barbershop music group which toured as the Record Makers, and later as the Eight Popular Victor Artists. However, by 1917, bass Frank Croxton began to replace Collins on some records, a situation that became permanent by mid-1919 as Collins did not get along with Burr, who also served as the group's manager. During a personal appearance at the Princess Theater in Medina, Ohio on October 20, 1921, Collins was badly injured when he fell through an open trap door. While he recovered well enough to resume his singing and recording career, his health began to decline afterward and, in 1926, Collins retired, relocating to Florida with his wife. He died at the age of 69 in Tice, Florida on August 3, 1933. Recordings and legacy Arthur Collins recorded hundreds of songs, and in many cases he recorded the same song multiple times for various recording outfits. His signature song was The Preacher and the Bear, which he first recorded in 1905. His rendition, widely dispersed among a variety of releases, constitutes the most popular non-operatic record made during the first decade of the twentieth century. Collins was still recording the number in 1922, and a 1908 remake of the piece for Victor remained in their catalog until 1941; at his personal appearances "The Preacher and the Bear" was invariably requested. His recording sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc, only the second one ever presented. Collins lived up to his reputation as the "King of Ragtime Singers" and recorded more ragtime songs than any other singer during the era when ragtime was at its peak of popularity. Collins recorded some of Bert Williams's songs before Williams did, and even recorded some numbers associated with Williams that the latter never waxed. Collins and Harlan also made best-selling records of tunes such as "Waiting for the Robert E. Lee", "Alexander's Ragtime Band", "Lily of the Valley", and "The Old Grey Mare". Collins survived into the early years of the Jazz Age, and he and Harlan recorded the earliest record known to mention jazz, "That Funny Jas Band from Dixieland" (Victor 18235, recorded January 12, 1917). His song "Steamboat Bill" is referenced in both the movie Steamboat Bill Jr. and the first sound Mickey Mouse cartoon, Steamboat Willie, in which Mickey whistles the tune. Collins' solo recordings as well as Collins and Harlan recordings are viewed as desirable by