Billy Baskette

William James Baskette (October 20, 1884 – November 8, 1949) was an American pianist and composer who wrote popular songs of the Tin Pan Alley era. He also wrote one of the most successful World War I war songs, "Good Bye Broadway, Hello France". Baskette was born in Henderson, Kentucky. His career in music began as a bassist in a circus band. He also was involved in vaudeville performances as a dancer and a pianist. Later, he became a staff composer for various music publishing firms in Chicago and New York City. He died in Culver City, California on November 8, 1949. Baskette was a part of the Tin Pan Alley movement of music. In 1918, there was a focus on music called "goodbye songs" referring to U.S. soldiers who were deployed to France during World War I. One of Baskette's most notable works was "Goodbye Broadway, Hello France," which was a hit song of the period.

Birth and Death Data: Born October 20, 1884, Died November 8, 1949

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1917 - 1945

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, songwriter, lyricist, piano

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 26-50 of 131 records)

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Victor	BS-75502	10-in.	3/13/1933	Carolina lullaby	Dixon Trio ; Dick Robertson	Male vocal solo and mixed vocal trio, with instrumental ensemble	songwriter
Victor	BS-75503	10-in.	3/13/1933	Carolina lullaby	George Donaldson Trio	Mixed vocal trio and male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble	songwriter
Victor	BS-76652	10-in.	7/14/1933	Old Nebraska moon	Don Hall Trio	Mixed vocal trio, with violin and piano	songwriter
Victor	BS-76653	10-in.	7/14/1933	Old Nebraska moon	George Donaldson Trio	Mixed vocal trio, with violin and piano	songwriter
Victor	BVE-82696	10-in.	3/29/1934	Waitin' for the evenin' mail	Riley Puckett	Male vocal solo, with guitar	composer
Victor	PBVE-196	10-in.	5/2/1926	Sandman lullaby	Nina Hinds ; Pearl Leonard	Female vocal duet, with piano	composer
Victor	D5AB-0428	10-in.	6/20/1945	Dream train	Bill Boyd ; Cowboy Ramblers	Male vocal solo, with string band	composer
Victor	[Trial 1923-05-22-01]	Not documented	5/22/1923	Lovin' Sam	Sybil Gray	Female vocal solo, with piano	instrumentalist, piano
Columbia	47414	10-in.	3/13/1917	Hawaiian butterfly	Elizabeth Brice ; Charles King	Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra	composer
Columbia	77185	10-in.	7/5/1917	Goodbye, Broadway, hello France	Arthur Fields ; Peerless Quartet	Male vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra	composer
Columbia	77214	10-in.	7/16/1917	Goodbye Broadway, hello France	Peerless Quartet	Male vocal quartet, with orchestra	composer
Columbia	77410	10-in.	10/4/1917	War song hits	Columbia Quartette	Male vocal quartet, with orchestra	composer
Columbia	77435	10-in.	10/22/1917	It's a long way to Berlin	Marconi Brothers	Piano accordion trio	composer
Columbia	77652	10-in.	1/29/1918	Each stitch is a thought of you, dear	Henry Burr	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Columbia	78087	10-in.	9/28/1918	I'm goin' to fight my way right back to Carolina	Van and Schenck	Male vocal duet, with orchestra	songwriter
Columbia	78220	10-in.	12/21/1918	Baby's prayer will soon be answered	Henry Burr	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	songwriter
Columbia	78380	10-in.	4/4/1919	Everybody wants a key to my cellar	Bert Williams	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	songwriter
Columbia	78546	10-in.	7/3/1919	Jerry	Nora Bayes	Female vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Columbia	78616	10-in.	7/31/1919	All I want is a girl like you	Yerkes Jazarimba Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	songwriter
Columbia	78799	10-in.	11/6/1919	At the high brown babies ball	Columbia Saxophone Sextette	Saxophone sextet	composer
Columbia	80414	10-in.	6/23/1922	A dream of Romany	Paul Specht Hotel Astor Orchestra [i.e., Paul Specht Orchestra]	Jazz/dance band	composer
Columbia	81072	10-in.	6/12/1923	Waitin' for the evenin' mail	Al Jolson	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	lyricist, composer
Columbia	81250	10-in.	10/1/1923	Waitin' for the evenin' mail	Fletcher Henderson ; Clara Smith	Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with piano	composer, lyricist
Columbia	140391	10-in.	2/25/1925	Heart-broken strain	Art Gillham	Male vocal solo, with piano	songwriter
Columbia	49170	12-in.	3/31/1917	Hawaiian butterfly	Prince's Band ; G. Hepburn Wilson	Band	composer

(Results 26-50 of 131 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Baskette, Billy," accessed April 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106782.

Baskette, Billy. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106782.

"Baskette, Billy." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 April 2024.