[78-L] Joe Biviano

[Geoffrey Wheeler]

Sonora albums. During the mid-1940s, Sonora issued a large number of 
albums covering a wide range of artists and music. In addition to 
albums of classical and light classical music, it had a large catalog 
of Hillbilly, Western, and what could essentially be called “folk.” The 
broad mix of artists in its four-record Series E sets included: Joe 
Biviano, Fred Kirby of WBT’s Briarhoppers, Ed Durlacher—The Tophands, 
The Moore Sisters, Carolina Playboys; Kenneth Spencer, Paul Robeson’s 
sometime understudy doing “American Spirituals” (four-record Albums 
MS-476 and MS-478), a collection of 11 popular Negro spirituals sung 
concert style; Stu Davis, Roy Smeck, “Red River” Dave, and The Singing 
Sentinels. Former “Let’s Dance” radio series leader Murray Kellner [Kel 
Murrary] did four-record Album MS-489 on the theme of “Singing in the 
Rain.” Titles include: “Singing in the Rain/Look for the Silver Lining” 
(Sonora 1158); “Autumn Showers/Rain” (Sonora 1159); “April Showers/Over 
the Rainbow” (Sonora 1160); and “Call Me Some Rainy Afternoon/Let a 
Smile Be Your Umbrella” (Sonora 1161). For lovers of the harmonica, 
there were Jimmy and Mildred Mulcay featured on four-record Album 
MS-487 Mr. and Mrs. Harmonica (Sonora records 1151 through 1154). For 
children, there was Lynn Duddy doing Song Stories for Children 
(four-record Album MS-486), and Jules Werner and Paul Creston on 
Tick-Tock-Tales (three-record Album MS-485). Album records did not 
always go in sequence. For example Sonora Album No. MS-477 Hillbilly 
Tunes with Fred Kirby of WBT’s Briarhoppers had catalog numbers 1113 
through 1116, while the preceding Album No. MS-476 American Spirituals 
had catalog numbers 1117 through 1120.