Joe Natus

Joe Natus, born Joseph Natus on March 1, 1860, in Detroit, Michigan, was an American tenor, minstrel performer, and recording artist who built a notable career during the early twentieth century. He died on April 21, 1917, in Rome, New York.

Natus established himself as a prominent figure in the recording industry during the early 1900s. In 1901 he formed a partnership with Arthur Collins, and the two recorded together extensively, producing 19 Edison cylinder recordings as well as several Victor recordings through 1902. Among their collaborative work was a recording of the song Goodbye, Dolly Gray, performed as part of a quartet, which gained considerable popularity. Natus also recorded a solo version of Coon, Coon, Coon during this period.

His recording output spanned multiple labels. For Edison, his discography included titles such as I'm Longing in My Heart for You Louise, Home Sweet Home, All for a Man Whose God Was Gold, and A Bird in a Gilded Cage. His Berliner recordings included The Blue and the Gray, In Good Old New York Town, You're the Only One, Ruth, and Sweet Savannah. On the Victor label he recorded She Rests by the Suwanee River, There Is No North or South To-Day, I'd Still Believe You True, Where the Mississippi River Flows, and Calling to Her Boy Just Once Again, among others. Additional recordings appeared on Columbia, including I'll Be with You When the Roses Bloom Again and Tell Us Pretty Ladies, the latter again recorded with Collins. His Zonophone recordings included Back, Back, Back to the Woods with Collins and Could You Be True to Eyes of Blue.

In addition to his recording career, Natus appeared on Broadway in 1904 in the musical The Good Old Summertime.