William Dory

William Dory was an American Yiddish-language recording artist with a brief career at the start of the twentieth century.

His repertoire consisted mainly of Yiddish Theatre music and novelty songs (1900-1901) recorded on Wax cylinder for Edison Records (aka National Phonograph Co.). Although little is known about his personal or professional life, he was one of the first Yiddish-language recording artists in the United States. After he made eleven recordings for Edison (listed in 2 annual catalogs), he was replaced on their roster by Frank Seiden, who re-recorded Dory's general material on the new black-wax moulded cylinders (1902), and some specific titles of his as well.

Selected recordings

• Kol Nidre, Religious (1900, Edison Records)
• Das Peshala, from The Pretty Miriam (1900, Edison Records, written by Sigmund Mogulesko)
• Der Boocher (1900, Edison Records)
• Der Pusick, from The Jew in Morocco (1900, Edison Records, from an unpublished play by Peretz Sandler and Sigmund Feinman)
• Die Strassenfrau (1900, Edison Records)
• Chosmas Noschim, Hebrew song (1901, Edison Records)
• A Biss'l von Oeben (1901, Edison Records)
• Die Lady von Broadway (1901, Edison Records)
• Das Pastuckel, from Bar Kochla (1901, Edison Records, from Bar Kokhba by Avram Goldfaden)
• Gott sieht und schweigt (1901, Edison Records)
• Koenig Lear (1901, Edison Records, probably from the opera The Yiddish King Lear by Jacob Gordin)