In an era when live performance ruled and radio was just beginning to shape a nation, Peter A. Higgins rose from Pittsburgh’s Steel City to the bright lights of Broadway— becoming one of America’s foremost Irish tenors.
An early star of radio on pioneering stations like KDKA, he went on to perform for millions on NBC and across the vaudeville circuit, sharing the stage with the greats of his time and moving within New York’s cultural and political circles including with Al Smith, the flamboyant Mayor Walker and future President, FDR. Peter and his brothers were very involved in founding several prominent charities including Variety International, the Children’s Charity.
As a teenager, the author’s grandfather dropped out of high school and went on the road with his famous brother during the roaring twenties. The author shares many family stories and anecdotes of Peter’s performances with many of the comedic legends of those times including Milton Berle, Jack Benny, Bob Hope, Jackie Gleason and others.
Despite more than 10,000 performances across North America and Europe, his voice has largely faded from memory-lost to an era before recordings could fully preserve its stars.
1936 Higgins Singers (Tom, Peter, Peter Sr, Jim Higgins)
Blending family lore, historical research, and a touch of Irish “blarney,” From the Steel City to Broadway is both a tribute and a rediscovery-a heartfelt effort to bring a forgotten Irish American voice home again.
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Author Bio:
Timothy F. White is the author of *From the Steel City to Broadway*, a biography of his great-uncle Peter A. Higgins, a Pittsburgh-born Irish tenor whose remarkable career spanned vaudeville, early radio, and Broadway.
Inspired by family stories and a desire to preserve an overlooked chapter of entertainment history, White spent years researching Higgins’s life and career. Drawing on historical newspapers, archival records, photographs, and family history, he brings to life the story of a performer who rose from Pittsburgh’s industrial neighborhoods to the national stage, appearing alongside some of the most celebrated entertainers of his era.
White has spent his professional career at the intersection of technology, entrepreneurship, and economic development. Since 2011, he has worked at the Regional Industrial Development Corporation of Southwestern Pennsylvania (RIDC), where he serves as Senior Vice President of Business Development and Strategy. His work focuses on transforming former industrial properties into places for new businesses, advanced manufacturing, and innovation.
A graduate of West Virginia University, White also studied management at Carnegie Mellon University and participated in the 16th Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange. He lives in the Pittsburgh area with his family and continues to explore the stories that connect the region’s industrial heritage, Irish-American communities, and entertainment history.
