Variety (July 1949)

Big Sale as Corn Tune Cues Mills’ Hypo of ’Waltz’ Mills Music is taking a rather unique track with its “Blue Skirt walu ■’ Corn-waltz tune is now a ”u*t’ sales hit via recordings by Frankie Yankovic (Columbial. Lwrence Duchow (Victor) and Skach Habat orchestra <Decca) 16 others in that limited catetSrv of sales. However, these di^sks have created a demand among pop-players. As a result. Mills is set to start promoting the lune as a pop, which means securing new disks by pop artists. Decca is supposed to be cutting the melody with Guy Lombardo’s orchestra, and others are being set. Mills put its staff to work on assisting plugs. Action is another indication of the uncertainty of the music busine.ss at the moment. In recent months hillbilly, western and race types of songs have become successful in pop grooves as they have in their own, which has led publishers in many instances to promote such tunes in both fields. It’s rare, however, for a melody to be successful in one of those fields first and then be rerouted through the sale mill as a pop. Incidentally, Morris Music is starling another tune two ways. “Dime a Dozen,” by Cindy Walker, vili get a coincidental plug as a pop and a hillbilly. Morris’ “Careless Hands” was one of the first two-way items. RCA Setting Beneke *Blues March’ Sequel Tex Beneke’s "St. Louis Blues March.” a sales hit for RCA-Victor last year, will be sequeled next month when RCA releases Beneke’s ’’Blues in the Night March.” Both arrangements were written for the original Glenn Miller orche.stra and played by the late leader when he and his band rcpre.sented the U. S. Air Force. Of the two, “Blues in the Night March” was the more popular among .servicemen the band entertained in England during the war. It was recor(led by Miller for VDi.scs. Beneke, w'ho now leads what would have been Miller’s postwar outfit, recorded the arrangement for Victor recently. ORCHESTRAS-MUSIC 41 Empty Seats Discourage Artists, Philly Dell Urges Sharing ticket System Philadelphia, July 5. Season lickethoiders to Robin Hood Dell, particularly those in the reserved-seat sections, were urged to share their tickets with others in the event they were un j able to attend a concert. Although the use or non-use of the series tickets means nothing j financially to the Dell, Fredric ■Vlann. president of the outdoor ; concert series, declared "empty i seats have a discouraging effect on the artists.” POLLACK TAKES OVER AS MILLS PRO MGR. Bernie Pollack takes over as pro, fessional manager of Mills Music, in New York. He assumed the j title from Sidney Mills, who had been overseeing Mills’ staff but is I now too busy with administrative I affairs. I Mills, incidentally, is marking its 30th anniversary in the music pubI lishing business. Pollack started I with Mills at its formation, but has been with other firms at various , intervals since. Best British Sheet Sellers {Week ending June 251 London, June 29. Wedding Lilli Marlene B&C Red Ro.scs, Blue Lady Wright Lavender Blue . Sun 12th Street Rag . . Chappell Candy Kisses Chappell “.A ’ \ou're .Adorable Connelly Put .Shoes on. Lucy Gay Buy Killarney . , . . p. .Maurice Faraway Places Leeds Strawberry Moon Yale Forever and F.vcr . F.D.&H. in a Shady .\ook Keith P Second 12 Again F.D.H. Powder Your Face Cliappell Behind the Clouds Feldman I'll Alwa\s Love You Clover Cuckoo Waltz Keith P Put ’em in a Box Connelly It’s Magic Connelly Clancy I.owcrcd Boom Leeds Clopin dopant . . Imperial Riders in the Sky . . Morris Echo Told .Me Lie Chappell Brush Those Tears . . Leeds Col. ‘Liberty’ Disks By Berlin Become Collectors’ Items Columbia Records has made collectors items out of some of the “Miss Liberty” tunes Irving Berlin cut weeks ago as demonstration disks. Col. backed ”l Love You” and “Honorable Profession of the Fourth Estate” on a 12-inch platter and sent copies to various people in the business as mementoes of a rather unique occasion. Berlin had cut the sides at Col. for the purpose of demonstrating to record companies and artists, the proper way the tunes should be done. He transported his own piano from home to Col. studios to do the disks, singing and accompanying himself. 