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]> Sent by: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List <[log in to unmask]> 03/21/2004 10:54 AM Please respond to Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List To: [log in to unmask] cc: 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