“There Are Two Sides To A Story” is sung by baritone Steve Porter on Victor Monarch 3467.
Porter recorded the song for a 7-inch disc version and a 10-inch disc.
There is a studio ledger with a note about this: "returned 14 Feb. '03."
That date is prior to Eldridge R. Johnson's use of a matrix mother technique. In earlier days, before that technique was adopted, the stamper used for pressing discs was derived directly from the recording. The note that it had been returned probably indicated that the stamper wore out.
In the spring of 1903, Victor began the mother-daughter matrix technique. At that point, when the stamper wore out, it could be replaced from the same mother.
Steven Carl Porter was born in Buffalo, New York.
Jim Walsh wrote in the May 1952 issue of Hobbies, "Death notices gave his age as 73, so he probably was born in 1862."
Porter began his show business career as a vaudeville comic in the 1890s and on records became known for Irish humor.
His most important contributions to records was as a baritone of popular quartets, especially the Peerless and American.
Victor catalogs state, "Mr. Porter is one of the pioneer makers of talking machine records, having been engaged in this work since 1897."
Porter's first known Berliner session was on July 29, 1897. One disc featured "Sally Warner" (1757), the disc's surface noting the date. This was followed by a session one day later, and he was in the studio again on August 13, 1897 to cut "Sweet Rosie O'Grady" (537) and other numbers.
He made other Berliners in 1897, some when Porter sang as member of the Diamond Four, which also featured Albert Campbell. As a solo artist Porter made two dozen Berliners, mostly hymns and popular ballads.
The November-December 1897 issue of The Phonoscope lists Porter among the personnel of the Greater New York Quartet, which also included Roger Harding, Len Spencer, and a singer named "Depew."
Porter is not in Columbia's June 1897 list but over 60 Porter titles are in the 1898 list, which states, "Mr. Steve Porter is a valuable acquisition to the staff of Columbia Entertainers. He is possessed of a rich baritone voice." On these brown wax cylinders, as on Berliner discs, he sings mostly songs of a sentimental, patriotic, or sacred nature. His comic talents must have become evident to industry executives only after he established himself as a recording artist.
The July 1898 issue of The Phonoscope refers to Porter as a member of the Ocean Yacht Club of Staten Island. Porter's yacht, the Chiquita, was 42 feet long and had a 14-foot beam (few record artists of this time could have afforded yachts).
