Radio varieties (Sept 1940-June 1941)

KARL LAMBERTZ MUSICAL DIRECTOR OF WFAA Since between fifty and sixty per cent of all programs originated in the studios of Station WFAA are either entirel or partly musical, the music department of The Dallas News station is of major importance in the preparation and background of radio programs which WFAA listeners hear. The musical director of WFAA is Karl Lambertz, a veteran of more than thirty years in show business, much of which was spent in the theater playing or directing stage or pit orchestras. Generally speaking, the job of his department at WFAA is that of planning and executing musical programs in all the ways in which music enters into the picture of broadcasting. Ldmbertz selects' the music to be played on a program or passes on the music selected by the artist or group to perform on the air. The chief consideration here is building a well-balanced musical show which will include selections of interest to a wide crosssection of the listening audience. The musical director chooses the artists to perform the program he makes out, and is responsible for getting rehearsals scheduled and for getting the program on the air at the proper time. This means an elaborate private telephone book and system of notifying artists, as well as a large listing of artists with notations on their particular talents. Lambertz also supplies musical cues and other dramatic parts which are generally a part of every dramatic show. One of Lambertz' s roles in that of ex-officio production manager of programs involving other musical artists. An important sub-division of the music department is the music library, which at WFAA is in charge of Arthur Kuehn. Kuehn Page 4 . Karl Lambertz takes the music sheet after Lambertz either makes it out or passes on it and checks the copyright of the song to see if the station has a license to perform it. If not, out the number goes and another is substituted. Kuehn has his orchestrations, vocal copies and copyright information so catalogued that he can, at a moment's notice, put his hands on any one of approximately 9,000 orchestrations, 15,000 vocal copies of songs, or any one of 150,000 cards giving complete information about the copyright of that many songs. He also has catalogued the key number to more 4,000 musical selections on electrical transcription, contained in the station's recorded music library. The music library at WFAA comprises the largest number of orchestrations, vocal copies and the largest collection of copyright information owned by any individual station in the United States. Another unusual advantage of the WFAA music department is that it retains a coach for its vocal artists and groups in the person of Craig Barton, accomplished pianist, arranger and vocal coach. Barton's job is to drill vocalists until the rough spots in a performance have been eliminated. Barton's coaching is in a large measure responsible for the success of such vocalists as Evelyn Lynne, now on NBC in Chicago (known here as Evelyn Honeycutt), and Dale Evans, Chicago network singer. The music department also conducts public auditions for those who either actually have, or think they have talent, on Tuesday evenings. A few artists have been discovered in this way. Everyone gets a hearing, and any promise of talent is bound to be noticed. RADIO VARIETIES SEPTEMBER