March 24 in Gennett History…

1922: Ray Miller and his Orchestra recorded “Canary Isle” in NYC.  It appeared on Gennett 4859, Starr-Gennett 9234, and Cardinal 508. 

1927: Hattie Garland recorded “Strange Woman’s Dream” in Chicago.” The recording appeared on Black Patti 8005. It featured Hattie Garland (vox), Maynard King (as), and William Pearson (p). 

1928: Ruby Green’s Manhattan Madcaps recorded “Sentimental Baby” in NYC.  It appeared on Gennett 6428, Champion 15475 (657 copies sold), Bell 597, and Silvertone 8061 and featured Al Lynch (v). Carl Fenton and his Orchestra used “Ruby Green’s Manhattan Madcaps” as a pseudonym.  

1930: Dick Coy and his Racketeers recorded “Eleven-Thirty Saturday Night” in Richmond.  It appeared on Gennett 7175 and Champion 15977 (3,064 copies sold) and featured Jimmy McPoland (v). 

1934: Alphonse Trent and his Orchestra recorded “Clementine” in Richmond.  It appeared on Champion 16587 (53 copies sold) and featured Peanuts Holland (v & tp), Chester Clark and Harry Edison (tp), Snub Moseley and Gus Wilson (tb), James Jeter and either Chester or Charles Pillars (as/cl), Hayes Pillars and Lee Hilliard (ts), Eugene Crooke (g), Robert ‘Eppie’ Jackson (bs), Eugene Crooke (bjo), Anderson Lacy (f), and A. G. Godley (d). 

1936: Jimmie Gordon recorded “Little Red Dress (Mary Usta Wear)” in Chicago.  It appeared on Champion 50075 and Decca 7301 and featured Gordon (v) and Chuck Segar (pn). 

1957: Carson Robison passed away. He recorded dozens of sides for Gennett including “Oh Dem Golden Slippers” with Vernon Dalhart on 5/17/1928 in NYC. It appeared on Gennett 6512, Champion 15567 and 33005, Silvertone 8143, & Supertone 9230. William Carlino played banjo. 

March 23 in Gennett History…

1922: Ladd’s Black Aces recorded “Satanic Blues” in NYC.  It appeared on Gennett 4856, Starr-Gennett 9230, Apex 478, Connorized 3077, and Rich-Tone 7034 and featured Phil Napoleon (tp), Moe Gappell? (tb), Doc Behrendson (cl), Frank Signorelli (pn), and Jack Roth (d). 

1927: Lillian Brown recorded “You Had It and Didn’t Want it” in Chicago.  It appeared on Gennett 6091, Black Patti 8007, and Champion 15265 (~400 sold) and featured Brown (v) and Will Brown (pn). 

1928: W. E. “Buddy” Burton recorded “Time Enough Blues” in Chicago. It appeared on Gennett 6453, Champion 15489 (Washington Thomas), and Superior 388 (unknown). The Champion side sold ~400 copies in 1928 and ’29. Burton was the singer and pianist. 

March 22 in Gennett History…

1927: Eloise Bennett recorded “Sting Me Mr. Strange Man” in Chicago. It appeared on Black Patti 8006. The guitar player remains unknown. 

1929: Carl Fenton and his Orchestra recorded “Deep Night” in NYC.  It appeared on Gennett 6816, Champion 15698 (794 copies sold), and Supertone 9378 and featured Jerry White (v). 

1952: Uncle Dave Macon passed away. He recorded “Don’t Get Weary Children” on August 15, 1934 with Kirk and Sam McGee. It appeared on Champion S-16822, Champion 45048, Decca 5369, and Montgomery Ward 8029. 

March 21 in Gennett History…

1924: Ladd’s Black Aces recorded “Unfortunate Blues” in NYC. It appeared on Gennett 5422 and Starr-Gennett 9532. The recording featured Vernon Dalhart (vox), Harry Gluck (c), Miff More (tb), Ken “Goof” Moyer (sax/cl), and the rest are unknown. 

