Variety (September 1952)

’SVedncsday, SeplcmLef 10, 1952 P'SSiSff OnClIESTRAS-llfUSIC 39 4 Col Holds Line ott IP Prices Till Jan. 1; See Others Following Columbia Records will hold the 4* —— — line on long-play prices at least until Jan. 1. Diskery execs an- nounced Col’s firm price policy at the outset of the heavy fall-winter selling season in order cut short all rumors or hopes that a price break on LP’s was in the works. A spokesman for another major company said Col’s announcement to the trade was “good news.’’ Al- though the other majorS'have made no formal disclosure of their plans, it’s expected that they will follow Col’s pattern of maintaining prices at least until after the end of the Christmas season. Reports of a price break ha^e been circulating ever since Con- gress passed the Federal Fair Trade Law permitting the disk companies to fix list prices to the detriment of the discount stores. It was felt that the companies would avert any loss of business due to firm adherence to the list by cutting the LP prices. Col’s move, however, eliminates tliat pos- sibility for the next few months. Col, how^ever, is cutting its price on its 45 rpm albums. Following the recent move by RCA Victor at its series of retailer meetings where a 45 rpm price slash was announced, Columbia is doing like- wise. Step is designed to bring 45 rpm prices into line with equivalent albums on the long-play records. Under the new schedule, a four- disk 45 album will sell for $2.90, instead of $3.90, or about the same as a 10-inch long-play pop platter. Col's cut on its 45’s W'ill be made retroactive to Aug. 1 for distribu- tors who stocked up on merchan- dise during Col's recert fall selling campaign. Since Col announced its LP price-holding policy to Jan. 1 only, trade execs are wondering what happens after that. Col is making no comment on that but it's under- stood the company will watch the sales curve during the next few months before deciding whether to hold or cut prices after Jan. 1. CLAUDE THORNHILL REORGANIZES BAND After a long layoff, Claude Thornhill is reorganizing a new band under Music Corp. of Amer- ica’s handling. Band is already slated to open at the Hotel Statler, N. Y., Oct. 20. « For the past couple of years, Thornhill has been on the Coast working on film scores. He's trying to set up his new band’s bookings so that he can work at least six months out of the year in Holly- wood for additional pix work. Lynn’s 'Wiederseh’n’ Tops 600,000 Sales Vera Lynn’s “Auf Wiederseh’n’’ disk for London Records, which has been one of the top sellers during the summer month.s, climbed to the 653,000 sales mark last week, dumber is still riding strong and 1® ^P^cted to wind up over 800,- 000 before it passes off the hit lists. The “Wiederseh’n’* slice is the biggest side London has had since Anton Karas’ “The Third Man Theme.*’ It’s also the first time that a British songstress has had the No. 1 seller in the U. S. market. Wortman Named G.M. Of New Recording Co. Leon A. Wbrtman was named Renoral manager of Fine Sound, t’H'., last week. Fine Sound, which w as organized early this year, _Pecializes in creating rjew sounds new recording techniques. was formerly director t advertising and sales promotion jm’ the Audio & Video Products What Is RCA^s Fort Knox of Old Masters? 1* * * « . •tte the iH«Ny byline plceei In the special RCA VICTOR mMBER ef % PISRiEff OUT THIS MONTH RIAA Disk Festival To Tee Off in Hartford Sept. 29 for Full Week Plans for the Record Industry Assn, of America’s initial record festival were finalized last w'Cek. At conclave between RIAA toppers and record company execs, festival was set for the week of Sept. 29 in Hartford, Conn. The fete, which will be tagged “The Greater Hartford Record Festival,’’ is part of RIAA’s insti- tutional promotion campaign for the disk industry. RIAA has en- listed the cooperation of 43 record manufacturers for the Hartford event which will be co-sponsored by the city’s civic and charitable groups. Festival will be an overall plug for the disk industry wdth no individual company coming in for separate bows. The Bushnell Memorial And will house the festival which’ll be staged by WaiTen S. Freeman, former dean of music at Boston U. Lineup of events skedded thus far are Sept. 30—classical program; Oct. 1—country and folk program; Oct. 2—open; Oct. 3—pop concert; Oct. 4—children's matinee. Sem- inars and parent-teacher meets also are being planned. Represent- ative disk artists will hit the town during the week for personal ap- pearances and guest shots on disk jockey programs. Promotion campaign for the fest- ival got under way Monday (8) with RIAA setting up tieins with i;ecord distributors and retailers as well as other merchants. The Phonograph Manufacturers Assn, also is assist- ing in the exploitation campaign; ’ RIAA and the diskery execs are using the Hartford shindig as a testing ground for the,,series of disk festivals which they are plan- ning for other cities around the country. Hartford was picked to launch the fetes because disk execs consider it a typical U. S. city. It’s nearness to N. Y., for easing of disk name appearances, was an- other important factor. ChappeU to Publish 'Sudden Fear’ Pic Score The background score for the RKO pic, “Sudden Fear,” has been picked up for publication by Chap- pell Music. Score for the Joan Crawford starrer was penned by Elmer Bernstein. Included in the score Is one ballad, “Afraid,” which will be pushed in the pop market. “Afraid*’ was penned by Bernstein and Jack Brook. The tune.