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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZSMITH, Jack ('Whispering') (b Jacob Schmidt, c.1899; d May 1951) Singer, aka 'Whispering Jack' and 'the whispering baritone'. He used an influential half-whispering style because of injury from gas in WWI. He had a dozen big hits 1926-8 including 'Gimme A Lil' Kiss, Will Ya, Huh?', 'Me And My Shadow', 'There Ain't No Maybe In My Baby's Eyes'. His diction was particularly good, and with the invention of the microphone and the advent of radio broadcasting he became the most famous of a great many crooners, nearly all of whom are forgotten now. He was one of the first but certainly not the last American pop star even more popular in the UK than at home. |