MTM Lesson 5 - Race and Hillbilly Records (SP2020) PDF

Early Recorded Music, Part II Race and Hillbilly Records Context 1: Jazz 1910s-1940s: Jazz was popular music for dancing 1917: First jazz recording But we will talk about jazz another time Context 2: Rise of Independent Record Companies Labels c. 1915: key patents expired in the U.S., dissolving pat...

Early Recorded Music, Part II Race and Hillbilly Records Context 1: Jazz 1910s-1940s: Jazz was popular music for dancing 1917: First jazz recording But we will talk about jazz another time Context 2: Rise of Independent Record Companies Labels c. 1915: key patents expired in the U.S., dissolving patent pools and controls that the big three record companies had on the industry – controlling both technology and content – so that other record labels could enter the market. Context 3: African Americans and their music in the Early Recording Industry David Suisman, Selling Sounds: “While phonograph manufacturers appealed to immigrant groups by issuing thousands of Ctles in dozens of foreign languages and working hard to culCvate consumers in immigrant or ‘ethnic’ communiCes, they all but refused to issue records by African Americans and disregarded African American consumers. In the instances where African Americans did make records, the recordings were generally limited to comedy or novelty styles, the effect of which was to establish coon songs and minstrelsy as the industry’s dominant (and increasingly influenCal) paradigm of African American culture.” There were some excepCons. (p. 207) To paraphrase: Not only were African Americans not in control of the music industry that profited from styles influenced by them – coon songs and ragCme – but they weren’t the primary interpreters of the music either. Race Music & Hillbilly Music What were they? Differences: Segregated Marketing Categories Race Music: Music recorded by and intended for African-Americans, not only blues Hillbilly Music: Music recorded by and intended for white southerners Marketing categories more than genres/styles, because each category had multiple genres and the styles in both categories overlapped Race and Hillbilly Music: Commonali4es Music by and for southerners Hybrids of folk music and influences from Tin Pan Alley, Minstrel Shows, Vaudeville, etc. Recorded and branded by independent producers and companies travelling the south, recording locals and selling locally; then majors jumped on New markets, helped suffering music industry in the wake of radio Reflect rural-to-urban migration in south Independent Record Companies and Producers OKeh Records (1918-1926) A U.S. label created by the U.S. branch of the German Odeon label Parlophone label distributed Okeh records in Europe (Parlophone and Odeon were in the same company) Recorded and sold the first blues record, jazz, hillbilly, European ethnic music for immigrants Independent Record Companies and Producers Ralph Peer, talent scout OKeh Records Then Victor Records Location recordings in south First recorded John Carson, Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers II. Race Music Mamie Smith, “Crazy Blues” (Okeh, 1920) Vaudeville singer turned blues singer, Written and produced by Perry Bradford. Runaway hit the led the way. “Crazy Blues” I can't sleep at night I can't eat a bite 'Cause the man I love He don't treat me right He makes me feel so blue I don't know what to do Sometime I sit and sigh And then begin to cry 'Cause my best friend Said his last goodbye There's a change in the ocean Change in the deep blue sea, my baby I'll tell you folks, there ain't no change in me My love for that man will always be Now I got the crazy blues Since my baby went away I ain't got no time to lose I must find him today Now the doctor's gonna do all that he can But what you're gonna need is an undertaker man I ain't had nothin' but bad news Now I got the crazy blues Now I can read his letters I sure can't read his mind I thought he's lovin' me He's leavin' all the time Now I see my poor love was blind (continues) Bessie Smith, “Downhearted Blues” (Columbia, 1923) Blind Lemon Jefferson, “That Black Snake Moan” (Paramount, 1926) – A label started by a furniture company that made cabinets for Edison phonographs. “Black Snake Moan” I, I ain't got no mama now I, I ain't got no mama now She told me late last night, "You don't need no mama no how" Mmm, mmm, black snake crawlin' in my room Mmm, mmm, black snake crawlin' in my room Some pretty mama better come and get this black snake soon Ohh-oh, that must have been a bed bug, baby a chinch Can't bite that hard Ohh-oh, that must have been a bed bug, honey a chinch can't bite that hard Ask my baby for fifty cents, she said "Lemon, ain't a child in the yard” (continues) Read Handout about Paramount and Jefferson Mail-order advertisement Rick Kennedy and Randy McNutt, Little Labels – Big Sounds: Small Record Companies and the Rise of American Music (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1999), pages 21-22, 28-31, 36 Black Swan’s blues recordings, 1921-1923: Ethel Waters, "Down Home Blues" (1921) Harry Pace and Black Swan Records First major black-owned record company. Founded in 1921. 180+ recordings. Sold hundreds of thousands of discs Inspired by W.E.B. DuBois’s call for Black entrepreneurship Music directors Fletcher Henderson, W.C. Handy, others Advertising in the Crisis magazine, aimed at African American readers III. Hillbilly Music Ralph Peer recorded first, for Okeh Fiddlin’ John Carson, “The Little Old Log Cabin in the Lane” (Okeh, 1923) – Atlanta. Accidental discovery and hit. Peer was supposed to record blues. Minstrel song adapted by southern rural whites. “The Little Old Log Cabin in the Lane” Originally a minstrel song, sung by rural white southerners. Now I'm getting old and feeble And I cannot work no more That rusted bladed hoe I've laid to rest Old master and old missus They are sleeping side by side Their spirits now are roaming with the blesssed Things have changed about the place now And the darkies they have gone I used to hear them singing in the cane But the only friend that's left here Is that good old dog of mine And the little old log cabin in the lane The chimney's falling down And the roof's all caved in Lets in the sunshine and the rain But there're angels watching over me When I lay down to sleep In my little old log cabin in the lane The Bristol Sessions, 1927 Ralph Peer, producer for Victor, scouted/recorded music in the south. In Bristol Tennessee, he discovered and recorded the Carter Family and Jimmy Rogers, among others, who became icons of hillbilly and country music. Electrical recordings (since 1925), sound beJer. Bristol today: country music museum. Carter Family Sara (autoharp), husband A.P., and her sister Maybelle (lead guitar) from Virginia Popularized many folk songs and hymns. “Bury me under the weeping willow” (1927) – first song they recorded, but copyrighted an exisMng song. “Bury me under the weeping willow” My heart is sad and I’m in sorrow For the only one I love When shall I see him, no, no, never Till I meet him in heaven above. CHORUS: Oh, bury me beneath the willow Beneath the weeping willow tree So he may know where I am sleeping And perhaps he will weep for me. He told me that he dearly loved me I could not believe him untrue Until an angel softly whispered He has proven untrue to you. CHORUS Tomorrow was our wedding day But alas, oh, where can he be He’s gone to seek another bride And he cares no longer for me. CHORUS Jimmie Rodgers “Blue Yodel” Series (Victor, after his Bristol sessions) No. 1, “T for Texas” (1927, Camden), filmed in 1930 No. 9, “Standing on the Corner” (1930, Los Angeles) with Louis Armstrong, trumpet, and Lil Hardin Armstrong, piano Race Music Music by and for southern black communities, rural and urban Based in African American folk music Included but not limited to blues and jazz Created African-American National Stars No radio play Travelling Salesmen Mail-order Catalogs Hillbilly Music Music by and for southern, white communi@es, rural and urban Based in Anglo-American folk music, but included blues and more Led to Country and Western First recorded by accident Radio play, promo=on Reflect What aspects of early recorded music reminds you of music today? In remaining time American Roots Music by Jim Brown (Palm Pictures, 2001), DVD Episode 1 (Approx. 30 min: start at 13:55 and end at Dave Macon)