The Payola Scandal

In today’s generation, any sources of entertainment is readily available to us through the internet. Contrasting, this was not the cast in the 1950s. In the 1950s, a primary form of communication to the American population was through radio station. From political updates to sports update, the radio station was the place for entertainment. One of the most popular programs included the exploration to new music. As time went on, programs shifted form the radio stations to television after it’s invention. As a consequence, disc jockeys began to play a new form of music; roll and rock.[1] This new type of music became greatly popular among citizens, especially the youth. Over time as interest began to grow, which inspired artists to join the revolution of Rock and Roll music.[2]

As the market grew, record companies expected more investment. However, there was only one limitation, air time. As fame grew, so did the competition among record companies. The competition of making their record reach heights. One of the key players in this situation were the disc jockeys. As the controller of the radio station, disc jockeys had one job to pick out any label and play it for the public.[3] Which record to play and how many times was all controlled by the disc jockey. Therefore, in order to take leadership, record companies and artist started to pay radio jockeys for their air time.[4] This action became known as Payola. In simpler terms Payola is bribery. Essentially bribing the radio jockey of money or other incentives to have their record played repeatedly.

To a surprise, in the 1950s the practice of payola was not illegal, in fact it had been occurring for many years. [5] Over time the number of radio jockeys, artists, and record companies practicing Payola increase rapidly.Eventually, the audience started to realizing that the jockeys they had blindly trusted were not playing music that was best for the public, but the music that got them the most; be it money or fame. [6]

The music they were listening to everyday became a sense of illusion, because they were not hearing what was the best music, but in fact the music that was sold.  Many true artists and music labels were neglected or never been heard of, because they could not afford to pay thousands of dollar to the radio jockeys. [7] A sense of mistrust began to arise within the population.

The practice of Payola had become so common it eventually became a topic of concern even for the United States Congress. One of the main concern for the United States Congress was the fact that even through people in the music industry practice Payola is well known, the money was never declared on DJ’s tax returns therefore was illegal.[8] Furthermore, the government believed that the  it was not ethical to keep the citizen blinded of the practices that happen behind the microphone. Therefore, in 1959, the investigation began. [9]On January 25 1960, it was officially stated that by the National Association of Broadcasters that radio jockeys accepting payments will not only be charged a fine of $500 but also spend one year in prison. [10]

Two key jockeys were exposed, DJ Alan Freed and Dick Clark. DJ Alan Freed was known for introducing Rock and Roll. Dick Clark was a television personality host.

DJ Alan Freed was convicted of accepting Payola though out this career as a radio jockey, however he kept on refuse this statement.[11] The radio company he worked at, WABC asked him to sign a contact stating he had never accepted any form of Payola which is strongly refused to do so. As a consequence, he was fired.[12]  Unfortunately, he was not arrested or fined at the moment, as in 1959 laws against Payola were yet to be introduced. However, in May of 1960 DJ Alan Freed was arrest in from commercial bribery and later was charged for 26 other commercial bribery for which he only had to pay the fine. Post investigation, DJ Alan freed was black listed which ended his career.[13] Dick Clark was also a radio jockey was also exposed under the practice of Payola.[14]  It was stated that he held possession in 33 different record labels, distributors, and manufactures.[15] Due to his ownership in these record labels and clearly stating his interest music-related business Congress let Dick Clark pass through without any fines, unlike DJ Alan Freed.[16]

Dick Clark and Alan Freed were just two of the many jockeys investigated under United State Congress, many other jockey’s careers were also ruined under Payola.

As a consequence, post the laws stated by the United State Congress, radio jockey’s right to select the music that gets played on the radio was stripped away.[17] It was now up to management, specifically program and music director, of the radio company that selected what music would be played and in which order. [18]

In today’s generation by the federal law, broadcast station are certified to receive payment or other consideration in exchange, however this fact must be revealed to the audience prior to the program being aired.[19] The music and programing we are being exposed to had certain names of “sponsors” attached to it, which means rich label companies will get their music heard more often not because it is good but because it is rich. As everyday listener, we tend to forget what a big industry the overall music industry is. Our radio station gives us a framework of “rich music” which we misunderstand to be the only existing music in the world. Other music remains unheard of and get shoved in the dark. As citizen and music listener, one of the wisest steps work be to break the framework set radio companies, and think outside the box which will able us to explore music in its purest form.

Bibliography

[1] Neria, Bob. “Payola Scabdal Rock 50’s Radio”

[2]  Neria, Bob. “Payola Scabdal Rock 50’s Radio”

[3] Decades TV Network. “1950s Payola Scandal

[4] Decades TV Network. “1950s Payola Scandal

[5] Decades TV Network. “1950s Payola Scandal

[6] Decades TV Network. “1950s Payola Scandal

[7] Neria, Bob. “Payola Scabdal Rock 50’s Radio”

[8] Payola Scandal 1959 Timeline

[9] Payola Scandal 1959 Timeline

[10] Payola Scandal 1959 Timeline

[11] Mariehegwood. “Alan Freed Payola Scandal”

[12]  Payola Scandal 1959 Timeline

[13] Mariehegwood. “Alan Freed Payola Scandal”

[14] “Dick Clark Survives the Payola Scandal”. History.com

[15] “Dick Clark Survives the Payola Scandal”. History.com

[16] “Dick Clark Survives the Payola Scandal”. History.com

[17] Decades TV Network. “1950s Payola Scandal –

[18] Decades TV Network. “1950s Payola Scandal –

[19] “Payola Rules”. Federal Communications Commissions

Josephine Baker #M3Q1

Who was Josephine Baker?

