ROCK’S IN MY HEAD: Chapter 6-THE RADIO

Last outing I wrote:

The Wall Street Crash of 1929, known as “Black Tuesday” (October 29), actually began the previous Thursday on October 24 (Black Thursday).That incident was the most devastating stock market crash in the history of the United States, one causing massive lay offs followed by years of extremely hard times. Radio audiences grew as a result of those unemployed folks having lost their disposable income, therefore not having the cash or in some cases the desire to leave home for their entertainment.

Fact: During and immediately after the Great Depression and Recovery the radio gained in popularity becoming the main source of family entertainment. But how?

The beginning of radio:

The Italian inventor and engineer Guglielmo Marconi (1874-1937) developed, demonstrated and marketed the first successful long-distance wireless telegraph and in 1901 broadcast the first transatlantic radio signal.

Radio wouldn’t have been “RADIO” without  Guglielmo Marconi and two other gentlemen: Owen Young and Ed Nally, Jr.

Owen Young, originally from GE and using his GE assets was instrumental in forming The Radio Corporation of America ( RCA). In 1919 Young acquired  a company known as American Marconi. In doing so, Ed Nally, Jr., the former vice president of American Marconi became the president of RCA.

Let’s talk about the machine itself. Prior to 1925, virtually all radio receivers cost about $65.00 and were powered by large batteries not electricity: a single 1.5v dc dry cell battery and a 22.5v dc B+ battery.

One also needed a set of earphones, a suitable antenna and ground wire.

An amplifier could be purchased at the additional cost  of $60.00 to gain a stronger signal so that with a horn speaker  also purchased with additional cost, one could allow the entire family to enjoy “the radio”.

A few years later the invention of the A.C. rectifier tube made “plug in” (electric) radios possible.

In 1923 there was about 3 million radio sets (all battery operated) being used in the United States. In 1925, RCA introduced the all-electric receiver set, a game changer. By 1936, America had over 30 million radio sets all AC-powered.

The GOLDEN AGE OF RADIO, the time when radio reached its peak popularity with the general public is considered the period from 1933  throughout most of the 1950’s. Strange as it may seem this period started when most Americans had few luxuries, many with fewer necessities. For these depression era folks the radio was their escape as it supplied cheap, “affordable” entertainment.

While radios units were considered a “luxury” most could be bought “on time”. Even a hard pressed family struggling made their required radio payments, sometimes in lieu of other necessities.

These radios of The Golden Age weren’t small, they were large, tubular devices usually built into a cabinet and utilized as a piece of furniture in the family room.

By1935, automobiles were being equipped with radios.This radio phenomena was catching on. So, now that you have one of these new fangled inventions, what was there to listen to?

At first, radio programs were produced “live” in house. Imagination was the key, radio was strictly audio, not visual. The bike riding unicyclist telling tired jokes once a star in vaudeville would not make it on radio. To make it one had to come up with an idea, a concept or be a “star” attraction to have a show developed around you.

Most radio shows were about an hour in length and a bit expensive to produce depending on the salaries of cast members, the audio equipment, staffing, rent, etc. So sponsors, patrons of the arts so to speak, were needed.

Radio programs of that era were typically produced by a singular sponsor. There was The EVER READY HOUR, THE CHASE AND SANBORN HOUR, MAJOR BOWES AMATEUR HOUR, THE BAKER’S BROADCAST(with Rudy Vallee) and THE KATE SMITH HOUR. With the sponsor “owning” the show, the sponsor also controlled the show’s content.

In 1932 Ed Wynn pioneered the idea of performing LIVE in front of a studio audience.

But first a word about the development of radio networks. In 1923 two east coast radio stations thought it would be cost effective, that is more profitable, if they could share a few programs by linking two stations via telephone lines thus broadcasting one show on two stations at the same time, a revolutionary idea. Soon more stations linked in and the first radio NETWORK was born.

Well…NOT SO FAST, as AT&T (American Telephone and Telegraph stepped in attempting to monopolize the “wireless telephone service”.

The Department of Justice decided this infringement by AT&T was a monopoly and this being the era of TRUST BUSTING, AT&T had to pay dearly by selling off their radio company. Stepping in was RCA for a piece of that action. AT&T not to be outdone by the DOJ  banned all competitors from using AT&T lines.

GE, WESTINGHOUSE, and RCA decided to sidestep this ban by starting their own network of stations The National Broadcasting Company and THE NBC RADIO NETWORK and it’s Affiliates with David Sarnoff as their President is born.

