THE
TEN-CENT CARUSO
It was only a snippet, but what
more could one ask for a dime? The story behind Emerson's only release
by Enrico Caruso.
THE
EMERSON RECORD STORY — Part 1
Victor Hugo Emerson,
creator of the Little Wonder record, left Columbia in 1915 to challenge
them with his own diminutive 78 records. His company's early days
are chronicled in the first of this three-part series.
EARLY
AMERICAN RECORD PIRACY (1899–1922)
Record piracy
is a tradition stretching back more than a century. Several early
American disc-pirating operations are examined in this survey.
SORTING
OUT THE PURITAN LABEL
Paramount's less-glamorous
sister label led a checkered past that continues to challenge discographers
and collectors today.
EVOLUTION
OF THE VICTOR RECORD LABEL (1900–1905): An Illustrated Guide
VICTOR
RECORD SALES STATISTICS (1901–1941)
THE
KIDDIE RECORD WARS (1917–1930)
LITTLE
WONDER AND THE MINIATURE-RECORD FAD
GEM
BLADES' "VOICES OF VICTORY" RECORDS
by Tom Sanders
The makers of
Gem razors and blades did their bit for morale during World War
II, recording servicemen's messages on flexible 78 records that
could be mailed to friends and family back home.
THE
OTHER SIDES OF VICTOR H. EMERSON
JOHN
FLETCHER: FROM SOUSA'S BAND TO BLACK SWAN (AND BEYOND)
ODEON
RECORDS IN THE UNITED STATES
APPRECIATING
MUSIC: GINN & COMPANY'S SCHOOL 78s
PERFORMERS
PAUL WHITEMAN, INC.: A SURVEY OF THE WHITEMAN AGENCY DANCE
ORCHESTRAS
When Paul Whiteman’s
own orchestra was unable to meet the demand for appearances and
recording sessions in the early 1920s, the band leader turned entrepreneur
and began managing other groups to fill the gap.
JOSEPH C. SMITH AND THE EVOLUTION OF THE AMERICAN DANCE ORCHESTRA
A history and
assesssment of Smith’s role in the development of the American dance
orchestra on records.
JACK KAUFMAN’S PERSONAL SCRAPBOOK
Rare Kaufman
Brothers photos and memorabilia (1910–25), courtesy of Phil Kaufman.
BILLY MURRAY'S VICTOR CONTRACTS: A CASE STUDY
Billy Murray's
Victor Talking Machine Co. contracts provide a deeper understanding
of his recording career, as well as a glimpse into the legal workings
of the early American recording industry.
BILLY
MURRAY ON THE RADIO (1925–42): A DETAILED PROGRAM LISTING
Revised by Anna-Maria Manuel
A regularly updated listing of documented radio broadcasts by pioneer recording
artist Billy Murray.
"BIXING"
— MYTHS, LIES, AND POLITICAL CORRECTNESS IN JAZZ RESEARCH
by Malcolm Shaw
What's "bixing"? It's a common habit in jazz history of
passing off rumor and opinion as fact. It's named for Bix Beiderbecke
because people have probably used more smoke and mirrors to augment
and glorify his particular legend than anyone else's. Bixing creates
a folklore tradition that newcomers to jazz collecting often believe
at the expense of truth.
THE
KAUFMAN BROTHERS: A PREHISTORY OF PHIL, JACK, AND IRVING
The Kaufman Brothers
were a hit in vaudeville long before they made their first records.
EVERYMAN'S
McCORMACK: A JOHN STEEL BIO-DISCOGRAPHY
John Steel was
no John McCormack, although he emulated the great Irish tenor. But
he was a colorful personality and a major stage star of the 1920s
whose story is finally emerging.
ARTHUR
FIELDS: BLUE AMBEROL CYLINDEROGRAPHY
First in a new
series of cylinderographies devoted to early studio artists, using
original Edison file data and other primary-source materials.
ADA
JONES: BLUE AMBEROL CYLINDEROGRAPHY
Second in a new
series of cylinderographies devoted to early studio artists, using
original Edison file data and other primary-source materials.
VICTOR’S
SINGING EXECUTIVE: HARRY MACDONOUGH
Record buyers
had no idea that singing was a sideline for tenor Harry Macdonough,
who in real life was Victor Talking Machine Co. executive John S.
Macdonald.
THE
ARTHUR FIELDS SONG SHOP AND ARTHUR FIELDS MELODY RECORDS
In 1923 Arthur
Fields teamed with the chronically ill-fated John Fletcher to produce
his own Arthur Fields Melody Record label.