Freda Josephine Mcdonald was born on June 3, 1906 in St. Louis, Missouri. Throughout her life she was know as a singer, civil rights activist, and a dancer and devoted most of her life to fight racism. She was born in poverty but with her skills as a dancer and a singer in youth she found success on Broadway. To help her family with finical situation, Freda would clean and babysit wealthy white families and that is where she first learned about racism by being treated poorly often by the families. She ran away from home at the age of 13 to pursue her dreams of working in the show business. Josephine Bakwer first marriage was at the age of 13 to Willie Baker whom she divorced shortly. She kept his last name due to her career taking off during the time she married to Willie Baker. She would go on the have three more marriages which all ended in divorces. Her last husband was a French Composer Jo Bouillon. She was also know to be bisexual and having multiple relationship with women throughout her life. Josephine Baker did not have any biological children but adopted 12 children. She wanted to prove that children of different ethnicities and religion could still be brothers and sisters and live in peace. She called her family the “The Rainbow Tree”. Josephine Baker died at the age of 68 on April 12, 1975. She died due to cerebral hemorrhage. At her funeral she received the French military honors and was the only American born women to do so.

Early Days

Josephine Baker’s musical stage entertainment started around 1920s when she decided to move to France. She took up dancing around this time and displayed her amazing skills in both club and street style performers. Around this time, she also started touring United States with the Jones Family Band and the Dixie Steppers. By 1923 had a role in a musical called Shuffle Along. Her comedic side and her signing made her a crowd favorite. She soon moved to New York city with her sudden fame and was performing in plays such as Chocolate Dandies with Ethel Waters.  In 1925 she performed few plays in France such as La Revue Negre and Danse Sauvage which she made an immediate impression to the French Audience. Due to her success in musical performances, she sang professionally around 1930 in films such as Zou-Zou, Princess Tam-Tam, Siren of the Tropics, and Fausse Alerte.

The Charleston

Josephin Baker performance was mixture of theatrical glamour and a warmth feeling which focused on her body movement and her voice. She would mix song and dance by singing a line or two and dancing along with the song. Her performances seemed to include the audience and and even had subplots within the plot of the performance.  Baker took the Charleston dance and introduced it in Paris in 1920s. She would grab the attention of the audience anytime she performed.

World War 2  

During September of 1939 France declared war on Germany and that is when Josephine was recruited by the Deuxieme Bureau as a honorable correspondent. She would gather information on German troops and their location she met at parties. Due to her efforts in helping with the war she was offered Croix de guerre and the Rosette de la Resistance.

Civil Rights Activist

Josephine Baker was not only a successful musical performer but she was also one on many civil right activists to break the color barrier in the US. Even though France was her home she would often travel to United States for show and would experience hate towards her kind. She would deal with so much hate that she would refuse to perform in venues that only allowed white and not a mixed audience. Even though she was a celebrity she was not immune to racism. She would be refused to hotels and restaurants due to her color of the skin. Due to the fight against racism she was put on the FBI watch list and lost her US citizenship for over a decade. She was allowed to enter the US to speak with Martin Luther King in the March on Washington. She was the only official female speaker at the march.

Legacy

Josephine Baker has been inducted in the St.Louis Walk of Fame and Hall of Famous Missourians. Place Josephine Baker in Montparnasse Quarter is named in her honor. She was also inducted into the Legacy Walk in Chicago. She was referred to the Beyoncé of her day. She was influence to many modern celebrities even after a century. Her legacy will always be remembered and will live on for days to come for many performers.

Bibliography

https://www.biography.com/people/josephine-baker-9195959

 http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20141222-from-exotic-dancer-to-activist

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/march-on-washington-had-one-female-speaker-josephine-baker/2011/08/08/gIQAHqhBaJ_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.cffc2d75982a

http://www.theheroinecollective.com/josephine-baker/

https://www.nytimes.com/1973/06/07/archives/josephine-baker-sings-talks-dances-and-captivates.html

Last weekend I attended a concert at Craven Country Jamboree. Although the experience was quite enjoyable, I am glad I only stayed for one night. Mostly due to the fact health and cleanliness do not rank highly on festival go-ers list. Exhibit one: the countless hand sanitizer dispensers that were either empty or completely destroyed. Anyhow, the artist that I saw live was Dean Brody.  For those of you who don’t know who Dean Brody is, he is a Canadian country singer hailing from Jaffray, British Columbia. Dean Brody grew up in a rural setting, spending much of his time doing activities such as hunting, fishing, camping, and various sports. He helps listeners relive his childhood experiences through his songs, with many of them containing elements of his younger years.  Dean is a well-established musician in Canadian country music, with sixteen Canadian Country Music Awards and two Junos.

