Collins and Harlan

There was a time when, in American households, the expression "sung by Collins & Harlan" was instantly recognized, like an advertising jingle of the future such as "like a rock." In the case of the popular vocal duo of the early 19th century, the comparison with a truck commercial serves a more literal purpose than simply pointing out how fleeting popular taste is or how quickly both stars and headlights can dim. Baritone Arthur Collins and tenor Byron Harlan were actually such large men that they were sometimes introduced as "the Half Ton Duo." Collins was such a heavy piece ...