APOLLO RECORDS 'DOOD' IT! ^
MINOR FIRM MAJORS OVERNIGHT
Gerry Colson
Firm's Progress Linked With Its Stand In
1 Selecting Talent on Merit, Not "Name,"
Color or Creed; Has Constructive Program
I Editor's Note: This is the first of two installments depicting the rise of Apollo Records I
, _._By GERRY COLSON
New York (IPS): "Phenomenal" is the word tor the overnight appearance ot Apollo
Records to a major position in the music world. The story is told today
because of its special significance to followers of real jazz and blues, to
; admirers of Lee Richardson, Wyonie "Mr. Blues" Harris, Ray Eberle, Hal
Winters,v Luis Russell and the galaxy of other Apollo recording artists.
Miraculously, side by side with Apollo, these singers and orchestra
' leaders, with song writers and businessmen, have come into prominence
—almost overnight!
It began in Harlem, in a small record shop called "The Rainbow." A few young men
with vision saw the need for producing the kind of blues, Jazz, folk and pop music that
Lt« Richardton Wynonie Harri* «. Hal Winter* John Kirby
people wanted, but were not getting on records. With a small amount of capital and a great
deal of musical know-how, these young men established Apollo. They brought out record
"Hot" Lip* Page ' Din.h Weihington Willie Bryeet V . - Laurel Wehotl
ings of depth and feeling, and their recordings were welcomed as if by a music-starved
public.
"Hot" Lips Page, Illinois Jacquet, Rabon Tarrant, Coleman Hawkins orchestra, John
I m jam ■ -« ■ • _ - . _
, Kirby and orchestra, Dinah Washington, Babe Wallace, Willie Bryant,
1 Laurel Watson, Hall Winters, Teddy McRae and band, Mahalia Jackson
^ and the Bill Campbell orchestra—all were quick to turn to Apollo to record
music .they loved, the way they felt it. Here was a chance to give the
world music with expression, music with spontaneous and native feeling.
I The public loved it. More records were demanded and, suddenly, before
the major companies knew it, Apollo and its artists were on their way!
Using sharp foresight, the Apollo originators joined forces with additional interests,
sound and progressive. Then, fully equipped, the new Apollo team of talent, artistic direc
tion and business acumen, went to work, producing! Their goal was to produce Music
'Americana. Their ambition was to build a company to champion in production and ideals,
end their first victory came from the stand they took on the issue of tdlerance.
*r~ fEditor's note: Inside story of how this young company made its sensational rise to a
hading position in the recording industry will be continued In our next Issue.I
P In turn, these business engineers secured experts for each sub
division of their highly- specialized business of recorS-making. For
promotion manager they appointed the popular and dynamic
former road manager for Joe Louis, Irving Katz.
In selecting an associate to work for Irv Katz, the new com
pany broke all precedent—it did what no other company had done
—from Decca to Columbia, Capitol or Victor. Apolla appointed
Ted Yates, a member of the Negro press and foremost syndicate writer, to handle publicity.
'x _/
n*o*ywefgM Champion Jot '.ouu and Irvfng Kail
It selected Verd <in Cook, young sepia artist, to direct art work and create the Apollo album
covers.
» Another indication of Apollo's pioneering spirit in the interests of
all groups, is the recent signing of the first Negro girl to be used by a
record company as a model in its national sales campaigns. Attractive
Miss Natalie Mobley, young colored girl of White pi''ins, N. Y., has
^been titled "Miss Teen Age" for Apollo Records.
"Mi«Teen Ag«" Apollo evaluates its artists on talent, not "name," color or creed. It
considers all auchtion requests, making decisions on merit alone. Oddly enough, at the end
of the first year, Apoilo’s rich talent list was peponderantly sepia. Today the roster includes
artists from all over the world, and original policies still stand.
Real tribute for this spectacle of recording company growth goes not only to Apollo; but
to the people of Harlem, the music lovers of the Mid-West, the South and every town and
hamlet of America; to record distributors, |uke box operators and artists.
Apollo made music, and the nation respond with musical enthusiasm to make Apollo
Only word to describe it: "Phenominal!" !
JESSE PRICE LEAVES
FOR WEST COAST
HOLLYWOOD, — Jesse Price,
jump band singer and drummer,
has deserted the warmer climes
of the middle west for resort lo
cations on the west coast.
Immediately after his return
here from Kansas City, where he
had done a series of personal ap
pearances and radio programs,
Jesse was booked into the famous
Toddle House in Los Angeles.
Released on Capitol Americana
Records in July. Jesse's latest
disc pairs “That's The Way She
Feels’, a happy song with shuf
fle rhythm, and “Blue Book Bo
ogie,” which is a story of the
dangers of women told in boogie
beat.
