John McCormack
1884-1945
Recording
Artist, Opera
John McCormack was
born in Athlone, Ireland on June 14, 1884. By the age of thirteen
he was singing classical arias, and in 1903 he won first prize
in the tenor competition in the National Festival of Ireland.
 He
then recorded some cylinder recordings of Irish songs and
used the money from the sales of these to go to Italy to study
with the great music teacher Vincenzo Sabatini. He made his
first trip to America in 1904 when he and his soon-to-be wife
were hired to perform at the St. Louis World Fair in the Irish
village.
In 1906 he had his Italian operatic debut
in Savona and later that year sang in Ireland in the production
of Faust. In 1907 he was the youngest singer to sing
a leading role at Covent Garden in London. In 1909 he made
his American debut at the Manhattan Opera House and received
a rapturous reception. The Metropolitan Opera House signed
him for the following year and he soon was a major star in
America.
 McCormack
continued his operatic career for the next eight years with
successful tours of all the top opera houses in the world.
These tours took him to Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Australia,
South America, China, Japan, Canada and the U.S. He was certainly
one of the best operatic tenors of the twentieth century.
Although a great singer, he was never comfortable with the
acting side of his profession.
Around 1914 he started giving many recitals,
and by 1918 it was his preferred method of perfomance over
opera. His recitals included many Irish songs in one half
and the other half with opera or classical material. By this
time he was the top selling recording artist in America. His
royalties on records alone topped over $300,000. His most
famous recording was 'Il mio tesoro' recorded in 1917 with
the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
He soon fell in love with America and he
became a citizen in 1917. During the first World War, McCormack
raised over a million dollars for war charities. He was  awarded
the American Legion of honor for his efforts during the war
and his recording of the 'Star Spangled Banner' was the fastest
selling record ever recorded by Victor Records. For a few
years around this time McCormack was selling more records
than any other performer in the States, even Caruso.
In 1922 he suffered a serious throat infection
and almost died on Good Friday. In October he made his return
performance. Although he was still a great singer it was clear
that his volume had been diminished. In his only film as the
lead, McCormack was paid a half-million dollars to star in
Song O' My Heart in 1929. Film exposed McCormack's
lack of acting talent and he only appeared in one other film--as
himself.
 According
to Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories; 1890-1954, The History
of American Popular Music, McCormack had 73 charted hits
with 8 of them reaching the #1 spot. These included "Mother
Machree" and "It's a Long, Long Way to Tipperary."
Only five of the seventy-three charted hits did not make the
top ten. Other Irish songs of his that made the top ten include
"Killarney," "Come Back to Erin," and
eight others.
A deeply religious man, McCormack was made
a count by the Catholic Church and sang many concerts for
Catholic charities worldwide. He was also respected as a great
art collector and his homes in America and Ireland were a
gathering place for all the great performers, artists and
politicians of his day. In 1939 he moved back to Ireland and
in 1945 he died peacefully in his home in Dublin.
The Ward Irish Music Archives has one of
the largest John McCormack record collections in the world.
External Links
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