Juan D'Arienzo
b: Dec. 14, 1900, d: Jan. 14, 1976
Leader; violinist; Composer.
He studied the violin while still a young boy. As a very young man, D'Arienzo, formed a trio that actually played the local theaters. ( The group consisted of Angel D'Agostino (then just 11 years old) on piano, bandoneon player Ernesto Bianchi (aka: Lechuguita), and Ennio Bolognini, -Remo's and Astor's brother.) Here's a photo of D'Arienzo. With him are, at left, Alfredo De Angelis, and at center, Angel D'Agostino. And, here's D'Arienzo Leading a "Pit" band, at a local theater. Here's another photo (source unknown) of the Darienzo Orquesta on stage His band became widely popular in the latter 1930s. Two of his great pianists went on to form their own good bands, - Rudolfo Biagi and Fulvio Salamanca.

   Jim Dale
b. 15 August 1935, Rothwell, Northants, England, UK
né: Jim Smith
Dale is a well known English comic actor, but he also worked as both a composer and a director. His scores for 1968's 'A Winter's Tale' and 1971's 'P.S. I Love You', may be his ONLY two compositions. He and his first spouse, Patricial Gardiner divorced after the union had produced 1 daughter and 3 sons. He then married (1980) Julie Schafler.

   Burkhart von Dallwitz
aka: Burkhard Dallwitz
This composer contributed music to films and Television. Among his works are:
Supernova (2000 he contributed additional music)
Paperback Hero (1998)
Truman Show, The (1998 credited as Burkhard Dallwitz)
Oz Encounters: UFO's in Australia (1997 TV show)
Zone 39 (1997)
Bachelor Girl (1987)

   Hart Pease Danks
b. April 6, New Haven, CT, USA. d. Nov. 20, 1903 Philadelphia, PA, USA.
The family moved to Saratoga Springs, N.Y. when Hart was 8 years old, and he began to study music with a Dr. L. E. Whiting. At age 19, he was earning his living as a carpenter, in Chicago, where his father had a construction business, but soon gave it up to work at music full time, as a composer, bass singer, choirmaster, etc.
A brief chronology:
1856 Danks wrote music and lyrics for the two shows, "Anna Lee" and "The Old Lane".
1864 Moved to New York City, NY
1872 Published his first Operetta, "Pauline"
1873 Published "Silver Threads Among the Gold"
1881 Published his second Operetta, "Conquered by Kindness"
1883 Publ. "Not Ashamed of Christ", a hymn
1892 Publ. "Superior Anthems for Church Choirs", a book of hymns.

Note on "Silver Threads"
While reading a Wisconsin farm journal, he saw a poem by Eben E. Rexford. He sent Rexford $3.00 asking for permission to use the poem. Rexford was so happy that someone liked the poem, that he sent Danks a whole collection of poetry. Among them was one called "Silver Threads Among the Gold". In 1873, Danks set it to music as a loving gift to his wife. Eventually, the song sold over 3 million copies. There are two ironies to the tale. Danks had sold all rights to the song for a pittance, and so never profited from it's sales. And, a year or so, after the song was written, Danks and his wife separated.

He also wrote some popular songs in collaboration with lyricist W. J. D. Rutledge, including "Will You Miss Me?", and "Little Bright Eyes". During his lifetime, he published over 1300 songs and hymns, but is today remembered only for "Silver Threads". Danks died, poverty stricken, in a Philadelphia, PA rooming house. The very last words he wrote were: "It's hard to die alone."

