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Benny Goodman «Benny Rolls Up Terrific Lead! Miller Now *100 Millions Second in Spent For 60S S Daarbern, Chicago, lllinoii Sweet Vote The Musicians’ Bible EntoroA aa tarond daw mattw October «, IM. at tha naat »Aw at Chicago. BUnaia, mutar tha Act of March t. in». Copyright I9M. -With the 1939 poll Dance Music B, Dowa Boat PuMiahinu Co.. Ine. nearing rousing finish. Glenn BY DICK C. LAND SubicrlpHon pricw, «.W a you I" »ha United St*«»»: « SO In Canada and MaO «Iwwliar». Down B*«t h puBllibad «wlca-monHil». Printed In U.S.A. R»gt»t»rad U.S. Pal. Offic». Miller’» New York—American* in 1938 its sensational advance into the top paid 90 million dollar* for the brackets, pushing aside Tommy privilege of listening to dance VOL. 6, No. 15 CHICAGO. DECEMBER 15, 1939 15 CENTS band*. it leu»t 98 per cent of that Dorsey to take second place in the staggering figure w» negotiated by “sweet band'* division and digging four booking agencies — Music in to hold iu second place spot Corp, of America, Consolidated Satchmo Sued behind Benny (niodman on the ladio Artist-, (Ancrai Amusement Can This Be True? Corp., and Willium Morris. For 'Heart Balm' “swing” side of the books. In another two weeks another Goodman, mowing aside all com­ year will have slipped away. Offi- It Seems Unbelievable petition, now has 3,290 votes and ciais of the bij agencies, never TBe following editorial aecuaing tbe New York musician«* union of all kind» of um- is going away. In addition, Benny’s «Éager to r money figures, Amariean and un-Democratic practice» wa» written by tha famous Dorothy Thompson, sextet is leading as the favorite wife af Sinclair Lewi«, under the title »«Trade Inion» and Their Racket».” Down Boot, in nevertheless estimate 1939 fire»anting her remarks, want« musician« to Be aware of what the outside world 1« think­ retai will hit 100 million bucks. ing. It believe* further that tha N. Y. union should refute the remark». Leonard Feather, and Benny him­ Down Beal correspondent, ha« Been instructed to act and preeant the truth from Local Side Mi ii Pull Out self is set for a berth on the The years 1938 and 1939 were BY DOROTHY THOMPSON All-Ameriean similar in many ways. Each found as clarinetist. many a side man moving out on In his prosecution of monopolies the Assistant Attorney Casa Loma his own to take up a baton. And continued its unlike the “sack era” of 1927 to General, Thurman Arnold, has gotten around to trade unions, advance in the 1930, when crooning, romantic­ and it was high time somebody did. “sweet” list­ looking, sloe-eyed guys without any Mr. Arnold’s letter, addressed on Nov. 19 to the Central knowledge of music led the big ings by rolling Labor Union of Indianapolis, is an attempt to define what are up 2,162 votes name bands, 1938 and 1939 were to lead Miller, featured by bands fronted by top­ and are not legitimate rights of labor Goodman with 2,065, and flight musicians—guys like Good­ Just What Are unions. Among others, he defines as man, the Dorseys, Duchin, Basie, Tommy Dorsey, with 2,026. Ellington and others. illegitimate the following practice: Count Basie leads all Negro The public this year has placed Legitimate “Unreasonable restraints designed bands with Ellington close behind. so much emphasis on musicianship Union Riohtfi?’ to the hiring of useless and But the biggest surprise of the that today it is impossible to start union rugnib. unnecessary labor.” poll to date has been the phenome­ out with a band unless you are an nal showing of Miller. The be­ accomplished instrumentalist Now, this unreasonable restraint is constantly practiced by spectacled trombonist’s 1,796 swing trade unions, and this, rather than their attempts to establish votes and 2,065 sweet votes, when your own hook. And in addition, totaled, place Miller’s as the all- ^you’ll have to possess good looks, decent working standards, is what is getting the American (Modulate to Page 12) a winning personality and most public thoroughly fed up. important, a fat bankroll to get wu and your band started along The musicians’ union is a notorious h < Modulate to Page 28) Do Musicians case in point. Producers of plays are itiy held up by the musicians’ Mystery Moa’ Shoe Whitemans Both -“held up” are words carefully To Use Hot Striigs? lain Angele*-Alleging that Ixiuis Producers? chosen. The musicians’ union has III; Recover Armstrong promised to murr? her (Modulate to Page 10) New York— llthough he hid in 1938 when hin divorce from Lil out in New York many days after hr was reported to be BY CHARLES M. HILLMAN Hardin Armstrong became final, “heading