John Scantlebury Macdonald (May 30, 1871 – September 26, 1931) was a Canadian singer and recording executive. Under the pseudonym Harry Macdonough, he was one of the most prolific and popular tenors during the formative years of recorded music.
Macdonald was born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. His earliest recorded performances were for the Michigan Electric Company in Detroit, which made phonograph cylinders for penny arcades. He caught the attention of Edison Records with a demo recording he made in October 1898, and began recording for Edison in The Haydn Quartet. From 1899 until his retirement in 1920, he recorded hundreds of songs both as a soloist and in ensembles.
During the 1900s Macdonald took a job with the Victor Talking Machine Company, becoming assistant manager and later manager of its New York studio. As studio manager he oversaw the studio schedule, as well as negotiating contracts with artists and music publishers. Macdonald rose rapidly at Victor, becoming its national sales manager in 1920 and manager of artists and repertoire in 1923. He moved to Columbia Records in 1925 and oversaw the technical development of its studios until his death.
Famous quotes containing the word harry:
“Comes from a fine family. So she tells me. Brother’s a priest, all that. But, you know, death, disaster, unfortunate investments. One day she’s a little princess, up on the hill. Next, she’s down there, working the bars for the best she can.”
—Peter Prince, British screenwriter, and Stephen Frears. Harry (Bill Hunter)