May 22 in Gennett History…

1928: Vernon Dalhart recorded “The Death of Floyd Collins” in NYC. It appeared on Champion 15048, Silvertone 8134, and Supertone 9227. The Champion issue sold 6,292 copies between 1926 and 1930.

From wikipedia re: Floyd Collins: On January 30, 1925, while trying to discover a new entrance to the system of underground caves that were a popular tourist attraction in Kentucky, Collins became trapped in a narrow crawl way 55 feet (17 m) below the surface. The reports about efforts to save Collins became a nationwide newspaper sensation and among the first major news stories to become a major sensation on the new technology of amateur radio. After four days during which Collins could be brought water and food, a collapse in the cave closed the entrance passageway to everything except voice contact. Collins died of exposure, thirst, and starvation after about fourteen days underground, three days before a dug rescue shaft could reach his position. Collins’ body was recovered two months later. 

May 21 in Gennett History…

1926: Lt. Felix Fernandino’s Dance Orchestra recorded “I May Be Dancing with Somebody Else” in NYC.  It appeared on Gennett 3326, Champion 15109 (4,954 sold), Beltona 1082, Challenge 137, Coliseum 1926, and Guardsman 1949 and featured Chas. Gordon (v). 

1928: The Happiness Boys recorded “Bridget O’Flynn” in NYC.  It appeared on Gennett 6492, Champion 15519 (1,641 copies sold), Silvertone 8030, and Supertone 9280 and featured Billy Jones (v) and Ernest Hare (v). 

1929: Patterson, Caplinger, & The Dixie Harmonizers recorded “Gonna Raise a Ruckus Tonight” in Richmond.  It appeared on Gennett 6872, Champion 15770 (2,400 copies sold), and Supertone 9473 and featured Warren Caplinger (v & g) and Andy Patterson (v & f). 

1930: The Tweedy Brothers recorded “Home Brew Rag” in Richmond.  The recording appeared on Gennett 7240, Champion 16048, Champion 33056, Superior 2784, and Supertone 9748.  Champion 16048 sold approx. 3,500 copies between 1930 and 1933. The recording featured Harry Tweedy (f & v) and Charles W. Tweedy (p & v). 

May 20 in Gennett History…

1924: Bernie Cummins and His Orchestra recorded “When the Dixie Stars are Playing Peekaboo” in Richmond.  It appeared on Gennett 5467. The band recorded under the direction of Gene King. 

1924: Members of the New York Philharmonic recorded “Rhythmic Songs: (a) Raindrops, (b) October, (c) The March Wind, (d) Big Black Beetle, (e) The Shepherdess” in NYC.  It appeared on Ginn G 3B.

May 19 in Gennett History…

1924: Oliver Naylor’s Seven Aces recorded “Say, Say, Sadie” in NYC.  It appeared on Gennett 5470 and Starr-Gennett 9557 and featured Jack Kaufman (v), Edward ‘Pinky’ Gerbrecht (tpt), Charles Hartman (tb), Newton Richardson (ts), Bill Creger (cl), Oliver Naylor (pn), Jules Bauduc (bjo), and Louis Darrough (d). 

1925: Hitch’s Happy Harmonists under the direction of Hoagy Carmichael recorded “Washboard Blues” in Richmond. It appeared on Gennett 3066, Buddy 8005, and Brunswick 02206. The band featured Fred Rollison (c), Jerry Bump (tb), Harry ‘Mousey’ Wright (cl), Myron ‘Rookie’ Neal (sax), Dewey Neal (bs), Haskell Simpson (bb), Hoagy Carmichael (p), Arnold Habbe or Maurice Mays (bj), and Earl ‘Buddy’ MacDowell (d). 

1926: Sam Lanin’s Orchestra recorded “Sleepy Bye” in NYC.  It appeared on Gennett 3319, Champion 15107 (1,523 sold), Buddy 8044, and Challenge 131.

1927: Lizzie Washington recorded “Daddy Threw Me Down Blues” in Richmond.  It appeared on Gennett 6321 and Herwin 92041 and featured Washington (v), James Johnson (pn), and Henry Johnson (f). 

May 18 in Gennett History…

1923: Ladd’s Black Aces recorded “Sittin’ on the Inside, Lookin’ at the Outside (Waitin’ for the Evening Mail)” in NYC. It appeared on Gennett 5164, Starr-Gennett 9398, and Apex 424. The recording featured Ernest Hare (v), Phil Napoleon (c), Charlie Panelli (tb), Jimmy Lytell (cl), Frank Signorelli (p), and Jack Roth (d). 

1927: Katherine Baker recorded “Money Woman Blues” in Richmond.  It appeared on Gennett 6228, Champion 15417 (~1,500 copies sold), Silvertone 5133, and Herwin 92037 and featured Baker (v), James Johnson (pn), and either Henry Moon or George Thomas (g). 

May 17 in Gennett History…

1926: Porter Grainger’s Three Jazz Songsters recorded “It Makes No Diff’rence to Me” in NYC.  It appeared on Gennett 3317, Champion 15100, and Buddy 8051 and featured Bert Howley (v), Gus Horsley (v), Perry Bradford (v), and Porter Grainger (pn). 

1928: Vernon Dalhart and Carson Robison recorded “Oh Dem Golden Slippers” in NYC. It appeared on Champion 15567, Champion 33005, Gennett 6512, Silvertone 8143, and Supertone 9230. 

