in his twenties. In the early 1910s, he was a member of Manhattan Quartet and made several folk and pop recordings for Columbia, Edison, and Victor Records. At various times, other musicians with Hall in the quartet were Gustav Walden (second tenor), William Janson (baritone), Frank Schwarzkopf (bass), and Nick Latterner (baritone).

In February 1912, Hall recorded Irving Berlin's "Bring Back My Lovin' Man" for Victor Records.

In 1917, during the First World War, Adolph Hohl changed his name to Arthur Hall due to the prevalent anti-German sentiment in the United States. He used that name, or one of his pseudonyms, for all his recordings as a solo artist.

In 1917, Gennett Records released Hall's recording of "It's A Long Way To Berlin, But We'll Get There" (written by Leon Flatow with lyrics by Arthur Fields). One of his big hits was "Yes, We Have No Bananas!", a novelty song by Frank Silver and Irving Cohn published on March 23, 1923. Using the pseudonym "Howard Lewis", Hall was accompanied by the Original Georgia Five, made up of Larry Hart (clarinet), Herman Drewes (cornet), Fred J. Bauer (drums), Ernest Borbee (piano), and Bill Drewes (trombone). The song was a major hit in 1923 and was covered by many other artists including Irving Kaufman, Louis Prima, Billy Jones, and Billy Murray. Later, it was also recorded by Spike Jones & His City Slickers (1951) and Benny Goodmanand His Orchestra.

In 1921, Hall recorded "Say It With Music" (written by Irving Berlin) with Al Colombo's Golden Glades Orchestra. Hall continued to work with the Manhattan Quartet until 1929.

In 1924/25, Hall recorded several duets with tenor John Ryan as part of the duo "Hall & Ryan", occasionally also using the name "The Harmony Brothers". Some of their best-performing tracks include "Hawaiian Nightingale" (1924), "I'm Someone Who's No One To You" (1924), "When the One You Love Loves You" (1925), "Most of all I Want Your Love " (1925), and "Take me back to Your Heart" (1925). Pianist and tenor/baritone vocalist Ed Smalle joined Hall and Ryan to form a trio, The Frolickers. The trio made a few recordings for Edison Records in the second half of the 1920s ("I Love My Baby", "Dinah", "Some Sweet Day", "I Get The Blues When It Rains", and "Talking To The Moon").

On February 20, 1925, Hall provided tenor vocals to the recording of "Chickie" with Phil Spitalny And Orchestra. Later that year, he provided refrain vocals on the International Novelty Orchestra's recordings of "O, Katharina!", "Titina", and "When The Moon Shines In Coral Gables", conducted by Nathaniel Shilkret.

In 1926, Hall and Ryan joined the vocal groups "That Singing Four" and "National Male Quartet".

On April 21, 1926, working with Columbia Records in New York, Hall recorded "Give Me Today" and "No Foolin'" with Tommy Felline (banjo), Adrian Rollini (bass saxophone), Bobby Davis (clarinet, alto + soprano saxophone), Herb Weil (drums), Jack Russin (piano), Bunny Drown (tenor saxophone), Abe Lincoln (trombone), and Roy Johnston (trumpet).

Hall's last Edison Diamond disc was "Sweet Elaine" recorded in January 1928. The same year, he recorded "After My Laughter Came Tears" with Lou Gold And His Orchestra for Cameo (8123). In December 1929, Arto Universal Record released Hall's "Feather Your Nest". On the B-side of the disc is "Broadway Rose" by James Price.

Hall's music work slowed down in the 1930s and he eventually disappeared from the scene.

Hall married Matilda Kroencke (1890-1963) on October 11, 1911. They had two sons Eugene A. Hohl (1912-2005) and Henry E. Hohl (1914-1989).

Hall died in Broward County, Florida, in March 1960. He was 70.