[78-L] Dalhart with Floyd Collins in two places

[Steven C. Barr]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Whipkey" <suuford at msn.com>
> How common is it to find  the same song, by the same artist on two 
> different labels?  I've just come across  Vernon Dalhart singing "The 
> Death of Floyd Collins". one of the records is  a Perfect label with 
> "Many, many years ago on the B side and the other is a Conquerer label, 
> with Dalhart singing "A Boys best friend" on the B side. Would assume 
> both of these records were cut at approximately same time, since it would 
> seem logical to me there  was a  pretty short popularity period for the 
> Collins song.  Any additional  info on this  appreciated.
>
More common than you might assume/think/want...?! In the early days of 
recording
(1889-193?), artists like Dalhart, Henry Burr and whomever were NOT under
contract to specific labels/companies...they operated on a "free-lance" 
basis, and
were paid so-much-per-recording (royalties were very rare...which inspired 
the
"AFM Ban" of 1942-43/44!). A popular artist like Dalhart would go to as many
record labels/companies as possible...and collect a sum ($50?) for each such
recording.. The idea of artists veing under contract to specific 
labels/firms seems
to have started in the mid-thirties?! I am still trying to ascertain when 
the
"fashion" changed from "labels tried to record and sell EVERY popular
tune"...to "every song had its "hit" version and that was the primary/only
version issued on record"...?! This seems to have been c. 1936...?!

Comment ca va?

Steven C. Barr