Although he began in the country genre, his most recent album “Beautiful Freakshow” has a song also called “Beautiful Freakshow”, which features a rap verse and a faster beat than his traditional music. Dean Brody did not stop experimenting with different genres there. On the same album he released a reggae song called “Beautiful Girl”. The variety of genres that Dean Brody produces show his dynamic musical ability and also showcases his unique musical style. Many of the songs at the concert he performed not only vocals, but also played the acoustic guitar. One of the more popular and notable songs he performed was “Time”. The song addresses the never-ending struggle of time passing. He discusses how when you’re young it feels like those days will never end, and the harsh reality that those days pass by far too quickly as well as the importance of making the most of every minute. It also mentions how we should appreciate things the way they are before it is too late to. The chorus repeats “the trouble is, you think you have time”, which reiterates the message listeners are supposed to take from the song. The song has a generic rhythm section for instrumentals, it features an acoustic guitar, a snare drum, and a bass guitar. The song is made up of a simple two-beat structure, with a slow tempo, and a folk feel, giving listeners the chance to sing along.

Most of you are probably familiar with Craven Country Jamboree as it is renowned for being one of the biggest country festivals in Canada. To describe the physical attributes of the event, it has the looks of a low quality fair grounds, with campsites for thousands to bring their trailers and tents. The stage was set up in the shape of the letter “T” with the bottom of the “T” coming towards the crowd. Two large televisions were setup on both sides of the stage, and the fans packed along edges of the stage. Dean Brody’s music tends to attract people of rural backgrounds, because the activities mentioned in his songs are those done by people from these settings. Having something to relate to in his music makes it far easier for someone to enjoy the songs, as fans are able to reminisce about memories of the same activities with friends and family. Alcohol consumption is an activity mentioned in Dean Brody’s songs and honestly, it is quite difficult to find a country song without the mention of alcohol in the lyrics. The fans of the concert were intoxicated to say the least, many of whom had started consumption before lunchtime. I believe it is a fair argument that there is a connection between the alcohol references in the songs and the inebriation of the crowd as a whole.

Personally, coming from a farming background I can find a lot to relate to in Dean Brody’s words. Whether that be camping, or perhaps having a picnic with family. I spent half of my years growing up, on a farm. Before the introduction of music streaming services, there was not much of a music selection. The city radio stations did not transmit to our farm, so instead of using the FM transmitter, we were left with AM radio. Every single radio station on AM radio was either country music, news, or a bit of both. So, when spending time out on the farm, it was music of this genre that I had available to me, and ever since then it holds a special place in my heart. I feel this was a connection I shared with many in the crowd. From this course I have gained knowledge that the emergence of country music actually began through AM radio. It gave musicians a platform to transmit their songs.

REFERENCES:

Leggett, Steve. “Dean Brody | Biography & History.” AllMusic. Accessed July 16, 2018. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dean-brody-mn0001051996/biography.

I would just like to start by introducing myself. My name is Tyler Verity; I am entering my second year of university enrolled in the Edwards School of Business. Growing up I have always loved listening to music, especially old classics from the 50’s to 70’s. I am excited to widen my knowledge of the music industry and continue to aid in my enjoyment of music for years to come. For my first blog post, I chose the payola scandal as I have increased interest in law and different ways people bend the rules in their favour. As I conducted my research, I was very interested in some of the big names I saw who were guilty of participating. I hope by reading the following, it is as exciting and informative for you.

The payola scandal which began to blossom in the 1950’s, changed the way artists of all genres promoted their music to a broader audience. Some background information which should be known before moving on is the process of how musicians promote their music to the general public. Starting in the 1950’s, radio was one of the main outlets for news, music, and entertainment of all forms. Stations that played music were ran by disk jockeys or DJ’s that would spend their days buying songs to play and would allocate time for each song to be played live over the radio. As more and more competition came into the music industry, it could often become very hard for musicians to have their music exposed as much as they would like. Payola stands for “pay” and “Victrola” which means to bribe. What many musicians began doing was bribing the DJ’s with more airtime by paying them under the table with cash, gifts or other items the DJ’s had an interest in. This bribery not only promoted the musician’s own music but also took time away from playing other musicians.

Back in 1958 is when payola was first publicly exposed. It started with two popular game shows, “Twenty-one” and “$65,000 question” were rigged. It was in these shows that the games were rigged and, in the end, were canceled due to lack of creditability and many legal issues. As payola became more popular more artists were found guilty. If you were found guilty of payola you were been charged $500 per song along with a year in prison. It is said that back in the 1950’s if an artist were to invest $125 they would walk out with a profit of approximately $11,900. That is a huge profit margin. From a personal opinion, if I were an artist if promoting my music creates enough revenue than normal promotion, that I make more than $500 plus enough to minimize the inconvenience of prison, then the pros outweigh the cons, and I would still bribe the DJ. As times progress more outlets are produced which in turn creates more exposure to the public. As there are more opportunities in today’s society, my views on payola would change. I feel it would no longer be a good idea to bribe the DJ.

