Henry Burr br br "Daddy, You've Been A Mother To Me" br br February 12, 1920 br br Victor 18656br br Fred Fisher songbr br This Fred Fisher song was published in 1920 br br I just can remember my mother.br Angels one day took her away.br br You took her place with a smile on your face.br That's why I’m happy to say...br br Daddy, dear old daddy,br You’ve been more than a daddy to me.br You might have held someone else on your knee.br You keep a place there for no one but me.br br Daddy, dear old daddy,br Way up above she can seebr You’ve been more than a pal.br You’ve been more than a gal.br Daddy, you’ve been a mother to me.br br The leaves of the autumn are falling.br Deep in your eye are winter skies.br br You were my friend, always there to defend.br I’ll be your boy till the end.br br Henry Burr was incredibly popular as a solo artist and was also important as a member of various duos, trios, and quartets. br br He probably recorded more selections than any other singer of the acoustic era. br br Not surprisingly for one who recorded thousands of titles, the tenor was remarkably versatile. He was as deft with an upbeat tune such as "I Didn't Raise My Boy To Be A Soldier," sung with the Peerless Quartet (Columbia A1697), as with a sentimental favorite such as "In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree." He won fame for singing the latter type of material.br br On January 15, 1882, he was born Harry Haley McClaskey in St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada. He was raised in a house at 10 Armstrong Street. In 1895, at age 13, he was known well enough as a boy tenor to be engaged for appearances with the St. John Artillery Band at the opening of the city’s annual Exposition. br br He attended Mt. Allison Academy at Sackville, New Brunswick. His father, Alfred McClaskey, was a candy and tobacco dealer.br br His first important concert appearance was on April 14, 1901, when he appeared at the St. John Opera House with Scottish soprano Jessie Maclachlan.br br Henry studied with noted teacher John Dennis Meehan (sometimes spelled Mehan) and later Miss Ellen Burr. He adopted the latter's name in tribute when he began making records for Columbia.br br Burr began his recording career with Columbia in 1902 or 1903. At this time Columbia did massive re-recording to take advantage of improved technology. Some Columbia discs bearing Burr’s name have master numbers suggesting that they were made in 1901, but the Burr performances were remakes of numbers originally sung in 1901 by others. Tim Brooks reports that the earliest master that seems to be originally by Burr is 1351, "My Dreams," from mid-1903. br br In 1903 he recorded a song associated with Lillian Russell on the stage, "Come Down Ma Evening Star" (Columbia disc 1405 and cylinder 32174; Mina Hickman had earlier recorded this for Columbia disc 955), and he cut Neil Moret’s popular "Hiawatha" (disc 1406; cylinder 32175).