ILFEBRUARY 4, 1939 11111.1r 15 Cents Voh 51. Ño. 5 SIDNEY WALTON Commentator "Newsreels Before Networks" February 4, 1939 The Billboard CLARENCE E.STEINBERG Veo-Pres ldent and General Manager JOE DAVIS President VIE I acrla.nr'i_ -jottislctocsry F HENR KL ICKMANN nEW MiSicalELhtor AFEW TIMELY QUESTIONS ADDRESSED TO WRITERS OF SONGS 1.Have you ever thought you could write a lyric, melody or complete song suitable for publication? 2. Have you ever submitted your song or songs to a publisher only to receive a rejection? 3.Have you ever wondered what your song lacked in merit, construction, form of technique that caused its rejection for publication and commercial use? 4. Haveyou ever desired (without receiving) a competent, honest and constructive criticism of your song from the pult- /isher's (or commercial) point of view? 5.Is it worth $2.00-to have your lyric, melody or complete song carefully examined, honestly and frankly commented upon and constructively criticized by QUALIFIED EXPERTS under the personal supervision of JOE DOTS, one of America's outstanding music publishers? IF YOUR ANSWER TO ANY ONE OF THE ABOVE QUESTIONS IS "YES" THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE SHOULD BE OF VITAL INTEREST TO YOU While we must realize at the outset that there are no magic formulasor shortcuts inthe writing of "hit" songs(some of our greatest writers toiled hard and long before attaining success), we also know that there isa "RIGHT" and "WRONG" way ofdoing everything-whetheritbe building a house or creating music.And this self-evident truth is applicableparticularly to the writing of music for publication and commercial use. In recognitionof the song writers' long -sought need for aid andassistanceintheconstructionof songs commerciallyacceptable, MUSIC FRIENDS SERVICE,INC.,was foundedby JOE DAVIS,itspresident. Mr. Davis is also president and owner of JOE DAVIS, INC., one of America's foremost music publishers and a member of the AMERICAN SOCIETY OF COMPOSERS, AUTHORS Cr PUBLISHERS.Publisher of over one thousand important musical compositions, JOE DAVIS for a great number of years hasencouraged and developed "unknown" talent. He isresponsibleforgiving many outstanding composers and artiststheirfirst "break" by issuing theirfirst copyrighted musical publication.Included among them are: LARRY CLINTON, writer of "My Reverie"; "Dipsy Doodle"; "Shades of Hades," etc. RUBE BLOOM, writer of "Soliloquy": "Spring Fever", "Serenata," etc. FERDIE GROFE, writer of "Grand Canyon Suite": "Suez," etc CAHN and CHAPLIN, writers of "Please Be Kind"; "Until the Real Thing Comes Along": "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen": "Darkies Have Music in Their Souls." LEON BERRY, writer of "Christopher Columbus": "Queen Isabella,"etc. CARSON J. ROBISON. writer of "My Blue Ridge Mountain Home": "Little Green Valley": "Barnacle Bill the Sailor," etc. PHIL COOK, writer of "It Don't Do Nothin' But Rain," etc. EARL HINES, writer of "Rosetta""Deep Forest,"etc. REGINALD FORESYTHE. writer of "Serenade toa Wealthy Widow": "Deep Forest." etc. VICTOR ARDEN, writer of "Honeymoon Waltz," etc. CLAUDE HOPKINS. writer of "I WouldDo Anything for You," etc. HAROLD ARLEN, writer of "Stormy Weather"; "Minor Gaff,"etc. EUGENE GIFFORD, writer of "Casa Loma Stomp"; "Smoke Rings," etc. JIMMIE DURANTE, writer of "Daddy, Your Mama Is Lonesome for You" (He is the famous radio, picture and stage start. PAUL DENNIKER, writer of "S'posin" "Beside an Open Fireplace," etc. FRANK WELDON, writer of "I Like Mountain Music": "Breakin' the Ice," etc. J. FRED COOTS, writer of "You Co to My Head"; "Santa ClausIs Comin' to Town," etc. FLETCHER HENDERSON, writer of "Dynamite," etc. MUSIC FRIENDS SERVICE, INC., offersa legitimate and valuable service to you song writers who desire to have your musical efforts,lyricor melody, instrumental selection or complete song carefully examined and honestly commented upon by qualified experts under the direct personal supervision of JOE DAVIS in an effort to aid you in writing a song the "RIGHT" way.Ifyour song possesses merit but may be improved upon, appropriate sugges- tions will be made to you:ifitislackingin any important essential orfundamental, these defects will be pointed out and suggestions for their cor- rection will be made.In any event your song will receive an impartial, FRANK and authoritative opinion by our staff of song experts. Please bear in mind that we DO NOT PROMISE TO HAVE YOUR SONG PUBLISHED. Itisjusta criticism service to aid and assist youin correctly writing your songs. However, should your song have unusual merit, it will be submittedto JOE DAVIS, INC., andifaccepted youwillbe offered a song -writers' royalty agreement providing for the publication of your song ata specifieddate with ABSOLUTELY NO FURTHER COST TO YOU WHATSOEVER. This is not a promise to publish every song sent in for criticism, but writerswith talent have always been