[78-L] turn of the century boombox

[Dennis Flannigan]

Don't know if the "turn of the century boombox" pictured in 1906 was a
revenue producer -- kind of a busker's orchestra for musically challenged
balladeers like me. However, in a 1979 interview, James Russell Lewis (Texas
Jim Lewis/Decca 5000 series) told me his facination with entertainment began
when his aunt and uncle began playing records on their talking machine
Sunday evenings on their front porch where relatives and neighbors gathered
listening to Cal Stewart and others. Reminds me of watching early television
in department stores windows of the 1950s.

Jim said crowds reached 75-100 some Sundays. Might indicate why he recorded
so many novelties for Decca and other companies.

df