[78-L] Jean Ritchie - first commercial recordings - help please

[Thomas Stern]

  I've added to the thread on mudcat.org information about a series of
recordings, which would

appear to be Jean Ritchie's first COMMERCIAL recordings, made for MERCURY
records in their 

children's series MERCURY MINIATURE PLAYHOUSE, circa 1948-1949.

      https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=159409
<https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=159409&messages=13> &messages=13

  These are SEVEN INCH 78rpm records, in 3 sets.  I've listed them below.

 

  There is a review of the Mercury Miniature Playhouse releases in the June
4, 1949 issue of

BILLBOARD.  The reviewer failed to appreciate these treasures - " words are
not so clear, and productions are dull.  The titles-folk songs mostly-are
not common, but are also over the heads of most miniature disk fanciers."

 

  There are a number of questions - hope someone on this list may be able to
provide

information.

  1. When and where were these discs recorded ??

  2. The RUPPLI Mercury Record Labels Discography (Greenwood Press) does not
list

these records, but does give a credit to Jean in a 1948 session which
includes Anne Vincent, vocal

and  Suzanne Bloch, lute.  It is not clear from the Ruppli listing if Jean
Ritchie is present on the 4 sides,

or one side, or if this is a mis-attribution.  Does anyone have this set of
records - can you confirm

Jean's presence and provide full details ???  It is possible that set MMP 40
included 2 discs by

Anne Vincent, and 2 discs by Jean Ritchie but got confused in Ruppli.

  3. These records may ALSO have been issued as TEN INCH 78rpm discs.
Anyone have information

to confirm this - details, catalog numbers, set numbers, set title ??

 

  Thank you for any information you can provide!

  Best wishes, Thomas.

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Session listed by RUPPLI:

  1948  Mercury Miniature Playhouse 7" 78rpm

Jean Ritchie and her Dulcimer - "SLEEP BABY SLEEP"

Anne Vincent (vo), Suzanne Bloch (lute).

1821-A  Sleep Baby Sleep  /Brahms's Lullaby                 MERCURY 108-7 

1821-B  The sandman comes  / Winkum, Winkum      MERCURY 108-7

1822-A  The child and the star
MERCURY 109-7

1822-B  Rockabye baby / All Through the Night           MERCURY 109-7 

MERCURY album MMP-40-7, and MMP-66

 

another source lists MMP-66 as a 10" album, Mercury Novelty Orchestra,
"Cradle Songs"

 

Three sets of recordings added to the discography:

MERCURY Miniature Playhouse           7" 78rpm  unbreakable circa 1948-49

  JEAN RITCHIE And Her Dulcimer

* with DING DONG DELL SINGERS [DING DONG BELL SINGERS]

 

MERCURY Miniature Playhouse SET MMP 41-7 ROUNDS and ROUNDELAYS

1901A Row Row Row Your Boat                         Mercury 112-7 *

1901B SKIN AND BONES (The Surprise Song)   Mercury 112-7

1902A OH HOW LOVELY IS THE EVENING         Mercury 113-7 *

1902B THIS OLD MAN                                          Mercury 113-7

1903A ARE YOU SLEEPING? [Frere Jacques]     Mercury 114-7 *

1903B THERE WAS A TAILOR HAD A MOUSE    Mercury 114-7

1904A SWEETLY SINGS THE DONKEY                 Mercury 115-7 *

1904B HOP AROUND, SKIP AROUND                 Mercury 115-7

 

MERCURY Miniature Playhouse SET MMP 40-7

1906A GO TELL AUNT RODIE(sic) [Rhodie]      Mercury 110-7

1906B GO TO SLEEP MY LITTLE BABY               Mercury 110-7

1907A HUSH LITTLE BABY, DON'T SAY A WORD    Mercury 111-7

1907B LITTLE SHOES                                                   Mercury
111-7

 

MERCURY Miniature Playhouse MMP 42-7 Children's Christmas Carols

1908 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing                   Mercury 116-7 *

1908 Little Biddy Baby                                        Mercury 116-7

1909 Come All Ye Faithful                                  Mercury 117-7 *

1909 There Was a Little Pig Went Out to Dig  Mercury 117-7

1910 Oh Little Town of Bethlehem                   Mercury 118-7 *

1910 Away in the Manger                                  Mercury 118-7

1911 Silent Night                                                 Mercury
119-7 *

1911 Wassail Song                                              Mercury 119-7