Some shocking big players that took part in various payola scandals would include Alan Freed. Alan, who coined the term rock n roll, was arrested along with seven others for a total of twenty-six counts of payola. Another big name involved was Jamie records. They invested approximately $15000 into payola as a company. Although it seemed to be more common in the later years, payola participation has been on the decline. However, it is not gone.

One recent payola scandal that has surprised me personally is Sony in 2005. Sony was charged ten million for their participation in payola. With many big companies taking over the music industry it can be a constant effort to attract musicians to join the company. What Sony did to set their artists apart was they would pay the DJ’s to play Sony artists more than others. One famous artist that was caught within this was Jessica Simpson. What Sony would do to cover their footsteps in paying the DJ’s is they would have radio stations fake cash contests. They would rig the contest and have the DJ’s win the competition and hide the insider promotions.

Payola has helped many artists promote their music for many years. Many promotional companies take away the need for under the table bribing however, it is a problem that will always be present whether it is made public or not. I encourage people to share their thoughts on payola as many people have different views on this subject. Thanks for reading.

Sites used:

“Alan Freed, Dick Clark and the Radio Payola Scandal.” Performing Songwriter Ent., LLC. August 24, 2015. Accessed July 20, 2018. http://performingsongwriter.com/alan-freed-payola-scandal/.

McDonald, Heather. “Pros and Cons of Payola.” The Balance Careers. Accessed July 20, 2018. https://www.thebalancecareers.com/payola-influencing-the-charts-2460759.

Neira, Bob. “Payola Scandal Rocks 50’s Radio.” Untitled. Accessed July 20, 2018. http://www.modestoradiomuseum.org/payola.html.

#M2Q3

-Important figures in Early Pop Music History: W.C HANDY

#M2Q3: W.C. Handy Biography

William Christopher Handy, born on November 16^th, 1873 in Florence, Alabama was raised in a religious family with his father working as a pastor at the church in Guntersville. He was also known as the Father of the Blues and one of the most influential songwriters in the United States. Growing up he was involved with carpentry, shoemaking and plastering. Handy was first introduced to music while attending church where he was known for singing and his desire for music only grew as he got older. In his younger years handy had bought a guitar without his parents knowing and would play the guitar in secret. Nonetheless his father came to know of it and forced Handy to return it. This was due to the fact his father was very religious and felt the musical instruments were tools of the “devil”. Regardless Handy’s passion drew his father to sign him up for organ lessons which did not last long but Handy learned to play the cornet. Handy always had a desire for music as he would pass time while waiting for overfilled furnaces to digest ore by making beats from the shovels workers were using. Handy even went on to take a teaching exam which he passed easily but quit learning that it paid poorly. Following these events in 1892, Handy formed a band called the Lauzette Quartet. At this time Handy was also working at a pipe works plant. Handy went on to perform at the World’s Fair Chicago, however he was unable to perform at the show until the following year due to the World’s Fair being postponed for a year. W.C. At the age of 23 he became the bandmaster of the Mahara’s Colored Minstrels. Handy at this point had reached success and was able to travel the country and even perform in places like Cuba with the band as their popularity was growing. Through traveling Handy collided with rural African-American folk songs which would later motivate his mainstream blues music in the future. In 1896 Handy was performing in Kentucky when love struck with his partner Elizabeth Price and decided to marry the same year. Handy and Price would go on to have six children and later settle down in Florence. Handy ended up moving to Memphis, Tennessee and wrote Memphis Blues which would become a blues hit during the 1910s. Moreover, Handy went on to New York where he was an essential component in inspiring the blues. 1928 Handy was also the first host of a blues concert in New York City’s Carnegie Hall. W.C. Handy wasn’t done there he went on to create many pieces during the 20s and 30s such as, An Anthology, Negro Authors and Composers of the United States. Handy even went on to publish his own autobiography in 1941 titled Father of the Blues. During the same period of his autobiography Handy began to face health problems as his eyesight was deteriorating and eventually he was left completely.  Following these years of hardships as his eyesight has been lost Handy In 1958 had passed away due to pneumonia.

Challenges Faced by Handy:

W.C. Handy was born into a very religious family as his father was a pastor and expressed his rejection towards the tools of the “devil”. Handy was forced to buy his guitar and play it in secret as this was the only way for him to overcome the challenge of an unapproving father at the time. Non-religious music and musical instruments were considered offensive by his church and father as they were the tools of the “devil”. Due to this challenge a lot of Handy’s passion and desire for music was boxed up inside him and he was unable to express it during his upbringing but nonetheless this didn’t stop his passion and desire as he continued to be involved with music and bands even while working at different job sites. Furthermore, Handy also experienced the downside of poverty as he would be homeless living under a bridge for 2 years as working small jobs was his only source of income. He eventually began working at a pipe plant and part time with his musical band. Racism was also very prevalent during the time of Handy as he lived at a time in the South where people were having a hard time accepting the changes being made to slavery and people would soon have to start accepting others as their equals. Handy faced much racism while being raised in Alabama and even more when he began traveling with his musical groups to the point they were being threatened and racially violated by mobs during performances. This ultimately would facilitate Handy’s decision to move into New York later in his years. On another note one of Handy’s most famous and financially successful songs was taken away from him as he had signed over rights to it without fully understanding what that meant. Memphis Blues never benefited Handy financially from its sales and caused him to create a production company on his own so this type of situation would not occur again in the future.