Two other Jesse Price numbers
released in early summer have al
eardy made their mark in music
circles. They are “You Can’t Take
It With You” and “Big Town
Blues."
Serin? Stars
By Dolores CALVIN
NEW YORK — While Lionel
Hampton has gone all the way
to Hollywood to make his part
in the new Danny Kaye picture,
his favorite dog. Tempo, may end
up getting close to star billing
right here in New York—While
leaving the dog hospital where
Tempo is being treated, the dog
Ham p’s secretary unknowingly
walked in front of the cameras
and stayed “on location” fbr sev
eral minutes. Tempo only hopes
his debut won’t be left on the
cutting room floor.
Lena Horne, whose opening at
the Copacabana this week is the
most exciting event of the sea
son. has been so ill since her ar
rival that she's had to cancel
many social dates and retreat to
her Long Island home.
Mantan Moreland, cigar and all,
with friends—Canada Lee late for
rehearsals, racing along Broad
way—Since Max Jelin has paid
off the $6,000 outstanding debt
to performers in “Lysistrata”, the
ill-fated Broadway prodiction of
last season, the cast is pretty
happy—Jean Dalrymple, who goes
overboard for Negro productions,
has her eyes on “Green Pastures”
for a Fall revival—With half the
backing money, she has just half
to go. "nm
Gladys Hampton flew into town
from L. A. for a few days to
straighten out business matters
and see one of her best friends,
Lena Horne—Hamp could’ve flo
wn in also, but he's afraid of
the planes — Duke Ellington’s
Carnegie Hall concert coming up.
There should certainly be a pro
test that in the lavish film “Car
negie Haiy there wasn't ONE
Negro artist or a flicker of one
throughout —As many times as
Marian Anderson has graces the
stage — or Duke Ellington it
seems they could have been
brought out instead of a lesser
personality as Rise Stevens — It
was certainly discouraging to
have to listen to the plot where
the son. who has grown up in
l such magnificent surroundings,
throws away his priceless as
sociation with the greats to be
piano player with Vaughan Mon
i hoe’s band — I'd hate to think
what a Negro would've done with
an opportunity like that — A
chance we have dreamed about.
HAMPTON J. SCOTT FEATURED IN
REPUBLIC’S “THAT’S MY MAN”
.__ _
TED YATES PUBLICATIONS
Hampton J. Scott, noted negro character actor, and Catherine McLeod
admire Gallant Man in this scone from Republic’s thrilling epic of | i
the turf, “That’s My Man,” in which Miss McLeod is co-starred with!
Don Ameche. Frank Borzage produced and directed the top-budget I
production and Roscoe Karns, John Ridgely, Kitty Irish and Joe Frisco / I
head the supporting cast. ' i j
"SEPIA CINDERELLA”
PREVIEWS IN NEW YORK
NEW YORK _ Shelia Guyse,
who hasn't been shown to advan
tage since he* starring "Mem
phis Bound’’ days of a few sea
sons back, has returned to the
fold in a Herald Pictures brain
chill, “Sepia Cinderella”. The full
length feature was shown this
week at the Apollo Theatre.
Co-starring with sweet singer
Billy Daniels, Shelia’s part was
of a naive, unsophisticated typical
boardinghouse lass who aids her
guy to get a hit song and tear
fully watches while be gets !n
volved in the cluthes of a beauti
ful. influencial woman (Tonda
leyo). After a series of muffled
lines, inexpensive scenery and a
theme song pulled from the hat,
Billy and Sehlia find one another
at the end. theatrical wedding
and all.
The film, which had an unsuc
cessful run at the Club Baron
on experiment, hasn’t yet, we be
lieve. fulfilled their first duty of
paying the actors’ wages.
Say you saw it adv©rtised in The
Omaha Guide
Actors to Iry to Secure
Discrimination Clause
Actors Equity’s Executive
Council, in a special meeting to
day, reaffirmed its intention to
secure a clause in its basic con
tract with the League of New
York Theatres providing that no
actor shall be required to play
in any theatre in Washington,
which does not admit Negroes.
Equity's ruling is scheduled to
go into effect on Junelf 1948,
unless the policy is changed by
that time, and Equity officials
are now seeking to incorporate a
supporting provision in Equity's
basic contract with the League,
which covers the working condl
tisons of all actors.
At the same time the Council
emphatically rejected a counter
proposal of the League, that Equi
ty instead join with the League
and other theatrical organiza
tions in a campaign to eliminate
discrimination in Washington’s
ed to extend its deadline from
legitimate theatre hy educatio
and legislation. The Council offer
June 1 to August 1. 1948. but in
structed its negotiators to insist
| on the non-discrimination clause.
