Myles O'Malley, The Tin Whistle King

Myles O'Malley became known as the Tin Whistle King in the 1930s and led his own successful band during the period.

Born in 1910 to Irish parents in Massachusetts, O'Malley was an avid saxophone player before he picked up the whistle. He performed with the Truman Carew Big Band from Boston after graduating from high school. Carew featured O'Malley on tin whistle for a St. Patrick's Day radio broadcast in 1931; that performance helped propel his popularity on the whistle.

O'Malley recorded his Irish band for Decca, and he also went on to form and lead the Decca Recording Orchestra.

The first digitized 78 rpm disc in this playlist was recorded on September 2, 1936 and features O'Malley's solo tin whistle along with Eileen White on piano.

The second features O'Malley's ensemble that was recorded on April 4, 1937. Both recordings are from the Michael and Mary Comer Collection here at the Ward Irish Music Archives.