Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
MARCH 20,
1926
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
43
You CantGo Wrong
mWrasr
best
tunes in the BoaK/
Denver Sends Optimistic Message—(Continued from page 41)
stated: "Our over-the-counter sales, as well as
our mail-order business, are good, without any
complaints."
Howard R. Adae in Town
It was luncheon time. While I was seated
in a cafe Howard Adae came in, passed me by
and paid no more attention to me than if I were
old man Rockefeller. But I spotted him right
off. The next thing I noticed there was quite
a lot of commotion. Howard evidently is fond
of fish, and in this cafe they have a fountain
in the center with live mountain trout which
have been condemned for such fellows as Adae
to. pick on, and he did—picked up the net and
fished out a couple of heavy boys and handed
them to the waiter. With that I remarked: "Is
the Willis Music Co. going to pay for this?"
Well, of course, for a few minutes we hugged
and kissed each other and Howard told me what
a wonderful trip he was just finishing up. He
said: "Starting the first of this year there seems
to be a continual progress and greater interest,
generally speaking, in the music business, and
regardless of what business the publishers are
doing to-day my contention is that the music
business is still in its infancy." A few special
items that the Willis Music Co. is working on
are as follows: A set of three pieces by Jane
Mattlingy, second grade; "Swaying Pines," a
collection of four pieces by Theodora Dutton,
for second and third grades; a set of "Big Note
Violin and Piano Pieces," arranged by Severen,
twelve pieces, educational material; also, the
third book, "Maddy and Gidding's Orchestral
Collections" for school work. Howard touched
on one subject which is worthy of mention;
that is, many music merchants—not the man-
agers of the music departments—throughout the
country lack interest of a personal type to any
degree so far as the sheet music department is
concerned. From his point of view, if the owner
or proprietor would show a greater interest, par-
ticularly with the piano house which merely
handles a music department as a side issue, and
if any amount of thought and interest were
given to it, many music departments would be
far more profitable.
The Dutch Mill Music Store
George E. Springer, with his springs well
lubricated, had a remarkable business for the
latter part of 1925; his holiday business was
marvelous and his January sales were the best
he has had since he started. George broadcasts
himself and his gang of radio entertainers
direct from the sheet music department of The
Dutch Mill Cafeteria every Thursday night over
radio station KFEL, Denver. The gang are all
lively entertainers—a lot of young people under
his personal supervision, and they surely are big
favorites. It is the only music department in
the United States to demonstrate popular music
in the home via radio. As George said: "We
give this service to our patrons that they may
be able to hear and obtain the verv latest and
most popular songs published. We invite you to
wire or write for request numbers which will
be put on for you during the program if pos-
sible."
Ida Ames, Mr. Springer's assistant, is very
capable, and should George ever take himself a
bride and a honeymoon besides I do believe
that Ida could not only be a good sentinel but
a good captain as well.
Red-Nose and High-Pressure Salesman Extinct
The old methods of first sampling the wet
goods as the introduction in selling any kind
of dry merchandise have passed out of the pic-
ture. The drummer boy of to-day.is a snappy,
industrious, dashy sort of an individual who
has a clientele of equally well-balanced custom-
ers. The old drummer boy of 76, who had to
guzzle before he could sell his line, is no longer
with us, or, if he is still here, he is traveling
with backwoods methods. Likewise, the "high-
pressure" stuff is now a thing of the past. Give
the dealer what he wants and, with it, sales aides
and ideas, new methods that will help him sell
your merchandise, but don't let him get sick
with indigestion by forcing down his throat
more than he can consume.
Look What Prohibition Has Done
That perfectly wonderful recitation and song,
"The Face on the Barroom Floor," probably
needs a shave by this time, particularly in Den-
ver.
It Is a Good Habit to Have Your Shoes Shined
My tan shoes needed a shine and I walked
over to the shoeshine parlor in the hotel. While
the performance was going on I asked a colored
boy how business was and he said: "It's a bit
shaky." I asked him how that was, and he
admitted that his real profession was the game
called "Seven-'Leven," and he said you "got to
shake 'em."
Sherman, Clay & Co.
The local representative, Harry S. Wilson,
reports their catalog is very healthy in Denver
town. "Hawaiian Love," "Gypsy Land" and
"Why Do I Always Remember?" are the top-
liners. Mr. Wilson knows every nook and cor-
ner and never misses a thing. He is well pleased
with his business here.
Lunar Songs Always Are
Perennial as the Moon
Public Likes the Good Old Moon in Its Songs
—"Reaching for the Moon" Latest Indication
of That Fact
In the popular song world certain types of
numbers are surer fire than songs of other cali-
ber. Among numbers of least resistance in
getting popularity are smile songs, mammy
songs, Dixie songs, June songs, roses and the
moon songs. Such titles can always be found
among the hits and the near hits.
Sometimes there is a deluge of mammy num-
bers or Dixie songs and when this vogue is on,
be it either short or long, the songs of these
particular types do well.
The success the Edward B. Marks Music
Co. has had on its "Reaching for the Moon"
may be the advance agent for a series of moon
offerings. Only time will tell. One thing is
certain, that Benny Davis and Jesse Greer have
contributed a money-maker to the Marks cat-
alog.
In the Edward B. Marks Music Co. series of
standard songs there are many moon offerings
and as the majority of these continue to have
a fairly active sale, the moon is apparently a
good investment.
In the Marks, Cole and Johnson series, popu-
lar twenty years ago, are found "Lazy Moon,"
"Nobody's Lookin' but De Owl and De Moon,"
"There's • a Very Pretty Moon Tonight" and
"When the Moon Comes Peeping O'er the Hill,"
as well as many others.
S. R. Henry, in the same catalog, has such
numbers as "When the Harvest Moon Is Shin-
ing" and "When It's Moonlight on the Prairie."
Paul Lincke, world's famous composer of "Glow
Worm" and other offerings, is responsible for
"Luna Waltz," and in the Marks teaching pieces
are found "Moonlight on the Ocean" (Geibel),
"Moonlight in India" (Richmond), and in the
old ministrel songs published by the same firm
can be found "Moonlight on the Mississippi" and
"Come Out in the Moonlight."
In the operetta field we find "What's the Mat-
ter With the Moon," from "The Mocking Bird,"
by A. Baldwin Sloane, and two songs from the
musical show "Moonlight," by Con Conrad and
Wm. B. Friedlander, "Old Man in the Moon"
and "Turn on the Popular Moon."
Altogether moon songs do quite well as the
latest of these, "Reaching for the Moon," appar-
ently demonstrates.
Opens New Store
NEWARK, O., March 13.—Carl P. Nutter, well-
known musician and composer, has opened the
Song Shoppe, in 36 North Park Place. The
shop is up-to-date in every detail and is han-
dling current popular songs and classic and semi-
classic music. It will also feature a complete
line of orchestrations. Mr. Nutter will operate
a publishing business featuring his own compo-
sitions, several of which have already been in
print.
Looks After Berlin's Realty
NEW ORLEANS, LA., March 13.—Saul Bornstcin,
who recently added to the purchases of Gulf
Coast property he has been making in the inter-
ests of Irving Berlin, visited Biloxi, Miss., in
February to look over the Berlin holdings. He
said Mr. and Mrs. Berlin plan to visit the Gulf
Coast on their return from Europe this Summer.