Unless internal documents disclose why selected pre-1930 Hamony releases
were electrically made w/o apparent acknowledgement to WE, we can only
guess at the circumstances of their creation. I don't pay much attention
to Harmony, but I've noticed that organ records and records by Rudy Vallee
(including pseudonymous ones) are electric. There are probably others.
Dick
Art Shifrin <[log in to unmask]>
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03/21/2004 10:54 AM
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Subject: [ARSCLIST] Harmonies: electric or not?
Hi Gang,
A statement was made recently that circled w's were intentionally omitted
from budget labels so as to avoid paying W.E. royalties.
I assume that was a speculation and that it's not documented. At that
time AT&T (which owed Western Electric)
was massive, omnipotent company. The group of which Columbia and its
budget labels was a puny corporate entity. I suspect that IF they
considered perpetrating a breach of contract, that the record company's
executives would've ultimately chosen not to risk the ire of the
liscensor.
Best,
Shiffy
