Whispering Jack Smith

Whispering Jack Smith, born Jacob Schmidt, was a popular singer of the 20's and 30's. While he didn't actually whisper, he did sing softly and quietly, very close to his microphone, and often dropped into plain speech. This created an intimate effect that separated him from other singers of the time. Or did so, that is, up until he began to be widely imitated. Although it is true he inhaled some poison gas in World War I, this was not, as is sometimes stated, the reason for his vocal style.