1924: Art Payne and his Orchestra recorded “Oh Maud” in Richmond. It appeared on Gennett 5631, Champion 15036 as by South Shore Melody Boys, and Claxtonola 40413 as by The Kentucky Cardinals. The Champion release sold 581 copies in 1925 and 1926. The known player was Ray Putnam (sax or clarinet).
Fletcher Henderson Gennett Walk of Fame Medallion
1923: Josie Miles recorded “Awful Moanin’ Blues” in NYC. The recording appeared on Gennett 5339 and Silvertone 4051. It featured Miles (v) and Fletcher Henderson (p).
1928: Jack Golding recorded “In The Big Rock Candy Mountain” in Richmond. It appeared on Gennett 6715, Champion 15646, and Supertone 9342. The Champion issue sold over 15,000 copies between 1928 and 1931.
1901 & 1918: a VERY important day, as In 1901, Joseph W. Jones received his patent for ‘a process of producing sound records, one of the steps of which was the cutting of a laterally undulating groove in suitable material (wax).” The patent expired on 12/10/1918 and Gennett disregarded Victor’s lateral patent held by Victor (Eldridge Johnson patent). The expiration of Jones’ patent and Gennett’s victory over the Johnson patent led to the birth of race and hillbilly recordings and ‘indie labels.’
Eldridge Johnson Provisional Patent
1927: Emil Seidel and His Orchestra recorded “Counting The Days” in Richmond. It appeared on Gennett 6355 and Champion 15418 as Jack Crawford and His Boys. The band featured Jimmy Fisher (vox) and Hoagy Carmichael (piano).
1931: The Lullaby Larkers recorded “Chicken Roost Blues” in Richmond. It appeared on Champion 16364 and Champion 45132. The track featured Cliff Carlisle (v & g) & Wilbur Ball (g). A royalty statement to Wilbur Ball, noted sales of 258 copies in 1932 (and 4 copies in 1933). A royalty accounting from Decca noted sales of 25 copies for period ending 9/30/36.
Baileys Lucky Seven Gennett Walk of Fame Medallion
1922: Bailey’s Lucky Seven recorded “Baby Blue Eyes” in NYC. It appeared on Gennett 5013 and Starr-Gennett 9330. The track featured Jules Levy, Jr (c), Charlie Panelli (tb), Loring McMurray and Jimmy Lytell (sax/cl), Nick Lucas (banjo) and Jack Roth (d).
1922: Timothy Nicholson at age 94 made a personal recording in Richmond, Indiana. He recorded “Statement Concerning Friend’s (Quaker’s) Richmond Declaration of Faith and the Organization of the Five Years Meeting” and “Why and How Corporal Punishment Ceased in Indiana State Prisons.”
Timothy Nicholson Gennett Personal
1923: Bailey’s Lucky Seven recorded “I’m Goin’ South” in NYC. It appeared on Gennett 5334 and Starr-Gennett 9485. Known performers on this side included Phil Napoleon and Earl Oliver (c), Miff Mole (tb), Frank Signorelli (p), and Jack Roth (d).
1919: The Gennett Orchestra recorded “Me-Ow One Step” sometime in 1919. It appeared on Gennett 4511 – one of the first Gennett Laterals released in 1920. The patent to all lateral discs and recording expired in Fred Gennett’s opinion on 12/10/1919 with the Jones / Columbia patent.
1924: The Rev. J.M. Gates and His Congregation recorded “I Know I Got Religion” in NYC. It appeared on Black Patti 8016, Champion 15223, Gennett 6034, Herwin 92005, and Silvertone 5020. The Champion issue sold 3,168 copies in 1927 and 1928. Amen.
