Variety (Dec 1948)

42 OllCIIE$11lilnMlJ$IC W^dntadajt Dcieemlier 1, 1949 Berlin s Steady 'White Xmas Sales Buildup For Pic Irving Berlin's "White Christ' ttia.s" remains, eight years after its initial publication, bigger than in its first year, because the song didn't really get,rolling until after "Holiday Inn," from which Para- mount picture it stemmed, got into distribution. It's a seasonal stand- ard, good for 250,000-325,000 copies every f all, and.to date has sold over 10,000,000 recordings. Of the.se, Bing Crosby's platter. sale$ exceed 2,000,000. The sheets have gone al- most 3,000,000 copies, which in- cidentally "is one of the keynotes for Paramount's desire to reunite Crosby and J'red Astaire in. a picture with that title song. Ber-i iin. who may close for a deal to do that Almusical after he gets through with, his current legit musical, "Miss Liberty"-(Ijbretto by Robert IS. Sherwood), along with Par figures that the title alone insures a: pre-sold buildup of tn-r estimable value. Berlin, as a music publisher. Incidentally, this year has stayed out of the racks. Last year his sales exec, Al' Chandler, found too many returns, and since the MDS racks call for 2c "cut in the 22e wholesale/ price," Berlin .is. taking, his chances on straight music retiiilers service. On the subject of the "White Chi'istmas" Par filmusical; Berlin is currently in Hollywood also, on a Metro filmusical for Astaire- Ginger Rogers, marking their second reunited picture following their just completed "Barkleys of Broadway." It's a Dilly! LAVENDER BLUE (Dilly Dilly) Sanfly-Joy, inc. 1619 Broadway. New York DOWN AMONG THE SHELTERING PALMS lyric by Jomu (rockman . Mviic by Ab» Ofmon i Scoring A Gredt New Popularity MILLER MUSIC CORPORATION RETAIL DISK BEST SELLERS 18B ANDREWS SISTERS (Decca) "What Did I po" . 18C BLUE BARRON (M-G-M) "Every Day I Love You" . FIVE TOP ALBUMS CHRISTMAS ALBUM ting Ccesby Decca CHRISTMAS CAROLS 'Frtd Waring ■ Deccii 3 JAZZ AT PHILHARMONIC Album No, 8 Mercury tONO HITS 1917-4} Varitd ArtiiU Decca FftOGRESSIVI JAZZ Album No. I Stan Konlon Capitol HiUbillyV Likker Rap Washington, Nov. 30. Connie B. Gay, who operates the suburban Club Hillbilly, had his place fined $600 yesterday (29) for selling liquor to minors. Gay is a hillbilly music maestro. Gets Jewish Music Award Detroit, Nov. 30. Leo Low, composer and conduc- tor, received the annual Levy Memorial Award at a concert of the Halevy Society at the Labor Zionist Centre here. Award is con- ferred for outstanding contribu- tion to Jewish nmsic. : • hdie Record Co. Nixed on Gripe To Govt on LP Paul Puner, president of "Allegro Records, has clrawn a negativtt re- ' ply to Ills complaint to V. S. Dept. of Commerce ovet the marketing by Columbia Records of its 331.^ ! rpm Microgroove LP disks and the • .plans of RCA-Victor to bring out j another type of long-playing record to spin at 45 rpm. Allegro elicited lits answer from Assistant Cora* imerce Secretary .Thomas Blalsdell, who pointed, out, "We can appre- ciate the present difficulties facing your industry, but do not feel, op^, crating, under a free economy as- we do, that this department could interfere in situations of this kind unless directed to do so by law." Blalsdell also told the complain-: ant, "If you believe that there are elements of unfair competition in- the manner In which any new de- velopments are .introduced, the Federal Trade Commission would probably be the agency for you to ^ consult." .. Puner claimed that the actions of the major companies were set- ting up a situation that would con- fuse the i;ecord-buying public, and that the long-playing disks eventur . ally would squeeze Independent re- corders off the classical market. He sought a standardization and a pooling of ideas. Maestro Manages. Dallas Club Dallas, Nov. 30. Jack Caldwell, bandleader whose, combo is currently on the band- stand for an indefinite . engage-- ment at the Greater Dallas Club, has been named manager of the club. ■, Caldwell Will continue on the stand. SAY SOMETH SWEET TO Y m SWEETHEART MILLS MUSIC, INC I 6 1 9 B r 0 J ■! . 1 . S Decca's IZ^/zC Diwy Decca Records last week de- clared a regular quarterly dividend of 1212C J, share on 776,650 shares of capital slock. Cut is payable to stockholders of record aiS of Dec. 14. I A DREAM OF A LULLABY | TARRA TA-LARRA TA-LAR OXFORD MUSIC CORP. 1619 Broadway New York J For Your Approval LUTZ BROS. MUSIC presents DAINTY BRENDA LEE Recorded by DECCA-Peter Lmd Hayes MERCURY-Eddy Howard VICTOR-Jack Lathrop CAPITOL-Jack Smith and the Clark Sisters TRILON-Eastman Trio RECESS IN HEAVEN . . Recorded by- VICTOR-Deep River Boys M ERCU R Y - Ronnie 'Deauville WORLD-Four Gabriels COLUMBIA-Dan Grissom DECCA-Ink Spots LUTZ BROS. MUSIC CO., INC. 6272 Sunset Boulevard • Hollywood 28, Californi*