   Herman Darewski
Currently No Information Available. Please see our Herman Darewski and His Melody Band, listed on our British Bands Database.
b. 1883, Russia. d. 1947
He emigrated to England where early on he conducted in Bridlington (Yorkshire), and then in various London theatres. He soon began to compose for such musicals and reviews as ( "Better 'Ole", "Carminetta", "As You Were", "London Paris and New York", "Joy-Land", "Flora and Rosy Rapture" (1915. composer: Jerome Kern), and "Oh Julie!", which was co-composed with H Sullivan Brooke. Brooke was the musicial director at London's Lyceum Theatre, and is mostly recalled today only for his xylophone solo on his reocording of "Whispering Pines" Derewski subsequently emigrated to America (and to the Hollywood studios), where he composed most of the tunes now associated with his name.
Among his compositions are:
"Mary From Tipperary"
"The Big Brass Band"
"The Road To Romance"
"Coon's Wedding March"
"The Army The Navy and The Air Force"
"Bill Bailey Won't You Please Come Home"
"The Guard's Brigade"
"Hilo Hula"
"Ticket to Tomahawk (Film Cues)
"I Didn't Arf Larf"
"If You Could Care"
"In the Twi Twi Twilight"
"Live For All You're Worth"
"My Day Out"
"Nosey Parker"
"Petite Dame Du Metro"
"Stormy Weather" (Film Cues)
"Which Switch"
"Winnie The Window Cleaner"

   John Dankworth
b. Sept. 20, 1927, London, England, UK
aka: Johnny Dankworth
This British composer, whose career spans the years 1950 to present, contributed to the British Film studios, and many of his works are still seen on TV. He is married to the well known British songstress, Cleo Laine. Among the films on which he worked are:
Gangster No. 1 (2000)
Money for Nothing (1993/II TV. aka in USA: Hot Millions)
Strike It Rich (1990 uncredited. aka: Loser Takes All, and aka Money Talks)
"Telford's Change" (1979 TV theme)
10 Rillington Place (1971)
Engagement, The (1970)
Last Grenade, The (1970)
Perfect Friday (1970)
I Love You, I Hate You (1968. aka: The Other People, aka: Sleep Is Lovely)
Magus, The (1968)
Salt and Pepper (1968)
Boom! (1968 contributed some songs.)
Last Safari, The (1967)
Fathom (1967)
Accident (1967)
Idol, The (1966)
Morgan: A Suitable Case for Treatment (1966)
Modesty Blaise (1966)
Sands of the Kalahari (1965)
Scruggs (1965. aka: A Game Called Scruggs)
Return from the Ashes (1965)
Darling (1965)
Servant, The (1963)
Hamilton, the Musical Elephant (1963)
"Avengers, The" (1961-'64 TV Series. Starred Diana Rigg and Patrick McGhee)
Criminal, The (1960. aka in USA: The Concrete Jungle)
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960)
Voodoo Factor, The (1959 TV)
We Are the Lambeth Boys (1958)

   Christian Darnton
b: 1905, Leeds, England, UK.
In England, Darnton studied composition with Benjamin Dale and Harry Farjeon, and in Berlin he was a pupil of Max Butting. From 1930 to 1939, his avant-garde works were widely performed. He became active writing for British film studios during WWII. His first contribution was to an RAF newsreel The Gen.. Both Darnton and another British composer, Hubert Clifford, contributed ti the 1944 Ministry of Information film The Road to Moscow.

Among other Shorts and Documentaries to which he contributed are:
A Harbour Goes to France (1945)
You Can't Kill a City
Birth Day
Marine Salvage
River Tyne
Channel Islands
Muscle Menders (For a Canadian Army Film Unit)
The Antwerp Story (For a Canadian Army Film Unit)
Green Fields Beyond (For a Canadian Army Film Unit

   Shaun Davey
He is well known his Film and TV works as well as for his collaboration with vocalist Rita Connolly. His concert works include the song cycle "Granuaile" (for Connolly, uillean pipes and orchestra), the "Gulliver Symphony" (for chorus and orch.), "The Relief of Derry Symphony", "The Pilgrim" (a suite for cello, pipe band, choir and orchestra), and perhaps his best known work, "The Brendan Voyage", - a suite for uillean pipes and orchestra. Davey also contributed to TV and his music for 'Ballykissangel' and 'The Hanging Gale' is widely known.