1930: Elmer Grosso’s Mount Royal Orchestra recorded “I’m Climbing a Rainbow” in NYC. It appeared on Gennett 7173, Supertone 9633, and Champion 15957. The Champion side sold 843 copies in 1930. Jerry Macy and Ed Smalle are the vocalists.  

1932: Michael Hauer and his Orchestra recorded “Let That Be A Lesson To You” and “Whistle And Blow Your Blues Away” in Richmond. They appeared on Champion 16405 (168 copies sold) and Superior 2802. Here is an ad promoting the touring outfit and its connection to Gennett / Champion circa 1930 (though they misspelled Gennett). 

March 20 in Gennett History…

1924: Bailey’s Lucky Seven recorded “What’ll I Do” in NYC.  It appeared on Gennett 5425 and Starr-Gennett 9531 and featured Phil Napoleon and Earl Oliver (tpt), Miff Mole (tb), Frank Signorelli (pn), Jack Roth (d), and others.

1928: Gene Carroll and Al Grady Recorded “Waitin’ for Katy” in Chicago. The backing band was the Hoefle String Trio. This recording appeared on Gennett 6415, Champion 15461, Superior 361, Silvertone 5236, Silvertone 8236, and Supertone 9223. In his book “Jelly Roll, Bix, and Hoagy,” Rick Kennedy posits Gennett found many of its pseudonyms from the Richmond phone book. Perhaps Gennett looked no further than the local library when they released the Champion issue under the name “Morrison and Reeves.” Despite the pseudonym, this Champion royalty ledger shows Gennett paid royalties to Carroll and Grady. 

1929: Walter Smith and Norman Woodlieff recorded “It Won’t Be Long ‘Till My Grave Is Made” in Richmond.  It appeared on Gennett 6858, Supertone 9494, Champion 15730 and 45072 and featured Walter Smith (v) and Norman Woodlieff (v & g), and Posey Rorer (f). 

1931: The State Street Ramblers recorded “Richmond Stomp,” well, in Richmond.  It appeared on Champion 16350 (1,419 copies sold) & 40009, Superior 2797, HJCA HC-71, Jazz Collector L-47, and XX 15 and featured Alfred Bell (v & wb), Jimmy Blythe (pn), Ed Hudson (bjo). 

March 19 in Gennett History…

1860: Happy 163rd Birthday to William Jennings Bryan! (3/19/1860). This former Presidential candidate and Secretary of State under Woodrow Wilson recorded several sides in Gennett’s studio including a recreation of his famous “Cross of Gold Speech.” He recorded “The 23rd Psalm” in the Gennett Studios on July 3, 1923, with the String Quartette from Hotel Gibson Orchestra (Justin Huber). It appeared on Gennett 5226 (Christmas Greetings), Gennett 20090, Gennett Historical 12, Gospel Trumpet 200, Silvertone 4025, Starr – Gennett 9491, and Apex 387.  

1927: Tommy Dundurand & his Gang of WLS recorded “Haste to the Wedding” in Chicago. It appeared on Gennett 6088, Champion 15354 (~5,000 copies sold), Silvertone 5014, 8125, & 25014, Supertone 9158, and Herwin 75547 and featured Ed Goodreau (v), Chubby Parker (? Bjo), Tommy Dandurand (f), and Rube Tronson (? f). 

1931: The State Street Ramblers recorded “Georgia Grind” in Richmond. It appeared on Superior 2648, Champion 16279, Champion 40009, HJCA HC-71, XX 15, and JC L-47. The band consisted of Alfred Bell (vox, kazoo, and washboard), Roy Palmer (tb), Darnell Howard (sax), Jimmy Blythe (p), and Ed Hudson (bjo). 

March 18 in Gennett History…

1931: The Lonesome Cowgirl recorded “Anniversary  Blue Yodel No. 7” in Richmond. It appeared on Superior 2631.