The local affiliates were given the authority to run their own local commercials around network programming, a practice still found today in TV land. Another regional network The CBS RADIO NETWORK started to show signs of struggling financially.

WILLIAM PALEY thought that purchasing CBS would in turn help his father’s profitable cigar company sell more cigars.(Yes, folks you could not make this up and it is THEE William Paley). Once up and profitable CBS became a rival to NBC.

When NBC’s monopolistic tendencies were challenged, the NBC network was forced to split into two parts, NBC RED and NBC BLUE. NBC BLUE was later sold and became ABC RADIO NETWORK.

Let’s not the leave the newspapers out. Before radio, news print was the way most citizens received their news, however slanted that news might be, this being the era of Muckrackers, Yellow Journalism, etc, etc.

So these new fangled radio networks start to do public service news reports, mostly local news with a bit of national flavor tossed in.

However, more importantly was the radio’s “breaking news” flashes and “news as it was happening” reports. Advantage in news reporting moves from newspapers to the radio and with that advantage those precious advertising dollars also shifted over to the radio. The only problem was newspapers controlled all the teletype machines which supplied the radio stations with their news, features, weather and up to date bulletins from around the world. In an attempt to side step this teletype issue William Paley of CBS set up its own news gathering agency.

The newspaper men became irate and sued CBS to cease .The paper unions also threw NBC under the bus for good measure by demanding that NBC News could broadcast only 2 five minute news summaries each day AND only after the morning edition of the newspapers hit the street AND again later after the evening’s edition of the paper was out. Also, to stymy the radio’s revenue, the radio news programs were prohibited from having sponsors. Newspaper men were “Giants of the Earth” at this time and won out.

Well, may be not in the long run. The radio stations found the chore of seeking, gathering, and producing news was not profitable so they reverted to music. Music being a lot cheaper than supporting a news staff. Ratings also supported the fact that most listeners were more interested in hearing music than the news.

In this The GOLDEN AGE of radio it must be asked how did a program grab and keep the interest of its listeners? Answer is simple : By imagination and a little thing called soap operas (sponsored by soap companies).  The brain trusts of radio networks started to develop good family oriented programs like: “AMOS ’N ANDY” (racist as it might have been), GUNSMOKE,  THE SHADOW, DICK TRACEY, BUCK ROGERS and  then the “SIXTY FOUR DOLLAR QUESTION” a game show where the prize was not 64 thousand dollars, not 64 hundred dollars, just 64 bucks. THE 64 DOLLAR QUESTION was such a success it fostered the rise of other quiz shows:STOP THE MUSIC, BREAK THE BANK, all offering numerous cash prizes to participants.

Most ad agencies controlled the radio shows into the late 1940’s,  hence we had Geritol, Evaporated Milk, and the proverbial “9 out of ten doctors recommend Lucky Strike cigarettes”.

See you next time…. Chapter 7:  MORE THIEVERY . Comments? jazzbus@gmail.com

ROCK’S IN MY HEAD: Chapter 5- Drunks, Thieves, and Scoundrels

ROCK’S IN MY HEAD: CHAPTER 5

DRUNKS, THIEVES, AND SCOUNDRELS

In the next few endeavors I’ll investigate some of the technological advances that became popular, devices which brought music to the masses. In short, a brief history of early radio and television, with a juke box or two throw in. But first, let’s hit the burlesque house.

Recently I read a book THE COMEDIANS: DRUNKS, THIEVES, SCOUNDRELS AND THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN COMEDY by Kliph Nesteroff (2015). The title just about said it all. It was a fascinating read, not laugh out loud funny as one might assume by the designation THE COMEDIANS, but  rather insightful in discussing drunks, thieves and scoundrels one can and will find in the entertainment business.

Like most who document the past I base some of my musings from the experiences and facts of others. What I have drawn out for this episode comes mostly from one source. Kudos to Mr. Nesteroff as I include his thesis, at times very comical, as his study draws a direct line to the proliferation of the mass appeal of radio and then later television as our primary source of ENTERTAINMENT and HOW  the “business” of ENTERTAINMENT  grew from back rooms and thievery, up to arena rock and its thievery… Money, money, money being the common thread .

Reading this book I was particularly interested in how comedians, singers, vaudevillians, etc, developed from traveling showmen playing local stages, moving through the bars, theaters, dance halls, vaudeville and burlesque houses, all which were found across our expanding landscape and how with their eminent demise in popularity these arts morphed over the years to be later found on the airwaves, most specially, first the radio.