Among the other films and TV shows to which Davey contributed are:
David Copperfield (2000 TV)
Waking Ned Devine (1998 aka: Waking Ned)
"Kings in Grass Castles" (1997 -mini TV Series)
"Ballykissangel" (1996 TV Series; main theme and incidental music)
Further Gesture, A (1996 aka in USA: Break, The USA)
Twelfth Night: Or What You Will (1996)
"Hanging Gale, The" (1995 TV Series)
Loving (1995 TV)
Investigation: Inside a Terrorist Bombing, The (1990 TV. aka:Who Bombed Birmingham?)
As an orchestrator, Davey worked on the films:
Waking Ned Devine (1998. aka in UK: Waking Ned)
Twelfth Night: Or What You Will (1996 additional orchestrator. aka in UK: Twelfth Night)

   Marty Davich
aka: Martin Davich
Currently no information on this British Composer whose career spanned the 1960s to the 1990s. Among the TV series to which he has contributed are:
"Third Watch" (1999 TV)
"Trinity" (1998)
Tempting Fate (1998 TV)
Five Desperate Hours (1997 TV)
"Burning Zone, The" (1996 TV)
Legacy of Sin: The William Coit Story (1995 TV)
Two Over Easy (1994 TV)
"ER" (1994 TV)
"Beverly Hills, 90210" (1990 TV - and for 32 episodes 1994-1996)
"Days of Our Lives" (1965 - extremely popular American TV series)
"General Hospital" (1963 another very popular American TV Series)

   Hal David
b. May 21, 1921, New York (Brooklyn), NY, USA.
Overview
It must run in the family! Hal David is the younger brother of another wonderful lyricist, Mack David Hal David is best known for his collaboration with composer Burt Bacharach, but he has worked with such other composers as John Barry, Arthur Altman, Sherman Edwards, Lee Pockriss, Redd Evans, Don Rodney, and Henry Mancini. Although Hal David was sometimes overshadowed by Bacharach's work, some critics feel that it was David's sensitive lyrics that made the team so successful. David has worked with other composers, both before and after Bacharach. Lyricists Hal David and Jack Lawrence often worked with composer Arthur Altman.

David began his writing while serving in the U.S.Army. After his service discharge, he collaborated with composer Don Rodney to write the 1949 tune "Four Winds and Seven Seas", a Sammy Kaye Orchestra hit. After that, David wrote the lyric for "American Beauty Rose, a Sinatra Hit record, following with "Broken Hearted Melody", a Theresa Brewer vocal hit.

In 1959, David and composer Burt Bacharach formed what was to be a great songwriting team. Their collaboration was to continue through the 1960's. During this time, Bacharach and David produced many fine songs. Bacharach's music complimented Davids sensitive lyrics that dealt with the often emotional and psychological results of intense relationships.
"Tower of Strength"
"Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa"
"There's Always Something to Remind Me"
"Anyone Who Had a Heart"
"Make It Easy On Yourself"
"Say a Little Prayer"
"Close To You", The Team's last big hit song.

In 1971, the team of Bacharach and David ended their partnership. It was an acrimonious break. Since then, each partner has suffered commercially.

In 1984, David, with music by Albert Hammond, wrote "To All The Girls I've Loved". The song was a big hit for singers Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson.

Among the other songs to which Hal David contributed are "American Beauty Rose", "La Charanga", "Make It Easy on Yourself", "Trains and Boats and Planes", "Walk On By", "Only Love Can Break a Heart", "Blue on Blue", "Sea of Heart Break","Our Concerto", "The Four Winds and the Seven Seas", "Broken-Hearted Melody", "Any Old Time of the Day", "I Wake Up Cryin'", "My Heart Is an Open Book", "True Love Never Runs Smooth", "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me", "What Do You See in Her?", "This Empty Place", "The Story of My Life", "Johnny Get Angry", "Don't Envy Me", "The First Night of the Full Moon", "Magic Potion", "You'll Never Get to Heaven", "To Wait For Love", "You'll Answer to Me", "Reach Out for Me', "Don't Make Me Over", "A Lifetime of Loneliness", "Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?", "We Have All The Time In The World", and more.