encouraged by JOE DAVIS and you may be one of the fortunate ones tohave your song published by one ofthenation'sleading music publishers, JOE DAVIS, INC. You may avail yourself of this service, our expert opinion and criticismfor the small cost of $2.00 foreachsong submitted, whether complete or consisting of only alyricor melody alone. It may prove aprofitableinvestment. Fill out and return the coupon below, together with your manuscript and $2.00 in money order or cash. IF YOU SEND CASH PLEASE USE REGISTERED MAIL. Your song will receive our earliest attention and our criticismwillbe sent you not later than two weeks after we receive your lyric,melody or complete song. (DETACH HERE) MUSIC FRIENDS SERVICE, INC., DEPT. B., DATE 1619 BROADWAY, NEW YORK CITY. GENTLEMEN: Ienclose herewith money order , cash ,(if cash,use registered mail),in the sum of Two ($2.001Dollars, together with my manuscript which you agree to criticiseand return. Itisunderstood that you do not promise to have my song published and will not be responsible for anydamage orloss theretointransit. NAME: ADDRESS: CITY: STATE: Vol. 51 O) February 4, No. 5 The World's Foremost Amusement Weekly 1939 Published weekly at Cincinnati, O.Enteredessecond-class matter,June 4,1897, at Post Office, Cincinnati, Under Act of March, 1879. 84 Pages. Subscription. $5 per year. Copyright 1939 by The Billboard Publishing Company. LEAN CROP OF NEW NAMES e Wage Claim Assignments Revealed Too Few Orks Developed Into In McCoy Wild West Bankruptcy; Guilty Are Asked To " Come Clean"Top Timber in. the Past Year WASHINGTON, Jan. 28.-As a resultplainly stated that his office "bore the of the communication from L. B. Green -brunt". ofhelping the workers when haw. of La Fayette, Ind., in Hartmann'slegalbattlesweretakingplaceover Radio remotes have lost their magic-bookers much Broadcast of The Billboard, January 28classification of the case as either equity issue, Richard A. Harman, attorney fororbankruptcy."We do not propose concerned-offices single out promising bands for spe- many wage claims now pending againstto carry the entire burden in Wilming- the defunct McCoy Wild West Show,ton, but we will be glad to correspond cial bally-1938 gave less than 10 new names today said that he had received a long-with attorneys representing other wage distance call from an Annapolis lawyerclaimants," Harman stated. NEW YORK, Jan. 28.-It wasn't so many years ago that all a band leader inquiring into Harman's experience in He pointed out that it will take con-needed was 13 weeks of sustaining dance remotes on the networks and he was ripe pressing his wage claims at Wilming-siderable time now in order to check andto cash in as a national name.In fact, he didn't even have to drag his original ton, Del.Thru contact with this lawyerdouble-check the claims, but he be-band along for that trek thru the hinterlands where the gelt is gravy for the and from other sources Harman has re-lieves that a large part of the worktraveling tootlers.It was enough to plunk down your dollar at the ballroom ceived reliable information that some ofshould have been done by now."Wegate just to see your unseen maestro "in person," even if his pick-up band sounded the wage claimants have "sold" their (See WAGE CLAIM on page 60) as tho every instrumentalist resented the presence of the others under the same claims, or assigned them, in some cases shell.But as the dance followers grew to as many as three different persons, up in the ensuing years, especially since and that such claims have been filed swing became ascientificstudy, the as many as three times. band boys and their bookers stunted "Of course such tricks can't get by aSLA. Willing To Co -Operateself -growth and continued milking the bankruptcy court," Harman said, "and moneyed well until It ran dry. it would be very advisable for those who True, there are more names of national did try this stunt to come clean now prominence in the ork world today than and to write to their attorney in eachOn Home Project---McCafferyin any other decade.And the competi- case and tell the facts." tion among them for top kale is almost This might expedite settling of the CHICAGO, Jan. 28.- The Showmen'sduring that timeandaware that nothinglethal.However, it's these same names claims, Harman said, as settlement willLeague of America is ready and willing toconcrete had been done toward a projectand familiar faces that have come down Inevitably be delayedifhearingsareco-operate with those interested in theof that type, took the lead and duringthru the years, with the ranks of new- ordered in disputed cases as to whoproposed Showmen's Home. League rep-the year past has raised a substantialcomers diminishing to almost a nil point should get the money. resentatives have never refused to conferamount of money to be used in further-as we approach the present year. In fact, with those of similar organizations anding the cause of a Home.