John W. Myers (c. 1864 - c. 1919) was a popular phonograph artist, theatre manager and vaudeville singer known for his baritone voice and for being the most important recording artist in the first decade of American phonograph music. 

He was born in Wales between 1864 and 65. Unfortunately, not much is known about his early life, likely having emigrated to the United States in the 1870s around the age of 12. We are not even certain if John W. Myers was his birth name. He worked in various jobs in his earlier career, and eventually became a theatre manager in New York City. He also worked in small travelling operatic companies. These earlier jobs were likely very privileged ones, as he was not irish and he was white. It was in 1892 that he first shows up on records as a phonograph artist, appearing in a North American Phonograph Company (the first company he worked with) bullet which describes him as a seasoned recording artist. It is likely that he had been recording since the late 1880s, or 1890. He was an instant hit with many of the companies which existed at the time.

In the first decade of his career, he recorded hundreds of songs for various labels, such as Edison, Berliner, and most predominantly, Columbia. It was with Columbia that he had great success, and many of his earlier recordings are directly attributed to the Columbia Phonograph Company. One of the more curious things about this is that each song around this time had an announcement of who was singing and which company they sang for, which allows us in a few cases to work out exactly which year a particular record was produced, for example:

Myers' recordings in 1897/8 are often attributed to The Columbia Phonograph Company of New York and Paris. Whilst Columbia was originally founded in Washington D.C (1889), they moved their Head Offices to New York around 1897, and their first European branch was opened in Paris around the same time. Because of this, the tagline (which was used mainly as an anti-piracy measure) reflected their office in London as well as their headquarters. Thus, most records with this title were recorded between 1897 and 99. 

However, in 1899, Columbia's General Manager, Frank Dorian, opened the company's massive new European Headquarters at 122 Oxford Street in London. Because London was considered the crown jewel of European operations, as Great Britain still held its expansive Empire and was the world's strongest power, this name ultimately superseded the Parisian one. Due to this change, the tagline was changed from New York and Paris to New York and London. 

Myers was known to be a very demanding singer, and was nit-picky with the music he chose to record. One of his favourite pianists was Fred Hylands, known as "Freddy" by many at the time. Myers often had him play the piano accompaniment. Interestingly, Hylands is in the banner of this page (background, right, conducting from piano). In 1895, he left an important theatrical position to become a full-time phonograph recording artist and, in 1896, he began his own record company, The Globe Phonograph Company, which he held to rigorous standards. Myers advertised it in The Phonoscope, a monthly journal related to records and the phonograph which was produced in the late 19th century. 

He advertised the fact that his company produced only original records, as reproduced records were considered both cheap and poorly made as it was commonly believed that original records were both clearer and louder. These reproductions were another reason why the taglines used in Columbia and many other companies' songs were so common. Unfortunately for Myers, his company did not survive much longer than 1897, despite their initial success with him singing. It was by this point that he and Fred Hylands were becoming very close friends. 

From 1897 until 1900, he recorded predominantly for Columbia, often with Hylands. However, he also recorded songs for companies like Berliner, who became Victor in 1900. Myers remained with Victor until 1903 and, despite being very loyal, he continues working at Columbia after leaving Victor. This was because Columbia was more familiar to him, as he knew and was friends with many of the staff members who he worked with. By 1904, however, Hylands' piano work began to be replaced by orchestras. 

Victor eventually discarded of his takes in 1907, but he continued to record with Columbia until 1912, as one of their most popular artists. His final record is believed to have been recorded in 1917 for Emerson Records, with his last known recording being 'War Song Medley'. Beyond this date, however, not many know. It is believed, as suggested by Ulysses "Jim" Walsh, that he died around 1919 however other theories suggest that he may have lived longer, having returned to Wales. Unfortunately, his true date of death is unknown.