Hal was educated at New York University, and in 1943, became an ASCAP member, later serving as ASCAP's President.

   Mack David
b. 1912, New York, NY, USA, d. Dec 1993, Rancho Mirage, CA, USA.
Overview
Mack David was the older brother of another wonderful lyricist, Hal David. Mack was a Tin Pan Alley lyricist whose work was widely heard from the 1930's through the 1960's. He was educated at Cornell University and St. John's University Law School. Among his musical collaborators were such composers as Jerry Livingston, Al Hoffman, Alex Kramer, Joan Whitney, Frankie Carle, Count Basie, Burt Bachrach, Ernest Gold, Elmer Bernstein, Frank DeVol, and Henry Mancini.

Along with many pop tunes, he is also remembered for the many TV show theme songs for which he supplied the lyrics, including:
'Hawaiian Eye'
'77 Sunset Strip'
'Bourbon Street Beat'
'Caspar, the Friendly Ghost'

Brief Chronology of his biggest hits:
1939 "Moon Love"
1947 "Chi-Baba, Chi-Baba"
1949 For the Disney feature cartoon 'Cinderella', he supplied, "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo"
1949 "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes"
1949 "I Don't Care If the Sun Don't Shine,"
1950 He added English lyrics for the song, "La Vie en Rose"
1950 He added lyrics for "Tara's Theme" from the 1939 film
1950 'Gone with the Wind'. (Max Steiner's music.)
1954 "My Own True Love," (originally in the 1939 movie.)
1954 "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White"
1962 "A Walk on the Wild Side"
1964 "Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte", starred actresses Bette Davis; Joan Crawford.
1965 "The Ballad of Cat Ballou" and
1966 "Hawaii," the theme for the movie of the same name.
And among his other tunes are "Bimbombey", "A Sinner Kissed an Angel", "I'm Just a Lucky So-And-So", "Candy","Blue and Sentimental" "So This Is Love", "At a Candlelight Cafe", "Sunflower", "Falling Leaves", "It's Love, Love, Love", "On the Isle of May", "Young Emotions", "It Only Hurts for a Little While", "I Like It, I Like It", "My Own True Love", "Spellbound", "Bermuda Buggyride", and many more.

He was 81 years old when he died in California.

   Benny Davis
b. August 21, 1895, New York, NY, USA. d. Dec. 20, 1979, Miami, FL, USA.
Overview
Benny wrote the lyrics for a great many songs. He was a typical Tin Pan Alley writer. "Margie", with music by Con Conrad, was the big hit that really launchned Benny's career as a Tin Pan Alley lyricist. And what a career it was. He had started as a vaudevillian when just 14 years old. He later toured the circuits with Benny Fields as Blossom Seeley's accompanist. He introduced "Oh How I Miss You Tonight" in his last (1925) tour of the vaudeville circuit. In 1929, he scored the Broadway musical 'Sons O' Guns' followed by writing 3 editions of the Cotton Club Revues. In 1963, he wrote the title song for the film 'Follow the Boys'. While he was still active in the 1960's, his most productive years were during the 1920's and '30's.