SYNTHETIC
COUNTRY: FIELDS & HALL AND THE CREATION OF THE 'HILLBILLY' STEREOTYPE
Rex Cole’s Mountaineers,
the creation of New Yorkers Fred Hall and Arthur Fields, was one
of the first groups to develop and exploit the 'hillbilly' stereotype
that later found expression in the likes of "Lil’Abner"
and "The Beverly Hillbillies."
A
PREHISTORY OF ADA JONES (1889–1905)
Before she was
a phonograph star, Ada Jones led a checkered career, singing in
Broadway flops and dime museums, and sharing billing with The Eight
Fat Women and Signor Monstrom’s Troupe of Boxing Monkies.
THE
SCANLAN SCANDAL: THE REST OF THE WALTER VAN BRUNT STORY
The tale of Walter
Van Brunt's rebirth as 'Walter Scanlan,' his rise to fame in the
theatrical world, and the scandal that made national headlines.
THE
AVON COMEDY FOUR: A DETAILED HISTORY
Legendary vaudevillians
Smith & Dale scrambled their way to the top of the theatrical world
as stars of the Avon Comedy Four. Irving Kaufman, Eddie Miller,
and Arthur Fields were among the supporting members who came and
went over the years.
STEVE
PORTER, GLOBAL ENTREPRENEUR
Stephen Carl
Porter was hardly the dimwit he often portrayed on records. From
his pioneering work in India to his successful Port-O-Phone venture,
Porter was a far more ambitious and accomplished man than his previous
biographers might lead one to believe.
CARUSO
AND DISCOGRAPHY: A CONVERSATION WITH JOHN BOLIG
An interview by Barry Ashpole
The author of
Caruso Records: A History and Discography discusses his
research into Enrico Caruso's records, and his views on the current
state of discography, with the editor of the ARSC Journal.
JAZZ
COMES TO NEW YORK (1917): A GALLERY OF EARLY JAZZ BAND ADS
The Original
Dixieland Jazz Band's success at Reisenweber's in 1917 brought an
influx of would-be competitors to New York — some historically significant,
some just noisy novelty acts. Victor and Columbia labeled it "Jass,"
but in New York it was "Jazz" from the start.
A
BILLY MURRAY SCRAPBOOK (1916-27)
Historic photos,
ads, and clippings from the collections of Anna-Maria Manuel and
Mainspring Press.
THE
IMAGINARY CARL FENTON: Gus Haenschen, Rubie Greenberg, and the Conductor
Who Never Existed
Brunswick's best-selling
band leader was a total fiction, a trade name that was later sold,
and that once even filed for bankruptcy!
THOMAS
EDISON'S OPINION OF OPERA SINGERS
Excerpts from
Thomas Edison's comments on operatic singers used in the 1910–1912
experimental disc sessions (courtesy of Ray Wile).
UNMASKING
THE "WORLD'S GREATEST MUSIC" SETS (1938–40)
The orchestras
on these ubiquitous album sets have long posed a guessing game for
collectors. The first installment of our ongoing series identifies
the source and performers on the initial symphonic series, as logged
in the RCA-Victor files.
A
DIRECTORY OF PIONEER RECORDING STUDIO GROUPS
A preliminary
personnel listing for early studio vocal groups (1891-1929)
DISGUISED
WHITE PERFORMERS ON BLACK SWAN RECORDS: A PSEUDONYM LISTING
Although Harry
Pace claimed his Black Swan records would use only black talent,
many issues were actually by white performers using the aliases
listed here.
BLACK
SWAN'S OTHER STARS
Harry Pace set
his sights high for his pioneering black-owned and -operated record
label. "While it is true that we will feature to a great extent
'blue' numbers," Pace told the press, "we will also release
many numbers of a higher standard."
REDISCOVERING
SAM MOORE
by Allan Sutton (with Betsy Loar)
Sam Moore's1921
"Laughing Rag" is a pioneering blend of Hawaiian, ragtime,
and Southern folk influences unlike anything previously recorded.
But aside from his guitar work, Moore championed unconventional
instruments ranging from the sublime to the utterly ridiculous,
and for a time even jaded New Yorkers sat up and listened.
PARAMOUNT'S
1929 "MASKED MARVEL" CONTEST
Blues legend
Charley Patton went incognito for his introduction to Paramount
record buyers.
LIFE
AFTER THE STUDIO
What
the pioneer recording artists did after their recording careers
ended
UNCLE
JOSH'S PUNKIN CENTRE STORIES
Behind Cal Stewart's
country-bumpkin persona was a successful author and publisher.
