Recording Edison Cylinders and Diamond Discs --- Just Take Those Old Records off the Shelf, Part 2

In my continuing series of recording selected cylinders from my collection of Edison phonographs, I've recorded a cylinder that has always been a particular favorite of mine.  The title of the cylinder is "Let Us Not Forget."  It's an address by Thomas Alva Edison himself.  Edison, always self-conscious of his voice due to his deafness, seldom allowed his voice to be recorded.  In this recording, however, he felt strongly enough about the topic that he read an address to the American people on the role of the allied powers in working with the United States to defeat Germany in World War I.

Although "Let Us Not Forget" was originally issued on a 4-minute Blue Amberol cylinder, the entire speech is just under two minutes long.  There are two different versions of this cylinder.  The speech is always the same, however, another version is followed by national airs of other countries.  My copy of this cylinder has blank grooves for another two minutes.

Announcer:
Thomas A. Edison, the inventor of the phonograph, has never before permitted his voice to be recorded for the public. Today, however, he has a message for you that is important enough to cause him to break his long established rule. Mr. Edison will now give you that message. I beg to introduce Mr. Thomas A. Edison:

Thomas Alva Edison:

Thomas Edison's Address "Let Us Not Forget" 1919

This is Edison speaking. Our boys made good in France, the word 'American' has a new meaning in Europe. Our soldiers have made it mean courage, generosity, self-restraint and modesty. We are proud of the North Americans who risked their lives for the liberty of the world. But we must not forget and we must not permit demagogues to belittle the part played by our gallant allies. Their casualty list tells the story. However proud we may be of our own achievements, let us remember always, that the war could not have been won if the Belgians, the British, the French and the Italians had not fought like bull-dogs in the face of overwhelming odds. The Great War will live dilately in the minds of Americans for the next hundred years. I hope that when we do reverence to the memory of our brave boys who fell in France, we shall not forget their brothers in arms who wore the uniform of our allies. I believe that the national airs of France, Great Britain, Italy and Belgium should for all time to come be as familiar to us as our own Star Spangled Banner."

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy this cylinder recording.  

Recording Edison Cylinders and Diamond Discs ---- Just Take Those Old Records off the Shelf, Part 1

For many years I've collected phonographs built by Thomas Edison's National Phonograph Company.  It was an interest that began when I was in high school and continues more or less today.  It's funny when you're a collector how the passion for the project ebbs and flows.  Realizing that I've had several of these "reproducing machines" and cylinder records for close to 30 years now--which puts many of them over or approaching 100 years old--I thought I'd try to preserve some of the recordings I've enjoyed for many years and share them with anyone who stumbles across my posts. 

This will be a series of videos or recordings that I will post either on YouTube or on SoundCloud.  I think it's important to preserve these earliest sound recordings for future generations.  Other people are doing the same thing and I hope to add to their efforts with these few recordings.  d

In each post I'll describe the phonograph used and try to tell as much about the artist and recording as I can find.

"That Old Gang of Mine" Billy Jones and Ernest Hare, 1923, Edison Diamond Disc Recording.

Played on an Edison Diamond Disc Cabinet Phonograph, Model BC-34, 1923

 

The following biographical sketch retrieved from http://turtleservices.com/happiness.htm

BILLY JONES (born 3-15-89, died 11-23-40) and ERNEST HARE (born 3-16-83, died 3-9-39) met in 1919 and formed a team at the suggestion of Brunswick recording executive, Gus Haenschen. They recorded for Brunswick and many other companies as Jones and Hare, The Happiness Boys. Jones is the tenor; Hare, the bass/baritone.
When they performed on a network radio show for Interwoven Socks, they called themselves The Interwoven Pair. They also made theater and club appearances. They reached the height of their popularity in 1929-30. They also recorded as Billy West & Bob Thomas, Thomas & West, Henry Jones & Billy West, Harry Blake & Robert Judson, Blake & Judson, Lester George & Walter Lange, and Scott & Lewis.

They became known as The Happiness Boys, because as radio entertainers they were sponsored, beginning in August 1923 on Manhattan New York station WEAF, by the Happiness Candy Stores. By 1924 they adopted "How Do You Do?" as their radio theme song. In 1928, Jones and Hare became the highest paid singers in radio, $1,250 a week.

William Reese Jones, a tenor, tried his hand at banking, mining, blacksmithing, and other occupations. He made his recording debut in 1918. He used several names: Billy Jones,Harry Blake, Billy Clarke, Lester George, Duncan Jones, Reese Jones, John Kelley, Dennis O'Malley, William Rees, Victor Roberts, Billy West, William West, and Carlton Williams. He recorded with Cleartone Four (Harmonizers Quartet), Crescent Trio, Harmonizers Quartet. Premier Quartet (replacing Billy Murray in late Premier groups for Edison recordings).

Thomas Ernest Hare, a bass/baritone, began his recording career in 1918. During 1919 and 1920 he was Al Jolson's understudy during a run of "Sinbad." Hare's Jolson style can be heard on Grey Gull 1166-B "Knock Wood and Whistle." As Hare recorded with partners such as Al Bernard and Billy Jones, he continue to work as a solo artist using names such as Bob Thomas, Wallace Daniels, Arthur Grant, Henry Jones, Robert Judson, Walter Lang, Walter Leslie, Roy Roberts, Bob Thompson, "Hobo" Jack Turner and Frank Mann. He recorded with Cleartone Four (Harmonizers Quartet), Crescent Trio, Harmonizers Quartet. Premier Quartet (replacing Billy Murray in late Premier groups for Edison recordings).