Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
56
THE
TWO POPULAR J>ITSON OFFICIALS
Edward W. Briggs, Recently Elected Secretary
and Treasurer, and C. A. Woodman, General
Manager of Oliver Ditson Co., Are Both Vet-
erans in the Service of the Ditson House
Edward W. Briggs, who was elected lately the
secretary and treasurer of the Oliver Ditson Co.,
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
position to another Mr. Briggs' rise was rapid,
and he quickly acquired a knowledge of the
music publishing business which proved invalu-
able to his employers. Mr. Briggs is also a
director of the company, and he is widely known
among the local music publishers.
Clarence A. Woodman, who is now general
manager and director, needs no introduction to
the trade.
His association with the Ditson
house has been a very long one, considerably
longer than Mr. Briggs, for in fact, it was Mr.
Woodman who Hrst hired him. Mr. Woodman
has long been an important factor in the af-
fairs of the Ditson house. There are few men
in the business who are as well known as he,
and as president of the Boston Music Pub-
lishers' Association for several successive years
he has been brought into close touch with the
leaders in the business.
COURT DECLARES J3LUES ARE BLUES
Federal Judge Carpenter in Chicago Dismisses
Suit Growing Out of "The Barnyard Blues"
and "The Livery Stable Blues" for Want of
Equity—Both Songs May Remain on Market
,
C. A. Woodman
has been identified with the Ditson house all
of his l)U-ine
immediately on leaving school in his home town
of Reading, where he still resides. From one
'JEROME H.REMICK&Ca'S'
Sensational Son£ Hit
Al Bryan's greatest
popular patriotic song
"Don'tTry to Steal
the Sweetheart
of a Soldier"
melody by
VAN and SCHENCK
JEROME H. REMICK & CO.
CHICAGO, I I I . , October 15.;—Seldom have local
newspaper reporters had such an opportunity
for displaying their talents a's humorous writers
as was afforded them in the suit of Leo Feist,
Inc., New York music publishers, against Roger
Graham, a local publisher, over the status of
"The Barnyard Blues" versus "The Livery
Stable Blues," which was heard before Federal
Judge Carpenter last week.
One of the bright spots in the case w r as the
bringing out of the fact that one of the wit-
nesses known as Prof. Beethoven (alias Slap)
White, a black man, had composed blues for
Brown's Band, which played in a red cafe, in
New Orleans.-
In the complaint it was alleged that "The
Barnyard Blues" enjoyed priority of copyright
over "The Livery Stable Blues," and that the
latter was, therefore, an infringement of the
first piece, owing to alleged similarity of melody
and certain barnyard calls.
The rival composers were Alcide Numez and
Dominick LaRocca. It.appears, that one claimed
credit for the pony cry and the other for the
horse neigh in the rival pieces, and there were
other alleged points of similarity. The court
had retained a jazz band in the event that the
contest became too close and required that the
various blues be interpreted, and the line of wit-
nesses would gladden the heart of a most rabid
jazz hound. They included:
Ernie Erdman, composer, of "When You
Know You're Not Forgotten by the Girl You
Can't Forget"; Johnnie Stein, trap drummer ex-
traordinary, who admitted on the stand, under
oath, that it was a gift; Prof. Beethoven (alias
Slap) White, negro jazz hound, composer of
"Snakebite Blues" and author of over four hun-
dred other compositions; Tom Brown, of
Brown's jazz band, composer of "More Power
Blues"; Sam Hare, celebrated patron of fine
arts and proprietor of the Schiller cafe.
Prof. White gummed up the trial by stating
that all blues were alike.
"Well, what are blues?" he was asked.
"Blues are blues," was the reply.
"Are there no differences between the vari-
ous blues?"
"Well, they might be, but, on the other hand,
all blues are the same. Take Alligator Blues
The Song of the Moment
"KEEP THE HOME-
FIRES BURNING"
('Till the Boys Come Home)
CHAPPELL & CO., Ltd.
41 East 34th St.
NEW YORK
and Ostrich Walk Blues. They're different, but
they're both blues and all blues are blues."
The attorney sadly dismissed the witness.
The final outcome was that the court, the at-
torneys and the witnesses gave up attempts to
fathom the matter, and the case was dismissed
for want of equity. Both song numbers may re-
main on the market, and both composers may
draw royalties. Leo Feist will continue to pub-
lish "The Barnyard Blues" arid "The Livery
Stable Blues." The Graham publication will be
handled by the McKinley Music Co., Chicago.
"FURS AND FRILLS" A BIG HIT
New Musical Comedy at the Casino Theatre
One of the Best of the Season
Arthur Hammcrstein's new musical comedy,
"Furs and Frills," was presented in New York
for the first time at the Casino Theatre on
Monday night, and, according to the enthusiastic
comments of the critics, is one of the best
musical pieces that has struck Broadway ithis
season. The piece is an adaptation by Edward
Clark of last season's farce of the same name,
and some effective music has been written for
it by Sylvio Hein. The piece is presented by a
capable company, and is elaborately staged. The
musical hits of the piece include: "Heart of My
Heart," sung by Ruby Norton; "You Can't Take
it With You," sung by Geo. Anderson, and a
clever burlesque on the old-fashioned ballad,
"Always Take Mother's Advice." The score,
which also includes "It's Easy to Lie to Your
Husband," "We're So Happy," etc., is pub-
lished by M. Witmark & Sons.
"JACK 0 ' LANTERN" IN NEW YORK
Chas. Dillingham's New Musical Comedy
Opened at Globe Theatre on Tuesday Night
Chas. Dillingham's new musical comedy, "Jack
o' Lantern," featuring Fred Stone, the well-
known comedian, was presented at the Globe
Theatre, New York, on Tuesday night of this
week, and set a record for advance sale of seats
which covered the first sixteen weeks and totaled
over $200,000. The book is by Anne Caldwell
and R. H. Burnside, and the music by Ivan
Caryll. The music, which is declared to be un-
usually excellent, is published by Chappell &
Co., Ltd. A review of the show will appear in
the Music Section next week.
Still 200% Profit on
Famous
McKinley
10 Cent Music
All of the Best Reprints and more
Big Selling Copyrights than any
other 10 Cent Edition.
TO 6000 McKINLEY AGENTS
50 New Numbers
and New Catalogs
Now Ready for 1918
YOU ARE SURE TO HAVE CALLS
Better Music, Better Paper, Better Titles
Free catalogs with stock orders. We pay
for your advertising. Our music is as staple
as wheat.
Write for samples.
Chicago McKINLEY MUSIC CO. New York