Joe Belmont was the stage name of Joseph Walter Fulton (July 22, 1876 - August 29, 1949) who was a whistling performer and baritone in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

who came to be known as "''The Human Bird''". He was one of the most popular recording artists in the years leading to 1900 and sang as a baritone and whistled for the Columbia Quartet along with Albert Campbell, Jim Reynard and Joe Majors. His top-selling records included "Beautiful Birds, Sing On", "Tell Me, Pretty Maiden" (with Byron G. Harlan, Frank C. Stanley, and the Florodora Girls, Columbia 31604, 1901).

Biography

Joseph Walter Fulton was born in

Shamokin, Pennsylvania Shamokin (; Saponi Algonquian ''Schahamokink'', meaning "place of eels") ( Lenape Indian language: Shahëmokink) is a city in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. Surrounded by Coal Township at the western edge of the Anthracit ...

on July 22, 1876. When Joseph was eight years old his family moved to

Charles Town, West Virginia Charles Town is a city in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States, and is also the county seat. The population was 5,259 at the 2010 census. It is named for its founder Charles Washington, youngest brother of President George Washington. ...

, and while there he studied the piano and became skilled in imitating birds through whistling. His talent was discovered in 1892 and he began performing at the theater. In 1894 he made his first recordings for the

Columbia Phonograph Company Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. It was founded on January 15, 1889, evolving from the Ame ...

, by which time he began using his professional name. He would later also record for Edison and at least forty other phonograph firms. By 1900 he was considered as one of the very most popular recording artists. He became a top theater draw, appearing not only across the United States but also in Europe, Australia, and even Fiji. He made several recordings for European companies while on a 1908 tour there, including a remarkable session for Germany's Favorite Records that resulted in ten issued sides. Dental problems led to his retirement from whistling after which he performed for the

Ziegfeld Follies The ''Ziegfeld Follies'' was a series of elaborate theatrical revue productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 to 1931, with renewals in 1934 and 1936. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as ''The Ziegfeld Follies of the Ai ...

in the 1920s with the "Belmont Canary Opera" show consisting of trained singing and talking birds where he was assisted by Virginia, a dancer who later married his son Walter Joseph. Belmont also started a birds-only pet shop in Radio City named the Belmont Bird and Kennel Shop, assisted by his son Walter and daughter-in-law Virginia. Belmont's last recording was made in 1929 for Columbia, the company he started with, in a recording featuring his canaries. Joe Belmont died on August 28, 1949. Virginia Belmont did shows and recordings with trained singing and talking birds on her own and ran the store until the early 1980s.The New Yorker January 28, 1950 page 19
/ref> Belmont's most popular recordings as a solo artist were "The Mocking Bird" and his own composition, "Beautiful Birds, Sing On." According to Joel Whitburn's estimations, overall his best-selling record was " Tell Me Pretty Maiden" in an ensemble with

Byron G. Harlan Byron George Harlan (August 29, 1861 – September 11, 1936) was an American singer from Kansas, a comic minstrel singer and balladeer who often recorded with Arthur Collins. The two together were often billed as "Collins & Harlan". Solo rec ...

, Frank C. Stanley and "The Floradora Girls" in a 1901 recording for Columbia. Belmont sang in addition to his whistling. He sang the baritone part in the first recordings of the "Columbia Quartette". Belmont claimed to have "discovered"

Henry Burr Henry Burr (January 15, 1882 – April 6, 1941) was a Canadian singer, radio performer and producer. He was born Harry Haley McClaskey and used Henry Burr as one of his many pseudonyms, in addition to Irving Gillette, Henry Gillette, Alfred Alex ...

by bringing his attention to Columbia recording engineer George Emerson.

Recorded compositions

*The Blacksmith and the Bird''Discography of American Historical Recordings'', s.v. "Joseph Belmont (composer)," accessed September 14, 2018

*The Blue Jay and the Thrush *Beautiful Birds, Sing On *Gentle Spring Is Here Again *How Birds Make Love *The Merry Farmer Boys *The Nightingale''Discography of American Historical Recordings'', s.v. "J. W. Fulton (composer)," accessed September 14, 2018

*On an Afternoon in June *The Songs of the Nations *Whistle While You Walk *The Whistling Coquette

References

External links

Joe Belmont Recordings

Joseph Belmont recordings
at the Discography of American Historical Recordings. {{DEFAULTSORT:Belmont, Joe 1876 births 1949 deaths Whistlers American impressionists (entertainers) Edison Records artists Pioneer recording artists Columbia Records artists Victor Records artists People from Charles Town, West Virginia