This is sad news. I had the pleasure of meeting Wil years ago at a
convention in NY, and we passed away the better part of a couple of
hours chatting. Some fascinating stories. I hope someone has copied them
down.
--Scott D. Smith
Chicago Audio Works, Inc.
Steve Ramm wrote:
>My friend Anthony DiFolio sent me this news this morning. I thought other
>ARSC members would find the info useful. Wil traveled the long distance to the
>Syracuse Conference with Fred Williams and I and regaled us with lots of great
> stories of his "Victor" days.
>
>Steve Ramm
>
> Subj: Wilfrid Graham-RIP Date: 6/22/2005 12:39:17 AM Eastern Standard
>Time From: [log in to unmask] (mailto:[log in to unmask]) To:
>[log in to unmask] (mailto:[log in to unmask]) Sent from the Internet _(Details)_
>(aolmsg://06980430/inethdr/3)
>
>Wilfrid Graham
>1909-2005
>
> Our Friend Wilfrid Graham passed away on June 20th at the age of 96. He
>had been residing at the Bryn Mawr Terrace, but he had been a longtime
>resident of Wynnewood, PA. What a truly unforgettable character he was to all who
>had the priviledge to know him. Wil was much more than just a record
>collector, he was an eyewitness to much of the entertainment world of the twentieth
>century.
>Wil was born in New York City and was interested in music from an early age.
> He attended George Washington High School and wrote for the school paper
>the Cherry Tree. He so impressed his teacher that he was able to get free
>passes to the Metropolitan Opera as a reviewer! This was during the 20's the
>golden age of the Met. No, he never saw Caruso, but Gigli and Martinelli were
>favorites. Lawrence Tibbett was his idol. Wil loved classical and popular
>music equally. He spent as much time at the RKO Palace watching vaudeville as
>he did at the Met. Wil attended the earliest Vitaphone exhibitions and always
>delighted in telling of the time that the violinist played on screen and no
>sound was heard! He saw all the greats of vaudeville in the 20's like Billy
>Murray and Irving Kaufmann. In fact, in later years Wil and Irving would become
>close personal friends.
>As a young man during the great depression, he so impressed Louis Katzman,
>the program director of WINS-AM radio in New York that he was hired as the
>first classical music disc jockey in 1937. (He had all of Katzman's recordings!)
>This led to his being hired by RCA Victor for the 1940 New York World's
>Fair. Will was a record presenter at the RCA Victor Pavilion. He was so
>successful that Victor hired him and he moved down to Camden, NJ. for a golden
>decade with Nipper. Later in the decade, Will used his encylopaedic knowledge of
>Victor's classical catalog that he started the Vintage Series of prestigious
>classical rereleases with a distinctive gold label and sleeve. Wil ordered
>rare unreleased masters and alternate takes from the unsuspecting guardians
>of the vaults to the delight of hardcore collectors. He left RCA in 1950 and
>spent the better part of the next three decades on the road as a sales
>representative for high end audio manufacturers like Sansui.
>He and his wife Helene enjoyed their home in Wynnewood that they shared with
>their son Tony and Wil's magnificent collection of 78 rpm records,photos,
>vintage victrolas and cylinder players; and Wil's fabulous set of original
>vintage Lionel Trains. Until his health declined in recent years, he faithfully
>took the autotrain down to Ft. Lauderdale for his winter sojourn. (And to
>visit his collection of popular personality records!)
>Well into his late 80's the dapper Mr. Graham would come down to
>Philadelphia for our weekly Friday afternoon luncheons, and regale us with his great
>stories. He would frequently appear on the "Sunshine, Music Memories radio
>program with Smiling Lou Powers and recount those priceless memories for an
>appreciative audience. He was a longtime member of ARSC, and will be fondly
>remembered by his fellow record collectors and musical enthusiasts.
>Wilfrid Graham will be buried next to his beloved Helene in New York. His
>magnificent collection of musical memorabilia has been consigned to Lawrence
>Holdrige. I hope that those who win some of his priceless items will
>appreciate the love and devotion he showed over many years to acquire them.
>
>Anthony DiFlorio III
>
>
>
>
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