Handy’s Contributions towards music:

Handy was the first to systematically record and log Blues music and this was a huge contribution as it would pave the way for blues music future. Handy was also a skilled songwriter and composer and this gave Handy the opportunity to produce hits by combining his own compositions with blues music he had ran across while traveling to different countries. This is another reason why we are introduced to so many different types of blues music by him. Handy was also able to turn blues music into sheet music and one of the first to ever do so. Handy preserved blues and folk music from the rural south and worked very hard to legitimize blues music as an exclusive musical form. This is why Handy was known as the Father of Blues.

Famous Songs

Yellow Dog Blues

Anticipating to make only “another hundred or so” on a third recording of his, “Yellow Dog Blues”. Handy signed a deal with the Victor company. The Joe Smith recording of this song in 1919 became the best-selling recording of Handy’s music to date. I choose this song because of its success and how popular it became. The fact that its cover version by Joe Smith is a best-selling record of Handy’s music to date is a big significance because it shows the popularity and interest placed by society on the song.

Saint Louis Blues

Arguably W.C. Handy’s most famous song is “Saint Louis Blues”. It went on to be called “the jazzman’s Hamlet” because it was recited by many famous artists including Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong.The song form is 12-Bar blues written in a tango rhythm. Handy went on to say “The one-step and other dances had been done to the tempo of Memphis Blues. … When St Louis Blues was written the tango was in vogue. I tricked the dancers by arranging a tango introduction, breaking abruptly into a low-down blues. My eyes swept the floor anxiously, then suddenly I saw lightning strike. The dancers seemed electrified. Something within them came suddenly to life. An instinct that wanted so much to live, to fling its arms to spread joy, took them by the heels.” I choose this song due to the fact that many artists went on to recite this song in their own version as they were fond of it. Bringing this different tango rhythm into play was a big step by Handy and it worked so well that other artists wanted a go at it.

Memphis Blues

Was written by W.C. Handy in 1912 and was one of the first blues songs published that pushed blues into the mainstream scene. Originally written as a campaign song for Edward Crump. Rights of the song was signed off for $100 usd and later inspired Handy to create his own publication.  I choose this song because of its significance towards Handy’s hardships being tricked out of a lot of money and signing the rights away of this song was a turning point for Handy as he would later in life create his own company to publish his music. The world is a cold place be careful!

References:

W.C. Handy. (2015, October 27). Retrieved from https://www.biography.com/people/wc-handy-39700

Yeager, A. (2003). W.C. Handy, Father of the Blues. Birmingham, Alabama: Seacoast Publishing.

Robertson, D. (2011). W.C. Handy: The Life and Times of the Man Who Made the Blues. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press.

To understand The Payola Scandal we first must understand what Payola is. Payola is the act of paying disc jockeys in order to gain more air time on the radio. It was a widely known practice through the 1950’s when rock and roll was becoming more popular for teenagers. It was not illegal then to take Payola, but it was illegal to take commercial bribery. (Marie H., 1:46, Video Attached Below). Payola became illegal in the early 1960’s and disc jockeys suddenly become criminals for doing something they had always done.  Many claim that Payola was the only way that rock and roll music would ever be on the radio while others believed something different, “several witnesses testified that payola existed long before rock-and-roll” (Sernoe, Pg.139).

Many people did not like Alan Freed’s music taste. He played many songs that came from Black singing groups and played Rock and Roll songs which parents and adults did not enjoy. When others in the music industry found out about Payola people came from far and wide admitting they had paid Freed to play their music. With so many people pointing fingers at him an investigation by Congress began. Once Freed began to be investigated may other disc jockeys began to be investigated as well, the other most known investigation being into Dick Clark. As many of these disc jockeys did not see they were doing anything wrong they admitted to every bribe they had taken and were dismissed with a slap on the wrist. Freed would not admit to any wrong doings and with evidence against him was charged with commercial bribery. The charges that were laid was such a downfall in the music industry that it essentially was the downfall to Rock and Roll music.

I found a short video on Alan Freed and how Payola played out in the 1950s and 1960s:

Of course, the two major players in the Payola scandal (as stated above) were Alan Freed and Dick Clark. Dick Clark admitted to all his wrong doings. Showed every cent of money he had taken and walked away with a small fine. There were many other charged in the scandal (I can not seem to find an exact number) that all admitted to what they had done and were left with the same outcome as Dick Clark, just a small fine. I believe that because it was such a common practice, although somewhat illegal, the courts had a hard time convicting them. It was more a warning to give to all the disc jockeys as well as other jockeys in the United States that this is now illegal and if caught after all these hearings there will be trouble.