SUGAR SAYS DOYLE BENEFIT
STILL ON DESPITE RUMORS
TO CONTRARY
NEWYORK—The Doyle bene
fit fight as scheduled in Los An-!
geles for November will go
through despite any rumors to
the contrary. This statement
came straight from the principal
in the Doyle Family Benefit, none
other tha* Ray Sugar Robinson,
against whom young Jimmy Doy
le lost not only a fight but his
Ife June 24,
Baby McCoy, a Los Angeles
fight promoter, had earlier an
nounced that the Robinson match
to benefit the family of Jimmy
Doyle had been canceled by Ray
Himself. Originally scheduled for
September 23 in L. A., Ray had
asked that the match be set back
a month and later, according to
MeCoy, had canceled the whole
idea, saying that he would fight
the benefit before next year.
Sugar's manager has announced
that the match is still on, but
Babe McCoy as sponsor is out.
Robinson is making the benefit
under the promotion of Larry
Rummans. Also. Robinson’s rea.
son for delaving the bout was
that he might fight Marcel Car
dan, the European middleweight
champion later this summer.
FOUR CAUGHT IN $4,130
HOLDUP OF RESTAURANT
CHICAGO,HI. — The four Neg
roes, who netted $4,130 in a hold
up of a Chinese Restaurant at
1366 E. 55 st„ have been
caught, detectives of Hyde Park
Station have announced. The
holdup was an inside job.
Twenty-seventh State Conven
tion of the American Legion Auxi
liary Department of Nebraska
Assembled at the Joslyn Memorial
July 27-30. Delegates to the con
vention for Roosevelt Post No. 30
Auxiliary were Mrs. Pearl Burm
mell, Mrs. Greta Wade, Mrs. Mar.
ion Hickman and Mrs. Pearl Tho
mas.
HARLEM WHISTLES
FOR ROOSEVELTS
NEW YORK _ Harlem crowds
in theatres went wild this wreek
when Mrs. Roosevelt was shown
on th screen accepting France’s
j highest award for the late Presi
' dent. Whistles, cheers and heavy
plaudits welcomed the scene.
Classified Ads Get Resiits
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Satisfaction guaranteed REIGN
JOBS, INC., Baltimo-e Maryld.
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I.AIM1RIES Jk < T Ea.\ER«
EDHODI A iHERR V.N
1401 \orth Rlih St WE, 0051
PICK THESE AND YOU CAN’T
GO WRONG: Kingsblood Royal
The Vixens. Color Blind, Black
Boy. Also Oscar Micheaux’s
books,
BRUMBAUGH OF OMAHA
New and USED Books
109 N. 16th St. AT 8032
JOE BAKSI ARRIVES IN
STATES STILL EYEING LOUIS
NEW YORK—Jos Baksi, the lad
from Kulpmont, Pa., came into
New York Harbor on the United
States liner America, chirping a
new tune.
Humble and modest, mind you,
Baksi declared that he never
once refused to fight Joe Louis.
If he did, he was misquoted.
Moreover, now that Baksi's
chances of meeting Louis have
been pared down in favor of an
unheralded Swedish heavyweight,
jAlle Tandberg, to whom ho lost
I a match earlies this summer,
Baksi’s manager is saying Bak
! si will fight Louis if they want
him to.
JESSE PRICE (right) animates his work with his jump band as he builds
! up a song he is recording for Capitol. His latest record releases on the
Capitol Americana label include 'That's The Way She Feels" and "Blue
Book Boogie." Jesse is back in California gfter a series of radio and
personal appearances in Kansas City.
1 _ . _ .
BUDDY YOUNG TO FACE
CHICAGO BEARS AUG. 22
CHICAGO, m.—Claude (Buddy)
Young, whose name causes pleas
ant memories around here from
last New York’s Day, has been
linked with the Chicago All-Star
brigade which will go against the
Chicago Bears in Soldiers’ Field
on the night of Aug. 22. Spon
sored by the Chicago Tribune,
over 103,000 are expected to wit
ness the event.
Playing with Buddy wilTb^^
nother Chicago boy, Julie Ryko
vich. Wherein Buddy, stocky and
powerful, weighing 175 pounds, is
expected to break the National
League championes with his
speed, Julie will be looked to add
more power. M*
LOVERS OP HORSES —Little
Butch Jenkins!, who shares •
secret language with horses,
smlied at Hrnest Whiteman, his
friend, in the new MGM movie
“My Brother Talks To Horses”.
American Meat Packing^
From a humbl* beginning 506
rears ago, meat packing has grown
» become one of the nation’s larg
est industries. Meat packers in the
United States produce more than 30
DiUion pounds of meat annually.
Prbm five million farms and
ranches in every state the meat
packers purchase 127 million cattle,
calves, hogs and sheep to make into
(teaks, roasts, stews, sausage items
and canned meat, as well as utiliz
ing by-products for many pharma
ceutical and manufacturing items
When they kiss and make up
she gets the kiss and he gets
the make-up.
