The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-12-11

With the coming of the most pop ular singer in the world today. John Mccormack. whom the "All-Star Concerts" will present in concert for the first and only time that he has ever visited Birmingham on the aft ernoon of December IS, much inter- est centers about the life story" of this golden voiced singer.
 The man who is the one and only singer of today who can pack" an a'Esitorium whether its seating ca p..city be 2.50o or 25,000, and turn hundreds away, by the sheer magic of his voice, the man whose songs of the simpler type, Silver Threads f,mong the Gold" When You and | Were Young, Maggie.r Mother Machree" and Dear Old Pal of Mine" can soothe and smooth out the furrows and wrinkles in the , heart of the hardest man or woman. the man whose beauteous tones and exquisite shadings can make of simple ballad Classic" and whose interpretation of Handel. Mozart and Schubert is unequaled. by any singer of the day, is naturally the subject of interest wherever he goes and whenever he sings.
 It has been frequently said that the rise of John Mccormack to fame has been one of the most remarkante incidents of musical history. and the question has often been asked
 Who discovered John McCer- mack?"
 To this question there have been many answers and as a general rule the answers have been wrong, so that when the word, the real word. . comes from Mir. Mccormack mana ger, MT. Charles L. Wagner, the man whose name Is as indissolubly linked with that of Mccormack as the names of Damon and Pythias,. it can be relied upon to be authentic. and this is The True Story of John Mccormack s Discovery::"
 Back in 1sS4--it was June 14-i1 the town of Athlone, Ireland, there was born young John Mccormack, unknown to fame, unheard of-un- discovered,
 During his school days young John Mccormack had quite bit of a local reputation as a singer, but his parents did not realize the great things he was capable of accomplish ing In that line. After his gradua- ton from college his parents scnt for a place in the Royal College of Science.
 Apparently the idea did not occur to them that he would be able to turn his vocal talents to commercial account. One day he sat at the piano accompanying himself in one of his savorite songs, and a doctor from lis homo town entered the room. Don't step" said he. as Mccormack started to get up from the piano, begin it over again and let me hear 1t all" {y,fc tor took his leave. I'm going to get Vincent O'Brien," he said, T want to have him hear you sing"
 Vincent O'Brien was director of the Marlborough cathedral choir and one of the most important musical personages of the day He was speedily found by the doctor and in- troduced to Mccormack.
 Sing anything" said o'Brien. Mo Cormack sang Then You'll Remem- Der Me- from the Bohemian Girl" Young man. exclaimed o'Brien. there's fortune in that voice. Don't you dream of being anything else but singer Then and there 1t was arranged Mccormack should be- come a member of O'Brien's choir.
 A. few months later there was a big musical competition and O'Brien persuaded Mccormack to take part, and gave him private instruction for several weeks. The young tenor easily carried off the first prize. His reputation made in the Irish capital. he became very popular and some of his friends organized a number of concerts with the object of getting funds to enable him to take course of instruction in Italy. The concerts not only furnished him with the de- sired funds, but added greatly to his reputation.
 For two and one-haf years he studied in Italy under famous mas ter. Sabbitini, acquiring there the fine Italian legato and the perfect phras- Ing which made him a model of nat ural expression. Hear my Giovan- ni," says Sabbitini to his pupils. His is the nearest of all to the perfect method of voice production. am prouder of him than of any other