I found a second video of Dick Clark speaking about the Payola Scandal, what it is and some of his thoughts on the Scandal. I found it interesting as you can see as he is speaking how he truly felt that there was nothing wrong with making a little extra money to play a record. But also, his feelings that he never dud take any money. It was the disc jockeys underneath him that were paid but like he said it was normal (at 1:16 in the video). Attached the video here:

Payola does still exist today it just has to be more open. “The act of exchanging cash or promotional consideration for airplay is not actually illegal in and of itself in the United States. Such exchanges are legal as long as they are done openly, providing some manner of public corresponding explanation of the character of the relationship between the parties involved” (Fairchild, Pg.1). It only becomes illegal if it is done secretly without anyone knowing. I believe that this is saying that instead of being paid directly, the record labels give radio stations some kind of compensation. Helping the radio station promote themselves (by donating money) or running a contest for the radio station to get their name out to the public.  It could just be a gift for the radio company making the record labels song become big, something that is still a pay off but is not necessarily giving them money to play their music. As long as it is in the public eye and there is a valid reason for the money then it is okay.

I have a hard time deciding if payola is a good or bad thing. I think there is pros and cons to having it. It is good as it gets new music on the radio. As many suggested, rock and roll may have never made it on the radio if it was not being paid for. So, if it is the only way that a record label can get a new song on the radio that sounds different than anything before it then maybe it is not such a bad thing. But, it is also quite unfair for a label to pay as one company may have much more money than another. If one company continuously pays a radio station to play their songs and another record label wants to do the same but cannot pay as much then it becomes unfair. Especially if the company that is paying less is getting more listeners and people that are enjoying their music more. I do feel if there was just a mix of all the record labels without any payola that would probably be the best.

Although, I also feel in the world we live in today and the future we will see that. With the rise of XM radio a consumer can pick any type of music they like. If they like country they pick the country station on the XM radio, if they like coffee house they pick the coffee house station. In that sense record labels will only have to promote themselves to those specific stations rather than to a large station that plays all popular music. I believe XM radio is becoming more and more popular and it could abolish payola in the future.

Lindsy

Works Cited

Fairchild, Charles. 2012. Alan Freed still casts a long shadow: the persistence of payola and the ambiguous value of music. Retrieved from: http://journals.sagepub.com.cyber.usask.ca/doi/pdf/10.1177/0163443711433667

Histoy.com. 2009. The Payola Scandal Heats Up. Retrieved From: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-payola-scandal-heats-up

Sernoe, James Lawrence. 2000. ‘It’s the same old song’: A History of Legal Challenges to Rock-and-Roll and Black Music. Retrieved from: https://search-proquest-com.cyber.usask.ca/docview/304631095?pq-origsite=primo

Youtube

FoundationINTERVIEWS. (2012, Apr. 26). Dick Clark discusses the Payola Scandal – EMMYTVLEGENDS.ORG. Retrieved From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oOe3jkXR-w

H., Marie. (2013, Feb.26). Alan Freed Payola Scandal

. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGycBSVu7xo

Living in Saskatoon has the perks of many annual events that take place along the beautiful South Saskatchewan River. One of my favourite events is the annual Jazz Fest. A highlight of every summer is enjoying the live music of both well-known artists and local musicians alike. This year from the many performances I saw, one stood out to me the most, and I was very fortunate to hear them perform. That artist being Kamasi Washington.

Kamasi Washington performed on a clear Monday night on the TD mainstage in the Bessborough gardens. Being an employee of TD meant I had free access to a musician I had heard only a few times before. However, after his performance I became a true fan. Kamasi has a sound and vibe like no other performer I have heard before. He combines elements from hip-hop, R & B (a personal favourite of mine), and classical which creates a unique twist on a foundation of jazz music. Performing alongside Kamasi is a ten-piece band consisting of percussion, saxophone, trumpet, piano which is accompanied with many others depending on the song performed creating strong and unique combinations of sounds to accompany Kamasi on the saxophone. The songs performed by Kamasi do not have lyrics, he focuses on sound rather than a message.  In his songs, the rhythm is very upbeat portraying energy and happiness that makes it feel good music.

Being as Jazz Fest came with many emotions, of happiness, excitement and a sort of tingle inside. When Kamasi started playing, you could see the energy within the audience increased tremendously. People of all ages and backgrounds could all feel the rhythm and this was evident when you saw people tapping their feet keeping along with the beat. People used the Jazz fest to almost escape reality and go off into a world of music filled with joy and happiness. People used the jazz music to relax and enjoy the performances from artists of vast backgrounds. My personal experience from this concert did not differ much from the general audience member. I left feeling very happy and went home to discover unperformed music just to keep the new experience flowing. Now weeks after this experience took place, I find myself being more open to different genres that I used to look past. I find myself understanding and enjoying the different messages through each song which help me relate to the feel and emotion each artist puts into their music.

A personal favourite of mine is called “Hub-Tones”. This upbeat song has a fast tempo that draws the crowd in. The intro starts with a lone piano playing. Listen as the song progresses percussion joins in for a short duo. As the song continues after about thirty seconds you can hear the timbre of the saxophone join in and increase the intensity of the overall song. Once the song becomes well established, the melody consisting of a trumpet that changes the overall dynamic of the song for a riff. The tempo of the song varies. It changes in waves from upbeat and fast, to a relaxed and moderate tempo. Different sections of the song highlight different instruments being played. The songs duration totals approximately nine minutes. Within the song, the accent changes. A personal favourite of mine occurs at 6:30. Listen to the fade as it shifts to a percussion focused riff. This section lasts about a minute before the rest of the band fade back in.