for Mexico,” Artie ' Denver—Wilberforce J. White- Polly Jone* U*l month filed a $35,- Shaw i* known to have had man, father of Paul Whiteman, 000 suit against Satchmo for heart Behind the Scenes: Auld’s many a conference around the was stricken with a serious illness balm. Ixrnis wa* here for picture tables with his managers and , at his home here recently. Paul booker«. work in 1937. Mi** Jone« in a - was summoned to the bedside of Ijitesl word out is that Artie, his dad, but on the plane trip from nitery entertainer. Satchmo Inter Men Cany On Despite Blow after taking a hefty rest, will New York, the King of Jazz took married Alfa ^mith. return here, organize a small 11 and had to be taken from the New York—Artie Shaw’s spectacular abdication attracted much mmbn featuring hot strings, olane at Chicago. After receiving attention and many expressions of sympathy for Artie, but not much and work under the banner of treatment there Paul continued u different booking office. But Art Ralston to the Crip by train, arriving her« tn the whole thing is still a mystery. find his dad much improved. After Leave Casa Loma Many of them had given up good's^ assurance from the physicians that jobs with other big bands to join: । I there was no immediate cause for San Francisco—Arthur Ralston, Artie; others went through those <took stock. After all, they reasoned, ? alarm, Paul flew back to New York. vet member of Casa Loma’s reea early hard times Artie describes. they had played without Artie al­ Eurasian Hep Cat section, leaves the band January 1 They had wives, fathers, mothers most a fourth of the time since the in New York. He will enter studio to support, payments to make on band had been on top, and the The Big Sister work. Sonny Dunham, trumpeter homes, instruments, customers had not complained too doubling trombone, who has been ance. Then bang—no jobs. There much. Casa Loma, Bob Crosby and Steps In! rumored for many weeks to be were offers to “buy the band,” but Woody Herman had succeeded as pulling out and lead a band of his cooperative bands, so why shouldn’t most of them were made in the they? own, has not left the outfit. His form of publicity releases, not bona contract has two more years to run. So they elected 21-year old (Modulate lo Page 16) Shaw Pays OU AFM to Ask Eli Oberstein; 50% Increase Suit Dropped In Audio Jobs New York—Artie Shaw settled with Eli Oberstein by paying the New York—Plenty of fireworks U.S. Record Corp, chief “several 1» expected Jan. 16 here when thousands of dollars,” it was an­ representatives of the AFM and nounced here last week by W. R. Independent Radio Network Affili­ Berkson, attorney. With the pay­ ates (IRNA) meet to renew con­ ment, Oberstein’s $30,000 suit tracts governing employment of against the leader for commissions musicians in radio. was dropped. Broadway talk has it that the In a signed statement, Shaw musicians’ union, through the AFM publicly retracted statements he exec board, will demand a 50 per made in answer to the suit. “My cent increase in the amount of answer,” said Shaw, “was inspired money now spent by the radio in­ New York — Meet Ruth Salo, Attracting a hit of attention with by an impulse which I now regret.” dustry employing musicians. If known aa America’s “moat beaut 'Bek Stabile'» fine band these ew eader eorge uld Shaw said he publicly acknowl­ N L : G A such an increase could be negoti­ ful” Eurasian, whose dance» a ♦^«ht» i» Alice O’Connell, blonde edges “my gratefulness to Mr. ated, it would mean an increase of and big sister of Helen Oberstein and I am happy to state fide offers to the boys. Such offers from $70,000 to $115,000 a year in Leon A Eddie's on swing alley an '-•mell with Jimmy Dorsey. as were genuine weren’t inspiring. I have come to a settlement with The last a» refreshing as lite ownen’ gaga. Alice «»d Helen, incidentally, are him.” Auld Win» the Vote contract effected took over a year Ruth is one of America’s most hep ’ feuding. Alice claims It was recalled that Artie, when The Hotel Pennsylvania was to be accepted. chirks, knowing all the member» of » better than the suit was announced, charged *» * hile Helen, loyal to her genuinely cooperative, and gener­ The AFM, it was reported, won’t the Basie, Ellington, Goodman and Oberstein with coercion and ously offered to keep the band until pet the 50 per cent increase, but W*^* "Oes that Jimmy plays the threats. Shaw’s turn-about now, the boys could find another job or it will use that figure to bargain Lunceford band» well, and boasting however, brings the case to a close.
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