[78-L] Nick Lucanese Perfect 11041

[Michael Biel]

From: Roger Wade <rwade1947 at comcast.net>

> Here is a link to a record I currently have for sale:
>  http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400058710715
> It is apparently the first record by guitarist Nick Lucas,

or at least his first solo record.  He seems to have rcorded earlier:
"it was with the Vernon Country Club Orchestra that Nick began his
recording career as a sideman in 1921. The next year, 1922, he and his
brother Frank recorded for Pathe Actuelle as the Lucas Novelty Quartet
and the Lucas Ukulele Trio."  http://www.nicklucas.com/biography.html

> recorded for Pathe under his real name, Nick Lucanese.
> Is this an unusual or uncommon record? I haven't found
> much about this Nick Lucanese label.

Considering the Nick Lucas web site you quoted from had a lot of
information, I don't know if you need any more info about the recording,
but you do show the Perfect pressing and the site's discography lists
the Pathe Actuelle version.  I have the acoustical Brunswick of these
numbers he recorded the following year, and I am not sure whether I have
the Pathe/Perfect.  The site's discography has audio streams of all
three if the identified issues of these two tunes.

> I noticed that Ty's online 78 discography gives the artist
> name as Nick Lucas in the entry for Perfect 11041.

Is there a note in Ty's listing of the artist credit on the label or did
he just change the name?  It might be interesting to know if later
pressings changed the artist credit to his stage name, and what name was
on the Pathe.  That would be the real question -- the discography would
be helpful if it noted if there were two label versions or at least note
that although the recording is by Lucas he was not billed that way.

> I can send the label scan to anyone who might be interested.
> Thanks. Roger Wade  Really Old Records

On another point, the web site shows a record of Side By Side he made in
1947 for Hucksters records on 1006 which was sold to and issued by
Capitol on 15242.
http://www.nicklucas.com/capitol.html
http://www.nicklucas.com/hucksters.html

There is a stream of the Hucksters pressing on the site.  The recording
features overdubbing of Lucas singing harmony with himself. 

http://www.nicklucas.com/audio/discography/1006-1.mp3

When did Les Paul do his first overdubbing record?  As I discussed on
ARSCList last week, Les Paul was not the first to do overdubbing
(although all the kiddies in the industry seem to think he invented it)
and it would be so ironic if the Lucas overdubbed record was released on
Les Paul's own label before any of his!!!

Mike Biel  mbiel at mbiel.com