63
P R E S T 0-T I M E S
January 8, 1927.
SMALL GOODS, MUSIC ROLLS AND SHEET MUSIC
J. F. BOYER'S ACTIVITY
Secretary of C. G. Conn, Ltd., Elkhart, Ind.,
Known Alike for His Great Versatility
and Amazing Energy.
J. F. Boyer, secre-
tary of C. G. Conn,
Ltd., Elkhart, Ind.,
is versatile in things
concerning the mu-
sic trade in general
and he has had ex-
perience in e v e r y
phase of this trade.
He is a native of
Elkhart, and there,
as a musically in-
clined youngster, in
growing up became
a c q u a i n t e d with
many of the em-
ployees a n d work-
men in the Conn
shops.
R u n n i n g
around the factory,
J. F. BOYER.
as he used to do, he
obtained a great deal
of information about how band instruments were
made and became familiar with the construction of
all kinds of wood-wind as well as brass instruments.
Young Boyer began to play the organ in church
at the age of seven years and soon took up the cor-
net and other instruments. At the age of ten he
was taking cornet lessons from famous cornetists,
and in time became an adept in brass instruments, as
well as in the organ and piano. It was as piano
accompanist for visiting artists at concerts and re-
hearsals that kept bringing him more and more to
the front as an artist himself.
Mr. Boyer became director of the famous Conn
Band and of the Conn Conservatory of Music, in
his teens, and wrote and arranged much music for
bands and orchestras and composed and produced
several light operas. He became entrepreneur, direc-
tor and producer, touring the United States and the
Orient as director of opera, including grand opera,
and was acclaimed at that time the youngest grand
opera director in the United States.
After this interesting life of an artist, Mr. Boyer
swung to a commercial career, having had a con-
siderable experience in business with his father, who,
he says, "was a severe task master in business meth-
ods." In about 1905 he opened the New York branch
established by C. G. Conn, remaining there until 1911,
during which time he did much to increase the
number of bandmen, bandmasters and artists using
instruments from the Conn line.
In 1911 the new Conn factory built, tollowing the
disastrous fire of 1910, was completed, and Mr. Conn
brought Boyer to Elkhart. He was told that prac-
tically a new business would have to be created to
make up for the loss occasioned by non-production
of the past year. He developed new agencies and
got back the old ones temporarily lost; established a
mail order business that developed to immense pro-
portions; had new creations put on the market and
established connections with the general music trade
of the country that soon overtaxed the factory for
production. By dint of perseverance the business
continued to expand and in 1925 the present cor-
poration, C. G. Conn, Ltd., was formed. Mr. Conn,
upwards of seventy years of age, retired from active
participation in the new company. C. D. Greenleaf
became the president of the new company and with
whom Mr. Boyer continued his duties as "right-hand
man." Mr. Greenleaf has become a prominent
factor in the music trades and industries and in the
work of the Music Industries Chamber of Commerce.
Throughout all these years of activity in music
and music trade Mr. Boyer has made hosts of friends
and acquaintances in all parts of the civilized world.
But with all these business activities he keeps up in
music. He is regarded as a proficient organist and
pianist, a good cornetist and saxophonist and di-
rected the Instrument City Band of Elkhart, a high-
class organization composed of testers of instruments
of various band instrument factories of the city and
also directed the Elkhart Symphony Orchestra of
seventy-five select musicians.
Not content with all these activities Mr. Boyer edits
Musical Truth, the well known organ of the C. G.
Conn, Ltd., duties requiring a great deal of time
and thought. It is a periodical filled with general
musical news and made more interesting by Mr.
Boyer's editorials. His attitude on "Selling the Mu-
sical Idea to Young America" has attracted attention
and has received wide press comment. The illu-
minating manner in which he presented his views on
the subject of "More and Better Music for Amer-
ica" is evidence of his enthusiasm and advertising
sense.
It is interesting to compliment a worker in the
music industry and one who has done so much for
the spread of music and the improvement of musical
instruments and the increase in their sales.
GREAT BAND MASTER DIES
Frederick Neil Innes, for Many Years Famous as
Bandmaster, Passes Away in Chicago.
Frederick Neil Innes, president of the Conn Na-
tional School of Music and for many years a famous
bandmaster, died in Chicago last week after a long
illness. He was sixty-nine years old and had been in
Chicago since 1905.
Mr. Innes, a native of England, was once a member
of a crack British regimental band. On coming to
America he organized his own band and played at
many of the great expositions, particularly those at
Chicago and St. Louis.
A widow, Mrs. Florence Atkison Innes, of the
Edgewater Beach hotel, survives. Funeral services
were held Tuesday at Cincinnati, Ohio.
JUDGE DENIES INJUNCTION
Justice Thomas C. T. Crain in New York Rules
Against Plea of Ross Gorman Music Co.
The Edward B. Marks Music Co. of 223 West 46th
street, New York City, has won the suit brought
against it in the New York Supreme Court by the
Ross Gorman Music Co., Inc., which by a written
contract had appointed the Edward B. Marks Music
Company selling agent for publications, and also as
agent, authority to make mechanical instrument con-
tracts for the publications and to receive and dis-
tribute the mechanical instrument royalties.
When the Ross Gorman Music Co., Inc., tried to
restrain the Marks company from holding itself out
as agent, the latter, through its proprietor, Edward
B. Marks, asserted that the Ross Gorman Music Co.,
Inc , had broken the contract. Justice Thomas C. T.
Crain in denying the Ross Gorman motion for an
injunction reviewed the facts and held the Ross Gor-
man Music Co., Inc., had not shown itself entitled
to the injunction which it sought.
C. G. CONN, Ltd., Elkhart, Ind.
C. D. GREENLEAF, Pres.
J. F. BOYER, Sec'y
World's largest manufacturers of High Grade Band and Orchestra Instruments. Employs 1,MP
expert workmen.
All of the most celebrated Artists use and endorse Conn Instruments.
Famous Bandmasters and Orchestra Directors highly endorse and recommend the use of the
Conn Instruments in their organizations.
Conn Instruments are noted fur their sase of playing, light and reliable valve or key action;
quick response, rich tonal quality, perfect intonation, tone carrying quality, artisticness of design,
beautiful finish and reliable construction.
Conn Instruments are cent to any point in th U. S. subject to ten days free trial. Branch store
or agencies will be found in all large cities. Write for catalogues, prices, etc.
C. G. CONN, Ltd.
DEPT. MS.
ELKHART, IND.
SLINGERLAND
THE FAMOUS
May Bell
CLARK
ORCHESTRA ROLLS
of De Kalb, Illinois
Slingerland Banjos
The Best for Automatic Playing Pianos
Organs and Orchestrions
Whether you sell automatic playing in-
struments or not, it will pay you to
handle and be able to furnish
CLARK ORCHESTRA ROLLS
Monthly bulletins of new records. Write
for lists, folders and FULL PARTICU-
LARS.
are sold the country over because
they are Highest quality and sold
at a reasonable price.
Over 40 Styles of Banjos, Banjo Mandolins, Tenor Banjos
and Banjo Ukuleles, to select from.
Write for Catalogue
Clark Orchestra Roll Company
SLINGERLAND BANJO CO.
Manufacturers — Originators — Patentees
De Kalb, Illinois
1815 Orchard Street
CHICAGO
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