“Sudden Fear,” which is being used by RKO to promote the pic, is published by Fredbee Music. Song was penned by Art' Altman and Irving Taylor. f Capitol'* 65c Divvy I Hollywood, Sept. 9. i Board of directors of Capitol i Records has declared the regular I quarterly dividend of 65c on the • plattery’s $2.60 cumulative con- vertible pi'eferred .stock. Divvy will be paid Oct. 1 to ; stockliolders of record Sept. 15. I ONPIlCIllBLDOUT AFM Joins AGVA in Banning Deejay Guest Shots But AFRA OK’s Cnifolas Projected plans for a long-range peace settlement of all writer-pub- lither problems in the music In- dustry were stalled at first base last week as the Songwriters Pro- tective Assn, sounded off at the “disappointing” response of the publishers to the recent agreement negotiated by SPA and Music Pub- lishers Protective Assn, execs. The agreement, which was of a recommendatory nature to mem- bers of both SPA and MPPA, cov- ered such disputed points as roy- alty payments on song-book publi- cations and tax rebates from for- eign countries. SPA execs pointed out that 900 of their 2,000 members okayed the pact. Since one-half of SPA’s ros- ter is made up of inactive cleffers in the associate class, the turnout for the pact represents about 90% of the active writers in the field. On the publisher side, how^ever, SPA execs revealed that of 400 members of MPPA, only 152 rati- fied the pact. Another 30 publish- ers, Including such firms as Walt Disney Music and Howie Rich- mond’s firms, were organized since the 1947 SPA agreement and hence did not have to ratify the agree- ment since all the disputed ques- tions stem from the pre-1947 con- tract. SPA execs were particularly miffed at the failure of many major firms to support the SPA-MPPA agreement. Among the publishers who okayed the pact before the Sept. 1 deadline were Shapiro-Bernstein, (Continued on page 45) Decca Inks First ^Universal Player In Joint Venture Marking the first joint venture between Decca Records and Uni- versal Pictures since Milton R. Rackmil became prexy of both companies, Decca has inked Robert Monet, a Universal pactee, to a disking pact. It’s expected that Decca will sign up other Universal players, if they can sing, to open up the Important disk-plugging me- dium for the Universal roster. Uni- versal, meantime, has inked Don Cornell, a'Coral pactee, for a series of musical shorts. Coral Is a Decca subsid. M-G-M Records has been per- forming a similar function for the Metro studios in its wax showcas- ing of the Metro musical sound- tracks. Although Univei'sal has not been stressing the musical pix as has Metro, the new tieup with Decca Js seen resulting in a bigger musical accent. - Decca’s strong dis- tribution setup, moreover, is geared for maximum promotion and sell- ing of any merchandise stemming from the Universal tieup. Monet's inking w'as a result of a recent huddle between Rackmil and Jimmy Hilliard, Dccca’s artists and repertoire chief, while both were on the Coast last month. Monaffcr mi RCA VUtmr"$ Kduttitlmnttl DivitJmn L. V. Hollweck revUwM What the Phonograph Record Means In Education * A cfn Informattve byllaa piece in the forthcoming special RCA VICTOR NUMBER In PSRTEff OUT THIS MONTH Jim Walsh hat an Informative, hlitorlcal feature on The Record Industry's 75th Anniversary ★ e * one ef the many bYtIne pieces In the special RCA VICTOR NUMBER In PSmEff OUT THIS MONTI! London Paper Hits U.S. Vocalists For Plugging Own Disks A London trade paper rapped American disk artists for plugging their shellac product during their stints on the London stages. <In the past few months Jo Stafford, Guy Mitchell and Frankie Laine have appeared at the Palladium.) The editorial hit hard with: “Em- barrassing to a degree is the bla- tant manner in Which these artists exploit our music hall stage to fur- ther the sales of their gramophone records. When announcing their latest recordings, quoting the name of the ^company and the colour of the label. “One gentleman even mentioned the price of his popular disks. An- other expressed a special affection for a certain ditty in his r because it had brought him ‘jgreat deal of loot.’ Surely the audience could be spared such mercenary confidences, which once upon a time would have been considered a breach of good taste. These ar- tists are being paid quite hand- somely to sing about a score of songs each night and their records are displayed in the windows of every music shop. Is it therefore really necessary for them lo hawk their'wares across the footlights?” Hub Jive Spots Sked Top Jazz Names in Fall Boston, Sept. 9. What appears to be a lively sea- son for Hub jazz bistros got under way last week When the Savoy, popular Dixieland landmark, and Storeyville, music biz personality showcase, reopened pulling staunch opening week biz. The Savoy led the parade with Wild Bill David- son and his group, in for six weeks, while Storeyville preemed with Billie Holiday and Slam Stewart to be followed by Lennie Tristano, Erroll Garner, Richard Dyer Ben- nett and Dav« Brubeck, each inked for week's engagements. George Wein, Storeyville boni- face, is also expanding operations this year to include a Dixieland .spot in Copley Square Hotel, the site of his original Storeyville. Spot, presently unnamed, is sked- ded to opei^*Sept. 18th with Pee Wee Russell fronting a local group of jazz musicos. The Hi-Hat, an uptown spot, which has been oper- ating during the summer on a no- name policy, will tee off the season Sept. 18th with Slim Gallaird set for a two-weeker. Penciled in for future dates are Cecil Young, Dizzy Gillespie, the Orioles and Stan Getz. La Salle’s 3d Return Dick LaSalle orch will tee off its third consecutive year at the Persian Room of the Hotel Plaza. N. Y., Sept. 18. LaSalle is current- ly winding his second summer stint at the Hotel Statler, Washington. ' “A Night at the Persian Room,” album which the band recently cut for Docc»¥ will hit the market late I this month. - Hitting cuffo guest shots on disk jockey shows from another direc- tion, James C. Petrillo, American Federation of Musicians prexy, has dropped a ban on all members and Jleaders pi'ohibiting them from re- cording their voices on tapes or transcriptions slated for deejay use. Petrillo. acting in accordance with a re.solution adopted by the AFM annual convention last June, said the tikase is aimed primarily at the deejays, who, through the use of voice tracks, create the Illusion to the radio audience that the per- formers are actually in the studio. The AFM ban comes on top of a similar move taken by the Amer- ican Guild of Variety Artists nixing cuffo guest shots on the jockey .stanzas. Although it’s expected that the moves by both unions will hurt tlie deejay programming setups, trade execs fear that the perform- ers will also be hit hard. The AFM- AGVA harts is seen shutting the dooi tight on one of the mo.st valu- able avenues of exploitation. This is particularly true of the young vocalist or bandleader try- ing to get himself known. Previ- ously, Intensive cultivation of the deejays via. the cuffo guest shot routine enabled the newcomers to get their names in circulation with beneficial sales Impact. That’s no longer pos.sible and the young per- formers will have to bank exclu- sively on their wax spins by the deejays without the impetus of that personal appearance. Several bandleaders, such as Ralph Flanagan and Buddy Mor- rovi\ have been carrying tran.scrip- tion equipment with them on the road to facilitate making the voice tracks. It has been one of the most valuable adjuncts of these bands’ advance promotion for both their disks and one-night .stands. The AFM ban now puts a stop to that. Still fighting against “canned music,” Petrillo said that the tran- )Continued on page 45) DINAH DEACTIVATES MUSIC FIRM; LUTH OUT With the exiting of Murray Luth from Co.smic Music, Dinah Shore's publisliing firm, next month, pub- bery will discontinue its profes- sional pop activities and concen- trate on adding only special ma- terial to its catalog. Most of the now material will be taken from sides Miss Shore cuts for RCA Victor. Luth, whose contract expires Oct. 8, teamed up with Miss Shore in the operation of the firm last year. Previously he had been gen- eral professional manager of Para- mount Music. Luth’s future plans are indefinite. $1,384,500 Tax Claim Vs. Kreisler Goes for 3006 Washington, Sept, 9. A $1,384,500 tax claim against Fritz Krei,sler and his wife was .settled in 1944 for $300,000. The compromise was accepted, accord- ing to Revenue Bureau officials, be- cause some of the* items went back nearly 20 years, because the gov- ernment’s case called for very in- volved proof, and because Kreisler suffered $600,000 of stockmarket losses in the late 1920's for which he did not claim deductions. Gov- ernment previously rejected offers to settle for lesser amounts. The violinist told the Revenue Bureau he was not trying to de- fraud but that he was the victim I of bad advice, innocent mistakes and tlic complication of his busi- ne.ss affairs. His wife, Harriet, told the Bureau, “He knows nothing, nothing; he can only fiddle, fiddle, fiddle.” Kennedy Back From England Songwriter Jimmy Kennedy has returned to the U. S. after a .sum- mer-’ong vi.sit to his native Eng- land. He’s now a U. S. citizen.