[78-L] Vaughn DeLeath

[David Lennick]

I don't mind Vonda either..Gunsky, I can't figure why he even recorded. Not 
that that stopped me from picking up half a dozen of his Victors in one swell 
foop a year or so ago, against the day that somebody just might want to hear 
more than "Lay My Head Beneath a Rock".

I did a VdL disc for Living Era a couple of years ago. Sean Miller contributed 
some sides. Versatile woman, if a bit inclined towards the sentimental stuff 
(My kid died, boo hoo).

dl

Sean Miller wrote:
> Taylor...
> 
> Really???!!!  I love VDL...always have!  She did a really funny laughing
> record that came from Gennett matrices that I have on a Supertone.  It's
> priceless.  Her "Anything We Like We Like Alike" on electric Edison is
> fabulous as well!
> 
> Sean
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: 78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com
> [mailto:78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com] On Behalf Of Taylor Bowie
> Sent: Friday, April 03, 2009 9:43 PM
> To: 78-L Mail List
> Subject: [78-L] Two singers who cause me pain
> 
> I can listen to and enjoy a lot of different music and singers,  ranging 
> from JW Myers to Layne Staley.
> 
> There are two 1920s singers who each made and sold a lot of records,  and 
> who I have tried to listen to for years and just can't understand how and 
> why they were so popular.   There are lots of horrible vocals on stray dance
> 
> band records by various unknowns,  but these two were very well known to the
> 
> radio listening public and to record buyers.
> 
> One is Vaughn De Leath.   The other is Maurice J. Gunskey.  I just tried to 
> listen all the way through his Viva Tonal version of How Am I To Know...a 
> wonderful song...and I couldn't stand it.  How could anyone in 1929 have 
> gone for his so out-of-date r-r-r-r-r-olling of his r-r-r-r-rs?  And an 
> ugly,  small voice to go with the mannerisms.
> 
> De Leath is an even bigger mystery to me...a flat and unmusical sound to her
> 
> voice,  and she was frequently guilty of some of the worst attempts at being
> 
> "jazzy" that I've ever heard.  I sometimes think she is actually a sheep who
> 
> has somehow learned to sing in English but at any moment might revert to 
> "Ba-a-a-a-a"-ing in her native tongue.
> 
> So many others took me a while to appreciate:  Irving Kaufman,   Sid Garry, 
> Lee Morse,  Scrappy,  etc.  But nothing seems to work with Maurice or Vaughn
> 
> (note what her initials spell...maybe that's part of the problem)
> 
> I don't like all singers equally but I can certainly see what's what with 
> most of them,  even if I don't seek out their records.  But these 
> two....what's up with them?  Any fans of either who could suggest some of 
> their better disks?
> 
> 
> Thanks from
> 
> Taylor
> 
>