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48
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
MAKCH 8, 1924
IN THE WORLD OF MUSIC PUBLISHING
Conducted By V. D. Walsh
How the Legitimate Sheet Music Dealer
Gets Results from Proper Exploitation
The Plan Used by Moore's Music House, of Salem, Ore., and the Results Which It Brings in
Increased Sales—A Plan Which Any Dealer Can Use to His Benefit
A FTER all it has been only three or four
•^^ years since the legitimate sheet music
dealer has returned to the promotion and sale
of popular sheet music. Since the standard re-
tail price of such goods has remained perma-
nently around 30 cents, a further and more
intensive interest to popular issues has been
the result.
No comparison of present-day
Featuring "Waltz Me to Sleep"
legitimate dealer activities can be made with
those that were in vogue before the war. There
is a tendency in some directions to labor under
the impression, if not delusion, that the average
dealer is not vitally interested in the sale of
popular prints. This is not true on the general
average, although in some cases there may be
a lack of enthusiasm. Much proof, however, of
business sagacity, vision and up-to-date methods
of many sheet music dealers is constantly com-
ing into the offices of The Review and goes far
to disprove the surface assertions of contem-
porary critics.
Now, because it is true that there are many
dealers throughout the country making a profit
through the sale of sheet music, both directly
and indirectly, some of whom have added con-
siderably to their volume of business in other
merchandise through having sheet music in
stock, does not prove that all piano dealers
should carry sheet music. No piano dealer
should handle sheet music unless he is willing
to follow in the footsteps of the most success-
ful dealer in that line which is related to his
industry; that is to say, a successful piano
dealer who is also carrying on a successful sheet
music business should be the evidence in the
criterion.
Further proof of the wideawakeness, progres-
sive principles and up-to-date methods of ex-
ploiting popular music in particular territories
is given below by the letter to the A. H.
Stasny Music Co., Inc., from Moore's Music
House, 415 Court street, Salem, Ore., written
by L. O. Jennison, manager of the sheet music
department of this progressive house, which, in
addition to sheet music, carries Victrolas and
Victor records, Brunswick machines and rec-
ords, Sonoras, and such outstanding pianos as
the Steinway, Duo-Art, A. B. Chase, Estey and
others. The letter speaks for itself:
"We want you to know exactly how we 'plug'
a good song. We devoted one entire window
for a week to 'Waltz Me to Sleep' as per en-
closed illustration. As a result the 'drop in'
trade for the past ten days has invariably asked
for this number.
"Our entire mailing list received a mimeo-
graphed card of this number alone, and our
February bulletin stressed this particular waltz.
A voluntary write-up in one of the local papers
en the window also brought direct results.
"Our Albany branch reports a very good sale
on the number and this will be helped within
a few days by a drive in that city.
"Yours for other songs on a par with 'Warltz
Me to Sleep.' "
This is, indeed, evidence of good merchan-
dising, not only of ordinary caliber but of ex-
traordinary type, for the simple reason that the
local papers of Salem have commented upon the
"Waltz Me to Sleep" campaign, as well as
previous large operations by this company in
sheet music. The methods pursued were not
only valuable in Salem, but showed the same
healthy response in Albany, in the other store
of the Moore concern. One such dealer as
this in any community, of course, makes for
a livelier attitude on the part of competitive
merchants—and running a successful sheet
music department or store, as stated before, is
not only the best evidence to encourage others
to enter the business if the field and oppor-
tunities are large enough, but it makes for gen-
eral business growth in numerous directions.
Inter-State Publishing Go. to
Open Professional Offices
First Releases Being Broadcasted Twice Weekly
by Paul Specht and His Hotel Alamac Or-
chestra in New York
SONGS THAT SELL
Sittin' in a Corner
That Old Gang of Mine
Indiana Moon
Lovey Came Back
You
Mindin' My Bus'ness
Dancin' Dan
Cover Me Up With the Sunshine of
Virginia
If the Rest of the World Don't Want You
(Go Back to Mother and Dad)
If I Can't Get the Sweetie I Want
I Love the Girl Who Kisses
Tell All the Folks in Kentucky (I'm
Comin' Home)
I Love My Chili Bom Bom
Love (My Heart Is Calling You)
Oh, Baby! (Don't Say "No"; Say "Maybe")
Don't Forget to Remember
Roamin' to Wyomin'
Since When (Have You Been Low-down-
ing Me)
Forgetful Blues
Why Should I Give My Love to You?
Universal Dance Folio
Special Edition for 1924
—
Song Gems from Irving Berlin's Third Annual
MUSIC BOX REVUE
An Orange Grove in California
The Waltz of Long Ago
Little Butterfly
Tell Me a Bedtime Story
Learn to Do the Strut
Climbing Up the Scale
One Girl
Outstanding Song Hits from
TOPSY and EVA
Rememb'ring
Do Re Mi
Um Urn Da Da
I Never Had a Mammy
"Please Forgive" and "Everybody Loves My
Girl," the first releases of the Inter-State Pub-
lishing Co., are being broadcasted every Tues-
day and Friday nights by Paul Specht and His
Hotel Alamac Orchestra and are being featured
by the many bands and orchestras throughout
the country. From all indications both num-
bers have every prospect of being hits.
Arranger J. J. Tarto, of Paul Specht's Or-
chestra, is under exclusive contract with the
Inter-State Publishing Co. Special arrange-
ments of both numbers with tricks and other
features for dance and theatre orchestras are
just off the press.
The firm's executive offices are at 63 Wall
street. The professional offices of the company
will be opened within the next few days in the
Knickerbocker Building.
MOST POPULAR
MUSIC
IRVING BERLIN, Inc.
1607 Broadway, New York
Buys European Rights
The A. J. Stasny Music Co., Inc., 56 West
Forty-fifth street, New York City, has pur-
chased from the Ted Brown Music Co., of Chi-
cago, the European rights of the successful bal-
lad, "I'm Drifting Back to Dreamland." The
English branch of the Stasny Co. and its vari-
ous representatives throughout the British
Isles, as well as its associate companies in the
larger centers of Europe, will exploit the num-
ber on a wide scale. It has already been re-
corded by all the English record companies.
BOOKS
actually fulfill every requirement—
a complete music stock in themselves
Hinds, Hayden & Eldredge, Inc., Publishers, New York City