200 Fischer Employees Vote for lA Pic Unit Drive of the lATSE affiliated j Motion f’iciure Home Office Em' ployes Local H-63 to organize the ' music publishing industry in met' ropolitan New York gained momentum last week when some 200 employes of Carl F'ischer voted to be represenled by that union. Election was held by the National i.abor Relations Board and affects clerical, .secretarial, maintenance, accounting, packing and shipping workers. i A publisher of standard music I for some 75 years, the Fischer firm now has employee union representation for the first time, according to Local H-63. Previously organized by the local was the Robbins! Feist-Miller combo as well as the I Music Publishers Holding setup, which embraces Harms, Witmark, I Remick. etc. Same union is also bargaining agent for some 1,500 { film company and laboratory 1 vsorkers. Bands at Hotel B.O.’s Eli Danzig Takes Rap From Local 802 In Hotel Catering Snarl New York Local 802 of the •American Federation of Musicians la.st week barred maestro Eli Danzig from working any function at the St. George hotel, Brooklyn, for one year. Move is the first serious one made by 802’s governing board stemming from the catering situation, a source of friction among 802 members for several years. Local 802 cardholders who seek work on jobs involving weddings, organizational shindigs and other functions in N. Y. hotels have long objected to the practice of hotel caterers in seeing to it that certain favored leaders and musicians play all the jobs available. It’s claimed that leaders friendly in various ways with the hotel men who book the shindigs are literally forced upon individuals and busine.ss concerns .seeking to book a ballroom. Anyone who seeks an open date at a hotel for an affair finds it almo.st impossible to bring in his own musicians; if he insi.sts, quite often there is no room available. Numerous time.s in the past, 802 has begun a campaign to w'ipe out what’s termed the “catering evil.” But until the barring of Danzig from the St. George nothing seriOU.S ever occurred. ROBBINS EXPANDS TO PUB ‘BLONDES’ SCORE J. J. Robbins & Son.s will expand its staff to handle the score of “Gentlemen I’refer Blondes,” musical due in New' York in the fall with a score hy Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne. Men will be added in N. Y., Chicago and Los Angeles. Since selling out his interest in Robbins Music to tlie Loew’s and establishing his own indie publishing house. Robbins has nut handled much pop material. CahnStyne score is his first important move in that direction. Major Pubs Get Tougher With Indie Diskers Though business in sheet sales and recordings is not good, major music publishers continue to get tougher with independent recording firms. During the war, when the income from ^)th sheet music and recordings rolled in unendingly. pubs didn’t give much of a hoot about the incon.sistencics in royalty payments, etc., that marked their relations with smaller disk firms. Now. when they can use all the revenue po.ssible pubs are giving the indies short shrift. Which gives an idea of how impatient tlioy’ve become with the indies’ methods of cutting corners. La.st week, for example, one of the larger music firms was asked to issue a licen.se to a smallie covering the recording of a tune that looks like a hit. ’I'he indie hasn’t been too prompt in making royalty payments, nor ha.s it been on the level with pubs in other pha.ses. 'fhe publisher flatly told the indie that <1) he didn’t want the song recorded by the label and '2) if it was. the indie would have to forward $1,500 in advance again.st po.ssible royalties. And the per side royalty would be at the legal maximum of 2c. not the lower rate some other labels receive. Big 3 Consolidate Their N. Y. Offices Big 3 publishing firm.s — Robbins, Miller. Feist — con.solidated New York offices la.st week in the building owned by Columbia Records. It’s first time that all three firms have been under the same roof. ' Trio are owned by Loew’s, Inc. San Antonio Series San Antonio. luly .5. The Tuesday Musial Club will sponsor four concerts here in 194950. Artists scheduled include Moura Lyinpany, pianist, Oct. 25; Sylvia and Benno Rabinof. joint pianoviolin recital. Nov. 22; Uta Graf, soprano, Feb. 14. and Robert Weede, baritone. March 14. Appearances will be at the San Pedro Playhouse. ‘RH’ Logging System Covert Total Hotel Eddy Duohin Waldorf (400; $2) Nat Brandwynne^ . New Yorker (400; $I-$1 50). 3 Suns-Paul Sparr. Roosevelt (400; $1.5()-$2) Weeks Past Covert Played Week On Date . 13 2.125 31.200 . . 10 825 9.200 . . 2 750 2.825 . . 1 1.100 1.100 . . 1 3,475 3,475 • New Yorker, ice revue, Astor,Rill Lairreme. \ Chicago Johnny Brewer (Swiss Chalet, Bisniaick. 200; J‘2 min.-$l cover). Holding at big 2,340 covers. ^ j Masters (Boulevard Room. Stevens; $3.50 min.-$l cover). Ice Show and Masters popular in sweltering weather. Fine 3.900 tabs. Fr^dle Martin ■ (Beachwalk, Edgewater; $2 adm.i. Final week of Martin; Claude Thornhill opened Friday ‘I*. Giant 15. 000 admissions. ' Bill Snyder (College Inn, Sherman. 500; $3 .50 min '. ’.Salute” series I big. Sock 3.850 tabs. Ted .Straeter (Empire Room. Palmer House, .500, $3 50 min.