juke1 juke2
juke3 juke4

header text

on the  Vocal Group Harmony Website 


Spinning only the best in Rhythm & Blues


 

Your destinations:

Home

Listen To My Show

Back To Playlist

Unca Marvy's Articles

Places To Visit

Things To Know

My Ink Spots Book

Surveys

Fan Club Cards

Other Neat Stuff






»»» Contact Unca Marvy


August 12 is Edison Day. On that day in 1877, Thomas Edison made the first sound recording on his new-fangled phonograph, "Mary Had A Little Lamb" [You can listen to Edison's 1927 re-creation of that recording, below.] He clearly had the foresight to envision Rhythm & Blues recordings. However, at the beginning:

"When Edison built his first phonograph in 1877, he published an article proposing ten uses to which his invention might be put. They included preserving the last words of dying people, recording books for blind people to hear, announcing clock time, and teaching spelling. Reproduction of music was not high on Edison's list of priorities. A few years later Edison told his assistant that his invention had no commercial value. Within another few years he changed his mind and did enter business to sell phonographs—but for use as office dictating machines. When other entrepreneurs created jukeboxes by arranging for a phonograph to play popular music at the drop of a coin, Edison objected to this debasement, which apparently detracted from serious office use of his invention. Only after about 20 years did Edison reluctantly concede that the main use of his phonograph was to record and play music."

The above quote was taken from " Guns, Germs, And Steel " by Jared Diamond (W.W. Norton & Co., 1997, page 243). This is a fascinating book that attempts to explain why certain civilizations in the past were capable of conquering other civilizations. If you're interested in why things are the way they are, this is a great book. Unca Marvy gives it his highest rating (even if there's nothing in it about R&B).

And, as an aside, Arthur Sullivan (that's half of Gilbert & Sullivan) wrote to Edison: "I am ... terrified at the thought that so much hideous and bad music may be put on record forever." (I wonder how he ever got to hear the Capris' "It Was Moonglow".)

victrola Listen to Edison's Mary Had A Little Lamb


back to top
Like this page? Contact me.

email:marvy42@att.net
© Copyright 2000 Marv Goldberg