These entertainers travels were not easy by any means so the love of their craft (or money) must have been foremost. There are many social and economic factors, with a bit of politics thrown in for good measure, and of course THIEVERY which could cause the weaker of entertainers to disappear, making the “game” a survival of the fittest… or the smartest or… the most cunning.

Let’s start with the comedians. Usually these funny men were showcased in vaudevillians acts, mostly as the emcee. These comedians needed to change their act on a regular basis in order to survive. How else could you do a few shows in the same town if you had the same “bit” as the last time. Most comedians stole bits from others and had the gaul to present their new “act” as their imprint.

Circa 1920’s there were about 5000 vaudeville theaters (bars or dance halls not included) scattered around the good ole US of A…500 seaters were considered small…1000 seats as medium sized, with large hall being in the 1500-5000 range.

An example of the money a comedian could earn, if you happened to be a “star” (this being an era before press agents and big advertisements) say a star like Jack Benny, Mr. Benny made $750 for a week of shows in the late 1920’s and doubled to $1500.00 a week by 1930. That my friend is and was no small change for telling a few jokes in the depression era.

Most halls were owned by a handful of moguls with the most important theater of the 1920’s being also the most desired of booking, The Palace Theatre, Broadway and 47th Street in Manhattan, New York City. From 1913 through 1929, the Palace was known as the world’s foremost vaudeville stage, hosting headliners like Ethel Barrymore (1913), Will Rogers (1916), Lillian Russell (1918), and the Marx Brothers (1920), along with performers like Sarah Bernhardt, Bob Hope, Mae West, Fred Astaire, and Bing Crosby. This prime booking lent credence to the famous adage”to play the Palace” which signified that that act officially made it in show business.

Even though I said Mr. Benny was raking in the dough some sensed that the “artists” were getting ripped off and abused by the “moguls”. Fred Allen in 1916 started the NVA (National Vaudeville Artists) Union. Allen later became a huge radio artist as well as a television icon. Look him up if you don’t recall how influential he was to the development of the arts.

Let me jump to the DEATH OF VAUDEVILLE as stated so eloquently by Fred Allen: (1956) Vaudeville is dead. The acrobats, the animal acts, the dancers, the singers and the old-time comedians have taken their final bows and disappeared into the wings of obscurity. For 50 years vaudeville was the popular entertainment of the masses. Nomadic tribes of nondescript players roamed the land. The vaudeville actor was part gypsy and part suitcase. With his brash manner, flashy clothes, capes and cane, and accompanied by his gaudy womenfolk, the vaudevillian brought happiness and excitement to the communities he visited. Vaudeville was more a matter of style than of material. It was not so much what the two- and three-a-day favorites said and did, as how they said and did it. For 50 years vaudeville’s minstrels found their way into all lands, preaching their gospel of merriment and song, and rousing the rest of the world to laughter and to tears. A few diehards who knew and enjoyed vaudeville hover over their television sets, hoping for a miracle. They believe this electronic device is a modern oxygen tent that in some mysterious way can revive vaudeville and return its colorful performers of yesteryear to the current scene. The optimism of these day and night dreamers is wasted. Their vigils are futile. Vaudeville is dead. Period.

What or who killed vaudeville? Easily said, the Crash of 1929 and a Constitutional Amendment, #18 AKA Prohibition, seriously maimed if it didn’t outright kill vaudeville. The Wall Street Crash of 1929, known as “Black Tuesday” (October 29), actually began the previous Thursday on October 24 (Black Thursday). That incident was the most devastating stock market crash in the history of the United States, one causing massive lay offs followed by years of extremely hard times.

Radio audiences grew as a result of those unemployed folks having lost their disposable income therefore not having the cash or in some cases the desire to leave home for their entertainment. Sensing the loss of income the moguls of the entertainment business first campaigned  to inform radio owners of the“THE DANGERS OF RADIO” as these inventions “caused hearing loss and house fires”. Nonsense, fake news to save their investment.

In this time of economic blackness investors turned away from theaters, specially the costly vaudeville shows and moved their money over to the airways, that is the radio. Even The Palace closed. Prohibition on the other hand was a nationwide constitutional ban (1920-1933) on the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages.  For those 13 years that Prohibition was “officially” in effect the ability to enforce it was limited by corrupt and complacent politicians who overlooked illicit manufacturing and smuggling.

