Mexico - Mina Hickman (1904)

Before Ada Jones began recording regularly in 1905, Mina Hickman was arguably the industry's leading female recording artist.

In the early 1900s she probably worked most often for Columbia, typical titles being "Lullaby" (658) and "Pretty Molly Shannon" (659). The company issued several discs of Hickman singing with bass William F. Hooley, including early numbers 101, 102, and 103. Many early Columbia records featured anonymous soprano voices, and Hickman is undoubtedly on some of these.

Hickman's first records for Eldridge R. Johnson's new Victor Talking Machine Company were cut on April 29, 1901, and she worked for the company until 1905. The sole performance issued from her 1901 session was "When I Think of You" (seven-inch 751).

Several 1903 performances were issued, including "Killarney," "For All Eternity," and "Under The Bamboo Tree." None of the five titles cut during her final session on March 14, 1905, was issued.

She recorded for Zon-o-phone from 1901 to 1904. Solo numbers include "Under the Bamboo Tree" (nine-inch 5413), "Under the Deodar" (nine-inch 5414), and "Laughing Water" (nine-inch 5778). The May 10, 1901, catalog lists four numbers that she sang with tenor J.J. Taylor, including "The Kiss Duet" (seven-inch 9570).

In 1901 she made with Harry Macdonough two Edison Standard records, "When Two Little Hearts Are One" (7975) and "Tale of the Bumblebee" (7976).

She recorded a 1902 song closely associated with stage performer Lillian Russell, "Come Down, Ma Evenin' Star." Hickman's versions were issued as Columbia 955 and Zon-o-phone 5292.

Some of her last records were made for the American Record Company, with four records issued in February 1905: "Mexico" (031001), "On Llawana's Shore" (031002), "Sylvie" (030932), and "My Little Canoe" (030847). American also issued some Ada Jones titles.

From this point on--for a decade--Jones would be the industry's dominant female artist of popular material.