[78-L] Sam Ash on Grey Gull

[Donna Halper]

At 04:02 PM 3/31/2009, Bruce wrote:
>Here is a brief biography of Sam the record store fellow. It 
>mentions that he formed a local orchestra the played Jewish gigs in 
>the New York area, but does not mention any recordings.
>
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Ash

Well, I wonder if there are two guys named Sam Ash.  The one I've 
found written about in the newspapers in the early 19-teens is 
described as a vaudevillian and vocalist, but is he the same guy who 
founded the record store?  The Sam Ash in the newspaper articles did 
make records-- quite a few of them.  I found him recording for 
Columbia Records in 1915-- he was listed as a tenor on "Moonlight on 
the Rhine" in May, and in June, he was in the newspaper ads as the 
vocalist on "Virginia Lee." Newspaper ads in 1916 listed other songs 
he recorded.  What I don't know is why he went from Columbia, which 
presumably paid real money, to Grey Gull which often did not... And I 
wonder if this Sam Ash, the performer and entertainer, is in any way 
the same guy who opened the record store...