1929: Alura Mack recorded “Loose Like That” in Richmond.  It appeared on Gennett 6890, Champion 15754 (~3,500 sold), and Supertone 9440 and featured Mack (v), Edward Evans (g), and unknown (pn). 

1930: The Jackson County Barn Owls recorded “I Wonder How the Old Folks Are at Home” in Richmond.  It appeared on Gennett 7224, Champion 16031 (~3,500 sold), Supertone 9716, and Montgomery Ward 4964 and featured E.W. McClain (v), and  J.O. Harpold. 

May 16 in Gennett History…

1928: Rev. B.L. Wightman and Congregation recorded “Live the Life” in Richmond. It appeared on Gennett 6891. The track featured Lottie Kimbrough aka Lottie Beaman, Winston Holmes, Sister Elizabeth Cooper, and probably Josie Miles in the choir. 

 

1928: Missionary Josephine Miles and Sister Elizabeth Cooper recorded “Holiness, part 1” in Richmond.  It appeared on Gennett 6571 and Champion 15589.  Royalties sent to Winston Holmes in 1928 notes sales of approx. 400 copies of the Champion issue.  

1933: The Sound Effects team “Large Fire: (1) Yelling – Throwing Water – Crashing Glass; (2) High Pressure Hose Line – Crashing Glass – Chopping” in Richmond.  It appeared on Gennett Sound Effects 1109 – B.  

May 15 in Gennett History…

1923: Viola McCoy and Porter Grainger recorded “Chirpin the Blues” in NYC. It appeared on Gennett 5162 and Starr-Gennett 9405. 

1923: Harvey Brownfield recorded “March Barrancas” in Richmond.  It appeared on Gennett 5185 and featured Brownfield (acc).

1926: Joe Candullo’s Everglades Orchestra recorded “Spanish Mama” in NYC.  It appeared on Gennett 3316, Champion 15110 (1,005 copies sold), and Buddy 8052 and featured Mike Mosiello & Harry Susnow (tpt), Goof Moyer & Gerry Salisbury (as/cl/ts), Frank de Carlo (pn), Nick Farrara (bs), John Montesanto (bjo), Joe Candullo (vn), and Billy Southard (d). 

1928: Rev. B. L. Wightman and Congregation recorded “The Fountain of Cleanliness, Part 1” in Richmond. It appeared on Gennett 6484, Champion 15531 (~600 copies sold), QRS R-7023, and Supertone 9297.  A note in the ledger reads,  “The Fountain of Uncleanness” (Lottie Beeman & Congregation – Winston Holmes, Missionary Josephine Miles (?), Sister Elizabeth Cooper (?).”  

1928: Fiddlin’ Doc Roberts recorded “Old Zip Coon and Medley Reels” in Richmond.  It appeared on Gennett 6495, and Champion 15564 (~5,400 sold) & 33046 and featured Roberts (f) and Asa Martin (g). 

1928: Josephine Miles recorded “Vacation in Heaven” in Richmond.  It appeared on Gennett 6534 and QRS R-7021 and featured Miles (v) and Elizabeth Cooper (pn). 

1934: The Sound Effects team recorded “Confusion Of Voices In Concert Hall (Continuous): Increasing From 150 To 300 (Mostly Women’s) Voices” in Richmond.  It appeared on Gennett Electrical Transcription 1148-B.

1934: The Sound Effects team recorded “Raise + Lower Window; Raise + Lower Window – Wash Dishes; Doors; (1) Raise Window Shade; (2) Lower Window; (3) Raise Window; (4) Washing Dishes; (5) Opening Creaking Door; (6) Opening Creaking Door; (7) Closing Creaking Door” in Richmond.  It appeared on Gennett Electrical Transcriptions 1151-B. 

1935: William Henry Smith’s Jubilee Singers recorded “This Old Hammer Killed John Henry” in Chicago.  It appeared on Champion 50066 and Decca 7649. 

May 14 in Gennett History…

1897: Happy 125th Birthday, Sidney Bechet! (5/14/1897) Bechet recorded with Alberta Hunter and Louis Armstrong as the Red Onion Jazz Babies for Gennett. 

1928: Fiddlin’ Doc Roberts recorded “Smoky Row” in Richmond. The recording appeared on Gennett 6588 and Champion 15564. It featured Doc Roberts (f) and Asa Martin (g). The Champion issue sold approx. 5,400 copies between 1928 and 1931 

1928: Vernon Dalhart recorded “Wreck of the Old Southern ’97” in NYC.  It appeared on Gennett 6654, Champion 15121, Silvertone 8141, and Supertone 9241 and featured Dalhart (v & h), Carson Robison (g) and possibly Adelyne Hood (f).

1930: Cliff Perrine and His Orchestra recorded “Mysterious Mose” in Richmond. The recording appeared on Gennett 7214 and Champion 15999. Cliff Perrine was the vocalist and the Champion issue sold approx. 1,200 copies between 1930 and 1932. 

May 13 in Gennett History…

1925: Nathan Glantz and His Orchestra recorded “One Smile” in NYC. It appeared on Gennett 3087. 

1928: Monroe Silver records “Cohen Phones about His New Auto” in NYC.  It appeared on Gennett 6544, Champion 15506 (1,583 sold), Silvertone 8304, Supertone 9125, and Angelus 3144 and featured Silver (v).