1893: Happy 130th Birthday, Jean Goldkette! (3/18/1893). Goldkette played piano on Duane Sawyer’s 1918 Gennett recording that appeared on Gennett 8512. The songs were “Going Up (Intro: Here’s To The Two Of You)” and “Sinbad (Intro: Raz – Ma – Taz and I’ll Tell The World).”  Goldkette went on to form a popular big band in the 1920s which included another former Gennett Recording artist, Bix Beiderbecke, who play together on this Victor release, “Clementine.” 

March 17 in Gennett History…

Happy St. Patrick’s Day from Gennett Records! Here is some Irish music played on my portable Starr Phonograph. This first recording is from Starr-Gennett 9318 – A, where Tom Ennis (pipes) and John Carridy (fiddle) perform “Irish Polka” with Paddy Muldoon on piano. It was recorded on November 14, 1922 in NYC and appeared on Gennett 5003 and O’Byrne De Witt 39025.  

1922: Variety magazine published two reviews of Gennett releases. They reviewed Gennett 4823 (Lanin’s Famous Players) and Gennett 4798 (Harry Spindler’s Hotel Sinten Orchestra). The reviews seem to spend more time on the publisher royalties for “Ty-Tee Blues” and the Gennett recording operation than the music contained on the disc. 

1922: Joseph Hollman recorded “The Swan (Le Cynge)” in NYC.  It appeared on Gennett 10059 and featured Hollman (cello) and Thos. Griselle (pn).  

1928: Larry Vincent recorded “She’s a Great, Great Girl” in Chicago.  It appeared on Gennett 6431, Champion 15482 (~3,400 copies old), Supertone 9067, and Superior 378 and featured Vincent (v). 

March 16 in Gennett History…

1883: Happy 140th Birthday, Ernest Hare! (3/16/1883). This is a photo of him in black face, as he is “Ready for fun” from the 1923 Gennett catalog. Hare recorded over 50 sides for Gennett in the 1920s in the NYC studio, including “On Iowa” with the Gennett Military Band in 1924 on Gennett 10084.  

1926: Murray’s Green Gable Orchestra recorded “A Cup of Coffee, A Sandwich for You” in NYC.  It appeared on Gennett 3281, Champion 15078 (1,612 copies sold), Buddy 8008, and Challenge 146 and featured Arthur Hall (v). 

1927: Evangelist R. H. Harris of the Pentecostal Mission and Pentecostal Sisters recorded “Judgement Day” in Chicago.  It appeared on Gennett 6148, Champion 15284 (900 copies sold), and Black Patti 8013. 

1929: Asa Martin recorded “There Is No Place Like Home for a Married Man” in Richmond.  It appeared on Gennett 6808, Champion 15712 (~19,000 copies sold), and Supertone 9388 and featured Martin (v & g) and Doc Roberts (md). 

1929: Asa Martin recorded “She Ain’t Built That Way” in Richmond. It appeared on Gennett 6808, Champion 15712, Champion 45129, and Supertone 9388. The track featured Asa Martin (vox & g) and Doc Roberts (md). Champion accounted to Doc Roberts sales of over 19,000 copies of Champion 15712 between 1929 and 1932. 

March 15 in Gennett History…

1907: Happy 116th Birthday, Jimmy McPartland! (3/15/1907). He recorded “Prince of Wails” with the Wolverine Orchestra on cornet on 12/12/1924. It appeared on Gennett 5620, Starr-Gennett 9611, and Tempo R-24. 

1929: Fiddling Doc Roberts and Asa Martin recorded “Jacks Creek Waltz” in Richmond.  The recording appeared on Gennett 7017, Champion 15749, Champion 45142, Decca 5444, and Montgomery Ward 8039.  Champion 15749 sold over 10,000 copies between 1929 and 1932. 

1929: Fiddling Doc Roberts recorded “The Devil in Georgia” in Richmond.  It appeared on Gennett 6942, Champion 15788 (9,964 copies sold), and Supertone 9390 and featured Roberts (f) and Asa Martin (g).