As we go back in time and look at the upbringing of Kamasi, we can see how the musician he is today was developed. It all started when he was thirteen years old when he first picked up a tenor saxophone. This was not the first instrument he played but it would be his favourite. After playing in his high school band, he went off to play at UCLA where he also studied ethnomusicology. It was in university that Kamasi recorded a self-titled album with newly establish quartet the Young Jazz Giants. As Kamasi’s career became more developed he began collaborating with major artists like a personal favourite of mine, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lemar, Raphael Saadig and Gerald Wilson to name a few. In 2015, is when Kamasi really took off for a career of fame. After releasing an album with nearly three hours in duration, it landed Kamasi number three on the billboard jazz charts. As the years went on, Kamasi become more and more of a household name.

Sites Used:

Kellman, Andy. “Kamasi Washington | Biography & History.” AllMusic. Accessed July 20, 2018. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/kamasi-washington-mn0000772447/biography.

“Kamasi Washington Group – Hub-Tones // LEWITT Lounge 2014.” YouTube. February 04, 2014. Accessed July 20, 2018. https://youtu.be/e8xA3voo9v4.

Josephine Baker was a deeply influential, intelligent and passionate woman. She succeeded in any area she chose to; from dancing and acting to civil rights and military intelligence work. Born on June 3rd, 1906 to a poor mother and a step-father who struggled to find employment, she learned early on to never be dependent on a man, an attitude of independence that stuck with her her whole life. She dropped out of school at 12 and got a job as a waitress. She first married at the age of 13 to a porter named Willie Wells, which lasted less than a year. She would marry three more times in her life and would go on to give birth to and adopt a combined 12 children from all around the world. (1)

The Harlem Renaissance 

The Harlem Renaissance brought more opportunities to black performers, as they flocked to northern cities after World War I. Josephine Baker was one of those performers who went to New York City, at the age of 15,  working as a chorus line dancer in Harlem for the productions of Shuffle Along and The Chocolate Dandies. These shows challenged the alleged taboos around black sexuality. She used the Harlem Renaissance as an opportunity to showcase her skill sets and start her career in entertainment.

Feminism

The Harlem Renaissance was known expanding the sexual revolution of women, to an extent. Baker herself became well-known in France for her exotic dancing routine, which she brought over from New York. Her most famous work is a picture of her wearing a costume only made of bananas.

Baker was also an bisexual woman during a time when that was not widely accepted, especially for a woman of color. She definitely utilized the growing empowerment of women in order to raise her status in popular culture of the time.

The Charleston

“The Charleston” was the dance craze named for the song which shares its namesake. Josephine Baker raised the popularity of this dance greatly after she performed it at Folies Bergère in France in 1926. Her profile as a celebrity led to a popular dance movement which is still performed to this day at dance clubs and competitions.

The above video is Josephine Baker dancing “The Charleston” in the 1927 silent film Siren of the Tropics.

Film Career 

Josephine Baker was one of the biggest female stars in the world, so she obviously had a successful film career as well. She starred in the silent film Siren of the Tropics in 1927. Her next two pictures were both talking films. She then became the first black woman to star in a major motion picture when Zouzou was released in 1934. She also starred in Princesse Tam Tam in 1935. Being that these were films from the thirties, there were obvious racist overtones in the plots, and although these films were only really successes in Europe, she still gained popularity and notoriety.

World War II

During the second world war, Baker used her extensive fame and influence in Europe to help fight for the allies in her own way. She hid large amounts of secret messages using invisible ink on her sheet music. She even concealed secret photos of German military installations out of enemy territory by pinning them to her underwear. She was awarded the Croix de guerre and the Rosette de la Résistance for her efforts.(2)After her death, she became the first American-born woman to receive a military burial in France. (3)

What Josephine Baker did during the war was truly incredible. It would have been easy for a woman of her stature to flee France when the war broke out and go back to her home country of America. However, she put her life and riches on the line and sacrificed for her adopted country.

Civil Rights 

During the civil rights era in the United States of America, Baker was an avid supporter. She faced racial discrimination at hotels and clubs all around the USA. She refused to perform in front of a segregated audience, which was one of the reasons why entertainment shows in Las Vegas slowly became mixed race. She was such an influential figure in the civil rights movement that when Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968, she was offered a key role in the civil rights movement that would have had her effectively replace King Jr. as leader. However, she declined in order to raise her children. (4)

Josephine Baker lived an extraordinary life. She was devoted to what she cared about, successful in what she did, and lived her life more than a little flamboyantly. She is an historical figure we could all learn a little from.

