ABSTRACT
Russian tenor, born in Moscow. He was with the Bolshoi Theater from 1904, and also the Maryinsky Opera in St. Petersburg. Then he appeared in Paris, and on 30 Dec 1910 at the Metropolitan Opera, as the Duke, remaining through 1912. Then he returned to Europe, singing the Russian repertoire, plus Faust, Don José, Canio, and Rodolfo with great effect. In 1909 he recorded for G & T in Moscow, singing airs from Rigoletto (“Parmi veder le lagrime,” #022132) and seven other operas. From 1912 to ca. 1922 he worked for HMV. One of his finest discs emerged from that period, “Mi par d’udir ancora” from Pecheurs du perles (Victor DB #583; 1921). Smirnov died in Riga, Latvia. [Stratton 1973.]
American country fiddler, born in Bold Springs, Tennessee. He did railroad work, learning country music from his father and playing in his spare time. Then he formed a trio called the Dixieliners in 1932, featuring brothers Sam and Kirk McGee, a string band that performed locally and then advanced to the Grand Ole Opry. He gained national fame in 1936 with the recording of “There’s More Pretty Girls Than One” (Bluebird #6322). Known as the King of Fiddlers, Smith developed a sophisticated variation of the old country fiddle mode that greatly influenced later country and bluegrass artists. His records were mostly Bluebirds, but he also recorded for Capitol, Folkways, and other labels. He retired in the 1950s but made a comeback in the folk music revival of the 1960s. He died in Louisville, Kentucky. He was elected to the Fiddler’s Hall of Fame in 1982.
