[78-L] WNEW label

[Michael Biel]

Is this a record for sale or is it a white label pressing with plain 
lettering with the title in two lines below the hole?  I saw a pile of 
them at Rodgers and Hammerstein Archive years ago.  They have the WNEW 
78 collection.  I also have a 8 1/2 x11 color picture I copied out of a 
Radio-TV mag recently of Block in his studio in WABC with his turntables 
with two Gray arms, a tag saying "ABC Martin Block Special Turntable -- 
Do Not Remove From This Location".  On the turntable facing the camera 
is this record.  You can make out  MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM THEME  but the 
top half of the label is indistinct. 

Starting in 1940 his theme was "Make Believe Ballroom Time" recorded by 
Glenn Miller with the Four Modernaires.  Prior to that his them was 
"Make Believe Ballroom" by Charlie Barnett with the Barnett Modernaires, 
BS- 102407-1 Bluebird B-6504 Aug 3, 1936.   When the ASCAP scrike was 
looming, Block knew he would lose his theme, so he had a new one 
written, took partial writing credit, had Miller record it, but insisted 
on having the continuity of the Modernaires on both.  Miller liked them 
so much he stole them from Barnett, although John Flower's book notes 
they had been with Paul Whiteman.   BS 056479-1, Bluebird  B-10913  Oct 
11, 1940.  There is a -2 that  first was on an EP . 

The records I recall seeing were Victor master pressings of the Miller 
side.  What style is the matrix number and pressing on your copy?  As 
for Merle Pitt, the recording he made of the first theme was in 1938.  
mx.22316  Vocalion 3959  Jan 18, 1938.  I finally got a copy of it and 
his other record from that session, but I am not sure if Block ever used 
the record for his broadcast because he only mentioned Barnett and Miller. 

If that matrix is indeed from Nov 54, Block had moved to WABC at that 
time, taking the program title with him, but WNEW continued to ALSO use 
it.  Perhaps the record you have is ANOTHER recording for William B. 
Williams to use.  Does it sound like Miller or Barnett?

Mike Biel   mbiel at mbiel.com 

David Lennick wrote:
>  From the matrix number, probably November 1954..that's all I got!
>
> dl
>
> Glen Richards wrote:
>   
>> Folks, I'm certain we've covered this before, but I must've been 
>> sleeping. I have a copy of "WNEW's 'Make Believe Ballroom Time' Theme" 
>> on the WNEW label, same item on both sides, mx P 50301, no artist 
>> credit. Any idea who it might be - Merle Pitt, the bandleader for the 
>> show? Oh, and the date of course! (grin)
>>
>> Thank you very much!
>>
>> Glen