Bibliography

1. Jone Lewis”Josephine Baker Biography” ThoughtCo. Access Jul 18, 2018.
   https://www.thoughtco.com/josephine-baker-biography-3528473
2.  Ethan Trex. “5 Things You Didn’t Know About Josephine Baker.” Mental Floss. June 3, 2017, Accessed July 19, 2018
   http://mentalfloss.com/article/23148/5-things-you-didnt-know-about-josephine-baker
3. “Biography” The Official Site of Josephine Baker, Accessed July 19, 2018
   https://www.cmgww.com/stars/baker/about/biography/
4. Joanne Griffith, “Josephine Baker: From Exotic Dancer to Activist” December 31, 2014, Accessed July 19, 2018
   http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20141222-from-exotic-dancer-to-activist

The Great American Songbook is just that — living up to its name, it is a music book filled with popular music referred to as the “American standard” from the first half of the 20th century. Included are pieces associated with many influential musicians of popular music at the time, such as Nat King Cole, Billy Holiday, and Frank Sinatra. Americans found hope in the widely familiar tunes of the book during this time of major warfare and depression. (1)

One of the songs that stands out to me is “There’s No Business Like Show Business”. I myself am a fan of clever rhymes (another one I like is “As a specimen, yes I’m in-timidating!” from Beauty and the Beast‘s “Gaston”, sung at the end of this clip if you are interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JG6f5_37tg), so I think the chorus in itself is enough to attract me all on its own. It was written as part of a film by Phoebe and Henry Ephron and Lamar Trotti, directed by Walter Lang.

Songs in The Great American Songbook retain the pattern of being bright and cheery, easy to remember, and relatively simple musically to allow the songs within it to gain widespread appeal, known by most everyone. “There’s No Business Like Show Business” is not an exception to this. The chorus dances with dynamics, placing emphasis on the “no” and “show” which reiterates the clever rhyme. The popular 1954 version is sung by female singer Ethel Merman with an over-exaggerated but cheery, enthusiastic vibrato, singing about the wonderful people and smiles given by these people in show business. This song is certainly to me what would now be considered an “earworm” — the well-written and easily remembered lyrics, the bright dynamics throughout, and the enthusiasm of not only the performer herself but the band backing her up.

The song takes one of the most common forms in popular music: verse-chorus form. The verses’ words vary from one to another but share their melody. The chorus shares its melody for the most part, but atypical to usual verse-chorus form songs, the chorus is not exactly the same each time, though this could easily be pinned as Merman’s own interpretation of the song as choosing to take artistic freedom and lower or heighten a note here and there to inject more personality into the piece as a piece like this should have. As for the lyrics of the chorus, she initially says, “There’s no people like show-people,” but at the apex of the song changes to, “There’s no business like show business”. Despite the change in words, the chorus’ message is retained, as well as the enthusiasm, general melody, and musicality of the piece.

Another version is an earlier one from 1950 sung by three men to a young lady who asks what show business is, exactly. They get fired up in excitement and fluidly lead into the song with hardly any discrepancy between their regular talking conversation and the beginning of the song. The first major difference between this 1950 version and the 1953 version is, of course, the number of performers. While the latter features a single, strong-voiced female, the former has three men playfully throwing the melody amongst one another, occasionally joining together in unison to emphasize certain lines and for the chorus. In the second half, the young lady takes on the chorus, the three men continuing with the verses, all four of them in unison for the final round of the chorus. This (1950) version has a faint ragtime-y feel — all one would have to do is replace the blaring brass with an old piano. However, the 1953 version sung by Merman has a more traditionally theatrical feel, and while the syncopations and happy tune fit with ragtime music, her version has more of a fanfare to it, a faster tempo, a fuller instrument range, that takes it out of that category. This (1954) version is personally more appealing to me, though there is fun in the quartet’s hot potato-like turn-taking melody, but I would say each version is widely known, the 1954 version being more attractive to women and the 1950 version being more attractive to men, though both I tend to notice are generally more well-known in each group among those of age 60 and up.

To me, The Great American Songbook is a music book of its time. It shows a foundation in history for much of the music we have today, and represents a certain time in America when music was turned to to distract from the devastation occurring in the world. If anyone were to add to it after this time, it would take away from the unified tragedy that these songs specifically were brought together to fight. It would simply become an anthology of songs throughout American popular music’s history, and not the standout rebellion against dark times, the admirability in human nature in music, that it is.

I believe the songs in the book are still relevant today and will continue to be. It’s hard to continue to make music and not be aware of these roots as a musician, no matter what kind of music one makes. Every genre has certain connotations with it which demonstrate their origins, show tunes such as this one being associated with New York and America, blues taking its cues from African musicians, swing with its controversial dances and young women, and so on, without having to take a history of music course. As long as these connotations are perpetuated, music of any form will never completely lose it roots or relevancy. The best songs are continually remade in the current styles as time goes on as well, which not only reminds listeners of the originals and grants appreciation to them and the music of the time, but clearly shows that we, as humans, enjoy the familiarity of a well-worn melody enough to make it again and again and again, creating a timeline of the evolution of technology, current events, morals, and music itself.

1953 version (Ethel Merman): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVMXw_y7jyI

1950 version (Annie Get Your Gun): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lakGIwI9u0

Sources Cited:

1. “What Is the Great American Songbook?” The Center for the Performing Arts – Home of the Palladium – Carmel, Indiana, thecenterfortheperformingarts.org/Great-American-Songbook-Inititative/About-the-Great-American-Songbook.