Booze during PROHIBITION despite being illegal was an extremely profitable commodity. The New York “Speakeasies” of the Roaring 20 as did the dance halls found throughout America continue to pour illegal “hooch.”

The 18th Amendment was finally repealed in 1933 by ratification of the 21st Amendment, the only instance in United States history that a constitutional amendment was repealed in its entirety.

See you next time with Chapter 6: THE R>A>D>I>O.  Comments? jazzbus@gmail.com

ROCK’S IN MY HEAD: The Melting Pot of Music (aka Chapter 2)

THE MELTING POT OF MUSIC, a historical approach using ELVIS as our guide.

THE MELTING POT OF MUSIC

Undeniably, ELVIS PRESLEY served as a catalyst in the evolution of a genre that is known as “rock and roll”. Most musicologists are well aware of Elvis’ significance to what is termed “popular music”. Born in Tupelo, Mississippi (1935) ELVIS’s family moved to Memphis, Tennessee when he was 13 and this is where his musical journey began.

Studying Presley’s original recordings in today’s context one would find his contributions extremely difficult to label or categorize as these said recordings find an  ELVIS who sampled and mixed genres from a huge musical palette including gospel, hillbilly, and virtually anything and everything available to his ears. But How?

American culture has been categorized as the GREAT MELTING POT while others consider it to be THE GREAT MOSAIC. Which ever term  your fancy …let’s dissect what happened.

Pre Columbian (as in Pre-Christopher Columbus) America was populated by Native Americans the first true immigrant grouping. It is said that a few tribes left what is today Russia and they traveled across a narrow frozen area near The Bering Strait, arriving in what is now Alaska.

Over time these tribes multiplied and settled throughout the North and South American continents. Naively, we state that CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS discovered America, yet AMERICA was already here and  in fact inhabited.

Many factors, mostly economic and religious, encouraged the European exploration and settlement of this “New” land, The Spanish and French, followed in 1607 by the British.

Also, in 1619 the first 20 Africans were brought to America, against their will.

This nucleus of folks (black, white, red and brown) from diverse cultures,   religions,   and languages   would be the first mix thrown into what later is defined as AMERICANA. This being simplistically stated by me  but mostly accurate.

Over time The United States of America had specific waves of immigration. From the pre-colonial times through the War for Independence most emigrants were British, except the 700,000 slaves.

After the success of The War for Independence a lull occurred in new arrivals as THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA was conducting that GREAT EXPERIMENT known as democracy and most Europenans were unsure our budding democracy could work.

For the next 230 PLUS YEARS The  different WAVES of  immigrants were primarily English, Scots, Dutch, Germans, Irish, Asians, Slavs, Jews and Italians   with Eastern Europeans , Asians, and Hispanics  joining most recently

While these waves and the groups that arrived are significant in determining the “ingredients” of the MELTING POT of American culture…. one would be mistaken if THE GREAT INTERNAL MIGRATION (1900-1970) was not investigated…. because that migration from south to north and east to west was certainly the straw that stirred the “spices so to speak” of MELTING POT.

After the Civil War there were great rifts in our nation. An agrarian culture primarily in the southern states most which were still physically, economically and emotional scarred by the outcome of their succession from the Union was primarily a rural, dirt poor area with few pockets of wealth. The North was a budding industrial area filling with immigrants who saw this growing economy as a way to escape Europe and capture the American Dream. Unfortunately, it was not so easy.

WWI and WWII brought defense jobs to factory towns and major hubs. Only to be interrupted between the two by THE GREAT DEPRESSION. Okies left the Dust Bowls and headed to California. 70% of Blacks moved from the south to the major hubs while a “white flight” took place to the suburbs.

America had changed with each wave as each group brought those cultural graces which they considered sacred to their individuality while  also sampling the same from other group,… a taste testing so to speak.

Soon one facet of one’s society becomes accepted by others ….that is it becomes almost indistinguishable from its source. That facet becomes accepted as a norm.  Another wave, another culture, another blend another generation, and so on and so forth.

Add to that the internal migration and welcome to AMERICAN CULTURE which ELVIS PRESLEY freely sampled, …that mixed genre developed from a huge musical palette including gospel, hillbilly, and virtually everything available to his ears.

See you next time. Chapter 3: AMERICAN MUSIC 1900- 1940  Comments? Jazzbus@gmail.com