-$l , ^over). Sid Caesar gamering nifty 4,1.50 eo\ers. ' Los Angeles ^Ambassador, 900; $1.50i. With Stuart Wade. Ruiz and tH^frey. Annette Warren, Tunc Tailors Sixth wk Okay 3.000 covers. , t;huck Foster (Biltmore, 900; $1 5()>. Fifth wk Good 3.125 covers. Ted Flo RIto < Beverly Hills, 300; $4 min.i. Low 525 covers. I Location Jobs, Not in Hotels • C/iiropo) I J'ee Davidson (Chez Paree, .500 $3.50-$ I eioer'. Hot weather nicked But still fine 4,000 tab.s. ****iniP* (Aragon; $1-$L15 adm Okay I0..5()0 adnu.ssions. Trace (Blackhawk, 500; $2.50 min '. Local fave hiked b o. in first 2,600 covers. _ '*’“cker (Trianon; $1-$1.15 adm >. Fir. si week of Tucker. Over ”.000 admi.s.sions. n Angeles) Arna* (Mocambo. 300; $3-$4 min.' .Second week Solid 3.225 ••ti^slo^ ^*cDonald (Aragon, Santa Monit’a; 1st w k '. hair 3,600 ad James (Casino Gardens. Santa Monica. 4ih wk ). Slow 3.825 •^jqisslons. (Palladium B., Hollywood; 4th wk.). Good 10.800 ad Richard Himber's new development in logging broadcast performances lists tunes in the surtyeg, based on four major network schedules, rhey are compiled on the basis of 1 point for sustaining instrumental; 2 points for sustaining vocal, 3 for commercial instrumental; 4 for commercial vocal, respectively, in each of the 3 major territories. New York, Chicago and Coast. For example, a Commercial Vocal in all th^ee territories counts 12. Added to these totals is the listener ratings of comttiercial shows. The first group consists of the top 30 songs. Week of June 24 to June 30 Songs Publishers Again — :“Road House” Robbins A Wonderful Guy — "‘"South Pacific” Williamson "A” — You’re .Adorable Laurel Baby, It’s Cold Outside — .’’Nept line’s Daughter” Morris , Dal* Ha’i — "“South Pacific” Williamson Dreamy Old New England Moon Leeds Everytime I Meet You — !“Bcautiful Blonde Bashful Bend” ... Feist Everywhere You Go Lombardo Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue Feist Girl From Jones Beach — l“Girl F'rom Jones Beach”.... Harms Havin’ a Wonderful Wish — i“Sorrowful Jones” Paramount How It Lies Morris I Don’t See Me In Your I^ycs .Anymore Laurel It’s .Summertime .Again Republic Just For .Me Peer Kiss Me .Sw eot Advance 4 Love Is a Beautiful Thing Porgie I.,over’s Gold Oxford Merry Go Round Waltz Shapiro My One & Only Highland Fling — !“Barkleys of Broadway” H. Warren Riders in the Sky Morris So In Love — ""Kiss .Me Kate” T. B. Harms .Someday You’ll Want Me Duchess Some Enchanted Evening — "“South Pacific” Williamson Swiss Lullaby Southern There’s Yes Yes In Your Eyes Witmark Wedding Day Famous Who Do You Know In Heaven Robbins COAST ASCAP HQ Hollywood, July 5. Hollywood office, long time divisional headquarters of ASCAP, has been reduced to a district office under jurisdiction of Harry Levinson, manager of the Frisco operation. David Tytherleigh, Hollywood manager, will have three field reps on his staff. Larry Shea, recently resigned as division head, is launching a pi'oject of his own. Virginia Davis Joining ‘World Citizen’ Brother Virginia Da\ is. songstress-daughter of bandleader Meyer Davis, flew to Europe to catch up with her mother and uncle, mae.stro Pierre .Monteau.x. and to join her "world liti/en'-hiother Garry Davis, in Paris She goes to the Salzburg festival Germany, Austria. the Lov\ lands and, of course, f’aris. Miss Davis reports that Garry, ex-flyer and Broadway mu.sicomedy (lancer, “has quite a going busi I Coca ness” in his International Regi.stry for World Citizens, "with funds coming from all corners of the globe.” * The reinaiiiing 20 souqs, based on Richard Himber's new development in logging broadcast performances. A Chapter In My Life Called Mary .Shapiro Always True to You In .My Fashion — ""Kiss JMe Kate" T. B. Harms Beautiful Blonde Bashful Bend — •’’Beautiful Blonde” Miller Carele.ss Hands . .Melrose .Night Dot Stewart's Pair Doiothv .Stewaii. American rep for the J C Williamson-Tait theatre circuit in .Australia, has just had two tune^ published by Laurel Music. S. Y .Miss Stewart has been writing songs for some time, being co-writer of last year’s "Now Is the Hour ” Her two new numbers are "Be True’ and "Give .Me Your Hand. ” Roca Comme Ci Com me C’a Cruising Down the Riiei Every Night Is Saturday Forever and Ever Hand HoUlin’ .Music Hollywood Square Dance Hucklcbuck I Didn’t Know the CJun Was Loaded I’ll String Along With 5ou Just One Way To Say I Love Look For the Silver Lining — ♦' Now .Now Is the 'Fiine Put Your .Sh(»(-v On Lucy Someone To Lo>c Y’ou’re So Understanding . . . You— "“Mi.ss Liberty” Look For the Silver Lining '.T. . United r . . Leeds . Spitzer . B.M.r. Robbins Ken more Santly . United Lewis Witmark Berlin B. Harms Frcmart Bourne Warren Pub. Barron-Pemora I ♦ Filmusical. * Legit Musical.