Whitman has just taken his life
savings of or^ thousand dollars
to buy a special horse for Butch
when an accident happens and
the animal has to be shot.
Clever From Italy
Crimson clover was introduced
into the United States from Italy in
1818.
CLEO’s
Nite & Day
BARBA
2042 North 21st St
ALL KINnc - ^ELICIOUs
SANDWICHES
•OPEN 24 tt-' S A DA >
Oeliveri s Made Small Fee
Charge F*>r frhp sao
Call ATlantic 9541
“FOXES OF HARROW” STIII
A BEST-SELLER
NEW YORK _ Frank Yerby's
first novel, “Foxes of Harrow”
was the best reprint seller for
Spring, 1947. “The Foxes” was
issued by the Dial Press.
BIB* M WMOng
The wearing of something blue at
the wedding was ancient Israelite
custom which suggested a blue rib
bon for the bride—blue being the col
or of purity, love and Sdelity.
MARY’S CHICKEN HUT, 2722 N.
CHICKEN DINNERS
30th St.. JA. 8948. Our Chicken
Dinners are Something to Crow A
bout. Robt. Jones, Propr.
New & Used Furniture
Complete L.me—Paint Hardware
We Buy, Sell ana Trade
IDEAL FURNITURE MART
4611-13 North 24th— 24th * -J*
—WEI x 2224—
'Everything > r The h . ’
LYCAN & RANKIN guaranty
their furnace repairs, call A
5029
GIRL WANTED FOR TYPING.
Omaha Guide Publishing Co.
Come In Person between 8 and
10 a. m. and 3 and 5:00 p. to.
ask for Mr. Devereaux.
Robert Saxton, Attorney
705 Keeline Building
Omaha, Nebraska
IN THE DISTRICT COURT Of
DOUGLAS COUNTY,
NEBRASKA
Bird Finance Corp., a oorporat
ion. Plaintiff vs, Schandorf Hard]
and Lenora B. Hardy. Defendants
Execution Docket 35, Page 99
LEGAL NOTICE
TO Schandorf Hardy and Len
ora B. Hardy, also known as Le
nore B. Hardy, if living, and if
dead, to her heirs, administrators,
assigns or devisees, defendants:
You and each of you are hereby
notified that on the 23rd day of
July, 1947, the plaintiff filed an
affidavit and motion for revivor
I in the above ease, the object and
i purpose of which are to obtain
| revivor of the judgment of $362.79
I ar*i costs rendered against you ia
the County Court of Douglas
County, Nebraska, Book 32, Page
119, on or about the 8th day of
November, 1939, and transcripted
♦o this Court in this action on
January 2, 1940, and upon wbid
there is now due and unpaid th
sun: cf $453,20 as of December '
1944 together with interest at i
per cent on $362. 79 from Decern
ber 7, 1944, until paid, together
with court costs of the County
Court of Douglas County, Nebr
aska, in the amount of $18.85 and
together with court costs in the
Disrict Court of Douglas County
Nebraska, in the amount of 11.00
and accruing costs.
You are further notified that oni
the 23rd day of July, 1947, plain
tiff obtained a conditional order of
revivor of said judgment against
you which provides that said
judgment be revived against you
unless you show sufficient cause
or answer on or before the 27 day
of August, 1947, why the same
should not be revived.
BIRD FINANCE CORP..
a Corporation,
Plain tij
BY Robert Saxton,
Its Attorney
Beg,. 7-26-47
End. 8-16-47
1 ,
We wish to Announce
THE OPENING OF THE
6 & J Smoke Shop
2118 NORTH 24th Street
Everything In the Une of
CIGARS. CIQARETTE8, A
SOFT DRINKS
Jackson A Godbey, Props.
Beauticians
HAIR DRESSING BOOTHS
For Rent or' Lease
DOT’S BEAUTY SALON
2031 North 24th St. AT-0459
Look for
Swansons
Noodle Giblet Dinner
Noodle Chicken Dinner
New Low Prices
At All Grocers
Cooperative with President Truman's Program
NOW OPEN
Hurry Back Lunchroom
Fhe Iluiry Back Lunchroom is at your service, featuring
we11-seasoned home-cooked foods. One miinute service
If e specialize in homemade Chili, Fresh Hamburger
Chili Mac, Hot Dogs with Chili and Relish
We in. ‘.te you to try our Be^f Stew, Southern Style,
are ‘ ound the corner from 21th and Lake Street at
)l.ake Street. Phone jAckson 9195
v p>ACK LUNCHROOM
9°2-k -t* JA 9195
reason and E. Washington, Props:
Luis Russell
Illinois iacquef
H»SScg«l