Talking machine west: a history and catalogue of Tin Pan Alley's western recordings, 1902-1918

209 Pages·2017·80.28 MB·English

by  Amundson, Michael A

A History and Catalogue of
Tin Pan Alley’s Western Recordings,
1902–1918
Michael A. Amundson
Talking
{ }
Machine
West
American Popular Music Series
Advisory Board
Bob L. Blackburn, Executive Director, Oklahoma Historical Society
Erika Brady, Professor of Folk Studies, Western Kentucky University
Ronald D. Cohen, Professor of History Emeritus, Indiana University Northwest
Charles L. Hughes, Director of the Memphis Center, Rhodes College
Bill C. Malone, Professor of History Emeritus, Tulane University
Andy Wilkinson, Artist-in-Residence, Crossroads Music Archive, Texas Tech University
Talking Machine West
A History and Catalogue of Tin Pan Alley’s
Western Recordings, 1902–1918
MICHAEL A. AMUNDSON
•
UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA PRESS : NORMAN
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA Talking Machine West: A History and Catalogue of Tin Pan Alley’s
Western Recordings, 1902–1918 is Volume 2 in the American
Name: Amundson, Michael A., 1965– author.
Popular Music Series.
Title: Talking machine west : a history and catalogue of Tin Pan
Alley’s western recordings, 1902–1918 /
Michael A. Amundson. The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence
Description: Norman, OK : University of Oklahoma Press, [2017] | and durability of the Committee on Production Guidelines for
Includes bibliographical references and index. Book Longevity of the Council on Library Resources, Inc. ∞
Identifiers: LCCN 2016033167 | ISBN 978-0-8061-5604-0
Copyright © 2017 by the University of Oklahoma Press, Norman,
(hardcover : alk. paper)
Publishing Division of the University. Manufactured in Singapore.
Subjects: LCSH: Popular music—United States—1901–1910
—History and criticism. | Popular music—United All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
States—1911–1920—History and criticism. | West (U.S.)— reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any
Songs and music—History and criticism. | Indians of North form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
America—Songs and music—History and criticism. | recording, or otherwise—except as permitted under Section
Cowboys—Songs and music—History and criticism. | Sound 107 or 108 of the United States Copyright Act—without the prior
recordings—United States—History. | Popular music— written permission of the University of Oklahoma Press. To
United States—1901–1910—Discography. | Popular music— request permission to reproduce selections from this book, write
United States—1911–1920—Discography. to Permissions, University of Oklahoma Press, 2800 Venture
Classification: LCC ML3477 .A49 2017 | Drive, Norman, OK 73069, or email [email protected].
DDC 781.640973/09041—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016033167 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Contents
Acknowledgments
vii
PRELUDE
Cranking Up My Talking Machines
3
CHAPTER 1
The Phonograph and the West, 1877–1902
9
CHAPTER 2
The Talking Machine West, 1902–1918
25
{ A C hr on o lo gi ca l C at al og u e }
of Western Recordings
1902–1918
47
Bibliography
187
Index
193

Acknowledgments
ALTHOUGH I BEGAN COLLECTING EDISON provided summer funding to work on this project.
CYLINDERS back in the 1980s, this book began just a Thanks as well to Baylor University, Indiana University,
few years ago when my colleague Leisl Carr Childers at and the University of Oregon, for permission to reprint
Northern Arizona University (NAU) asked me to give a sheet music covers for songs that I did not own, and
presentation about phonographs to one of her classes. In to the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB),
preparing for that, I discovered the many cowboys songs for making available on the Internet so many of the
available on cylinder, and the project took on a life of its recordings found in this book. UCSB’s Cylinder Audio
own. Thanks Leisl. Thanks as well to Chuck Rankin at the Archive and its Discography of American Historical
University of Oklahoma Press for listening to my pitch Recordings, along with the Library of Congress’s National
about a book on talking machine cowboys and Indians Jukebox, are treasure troves of period music history,
when it existed only as a PowerPoint presentation, for his and these collections inspired my own collecting and
support in getting me a contract with the Press, and then helped me to write this book. Likewise, Bill Edwards’s
especially for his editorial skills in helping me to rethink “Perfesser Bill” website is the place to learn about sheet
this project into one that appeals to both academic and music of this period, and the Billy Murray website
public audiences. This book would never have happened provides loads of information about the most popular
without his support. ragtime singer. I also appreciate my many classroom
I also owed a debt of thanks to NAU colleagues Linda audiences at Idaho State University, Colorado Mesa
Sargent Wood, Eric Meeks, and Leilah Danielson, who University, and especially NAU who have let me lug in
read parts of this work and helped me work my way the old phonographs and then marveled with me at their
through some difficult stretches. Thanks Linda for the songs. The same goes to the local Flagstaff Westerners
“writer’s lunches,” Eric for wanting to be my coauthor and the folks who came to hear me speak about this
and helping me work through issues of race and identity project at Riordan Mansion State Park. These kinds
in Santiago Flynn, and Leilah and her mother, Susan of public presentations helped me to hone what I was
Danielson, for their help with I’m a Yiddish Cowboy. And doing here.
a special thanks to NAU digital access archivist Todd There are several people in the antique phonograph
Welch, who spent a long Saturday with me scanning all world who also deserve thanks. First off, thank you to
of my sheet music. It’s great to have colleagues who are John Lewis of Albuquerque and his business, John Lewis’
both scholars and friends. Mechanical Antiques, for repairing my Edison and for
Thanks as well to several institutions that provided his love of old phonographs. Knowing a good mechanic is
assistance along the way. First, thanks to the NAU especially helpful when it comes to playing a 110-year-old
Scholarship and Creative Activity (SCA) Grants machine. Second, thanks to all of my eBay friends who
Program, which awarded me a SCA grant in 2015 that have sold me cylinders, one-sided 78s, needles, books,
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{ acknowledgments }
advertisements, and other phonograph memorabilia, music I was playing but, more important, reminded me
especially Bart of Chicago, who not only sold me a that a walk in the forest was just what I needed.
five-foot-long phonograph horn but took the time to Finally, thanks the most to my wife, Lauren, for not
build a custom shipping crate and then send it to me via getting mad when I told her about my late night eBay
Greyhound bus lines. Thanks also to Tim Gracyk for his purchases, especially the $750 gigantic cylinder horn and
research. the $237 for the cylinder of Ragtime Cow Boy Joe, and for
My parents, Arlen and Joan Amundson of Loveland, enduring my hours of playing cylinders and 78s in the
Colorado, my sister, Kathryn of Denver, as well as my house. Even more thanks for her patience after I digitized
in-laws, Britt and Mary DeMuth of Flagstaff, have all of them and played them in the car on long road trips.
listened to me talk about these old songs for a long time. The fact that she, an aficionado of live concerts from the
Thanks also to my wife’s grandparents, Don and Barbara likes of the Moody Blues and the Dave Matthews Band,
DeMuth of Cornville, Arizona, and her aunt and uncle now knows the tunes and words to most of my ancient
Lynn DeMuth and Duke Mertz for their interest in my cylinders is testament to her patience. I also thank her
project. It’s finally done, Duke! My border collie Tessa, for her archival skills and enthusiastic efforts to help me
though not usually as interested as Nipper—the dog obtain the proper record sleeves and acid-free boxes to
Victor Records used—sometimes showed interest in the best preserve my collection. This book is for Lauren.
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Talking
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Machine
West