Brief Chronology:
1920 "Margie" , with J. Russell Robinson and Con Conrad music.
ca.1922 "Indiana Moon"
1921 "I'm Nobody's Baby", music by Milton Ager and Edgar Santly (had a successful revival in 1940)
1926 "Baby Face"
1926 "Somebody's Lonely"
1926 "That's My Girl", Joe Gold music.
1926 "Baby Face", music by Harry Akst
1926 "That's How I Feel About You", Archie Gottlieb music.
1927 "I'm Gonna Meet My Sweetie Now", music Jesse Greer
1927 "The Day I Met You", music by Ted Weems.
1925 "Yearning Just For You", with Joe Burke.
1927 "She's Got It", music Harry Akst and L. Wolfe Gilbert lyric
1928 "Mary Ann", with music by Abner Silver
1928 "That's How I Feel About You"
1928 "Who Wouldn't Be Blue"
1929 "A Precious Little Thing Called Love", music J. Fred Coots
1929 "Carolina Moon"
1929 "I'm Crooning a Tune About June"
1929 "Every Time You Smile" -Record label only credits a 'Davis' lyric.
1930 "I Still Get a Thrill (Thinking of You)" (music by J. Fred Coots. Lee Morse had a great recording.)
1931 "There's Nothing Too Good for My Baby" (co-composers: Harry Akst and Eddie Cantor. Sung by Eddie Cantor in the movie "Palmy Days".)
1931 "Little Mary Brown"
1934 "There Goes My Heart" (music: Abner Silver. the Jonii James' 1958 release charted at #19.)
1927 "It's a Million to One You're In Love", Harry Akst music.
1925 "Oh How I Miss You Tonight", composed with Joseph A. Burke, and Mark Fisher.
1935 "Chasing Shadows", music by Abner Silver
1936 "I'm Grateful to You"
1936 "The More I Know You", music J. Fred Coots.
1936 "Until Today", music Oscar Levant and J. Fred Coots.
1936 "She's Tall; She's Tan; She's Terrific", Music Coots (Written for one of the Cotton Club Revues.)
1936 "Yours Truly is Truly Yours", music Ted Fiorito and Coots
1936 "I'm Grateful to You", music Coots.
1936 "Who Loves You?", music Coots. Recorded by the ODJB
1936 "Until Today", Oscar Levant and J. Fred Coots music.
1936 "Isn't Love the Strangest Thing?", J. Fred Coots music.
1939 "To You", with Ted Shapiro

Davis was elected to the Songwriters' Hall of Fame. He died in Miami, Florida, at age 84.

   Gussie Davis
Gussie was probably the first Black man to gain success in Tin Pan Alley. He held a number of jobs before becoming involved with music. At one time he was a Porter on the Railroads, and later was a janitor at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. It was while sweeping the floors at the conservatory, that he managed to pick up bits and pieces of musical knowledge, and was soon writing ballads.

Among his songs are:
1886 "The Lighthouse by the Sea", his very first song.
1887 "Wait 'Til The Tide Comes In"
1893 "The Fatal Wedding", Davis' first 'hit' song. Interestingly, it quoted an extract from Mendelssohn's "Wedding March." A tear-jerking saga about the interruption of a wedding by the arrival of the groom's real wife, with her baby. The baby dies in her arms; the groom commits suicide; there's a double funeral after which the two women go to live with one another. The song was introduced in a minstrel show, and remained popular in vaudeville later.
1894 "Only A Bowery Boy".
Davis tried to capitalize on the success of Jim Thornton's hit "The Bowery".
1895 "Down In Poverty Row", music by Arthur Trevelyan, Lyric by Davis.
Bonnie Thornton often sang this song in her Bal Mabile Cafe act.
1896 "In The Baggage Coach Ahead", his biggest hit.
When Davis was a railroad porter, he found a young child crying. The child's mother was "in the car ahead', in a coffin. A fellow porter, moved by the tale, wrote a poem about it. Years later, Davis set this poem to music, and sold it outright to publisher Howley, Haviland and Dresser for just a few dollars. Howley induced Imogene Comer to use the song in her act, and it brought a small fortune for the publisher, but nothing more for Davis.

   Jimmie Davis
b. Ca. Sept.10, 1899, Quitman, Louisiana, d. Nov. 5, 2000, New Orleans, LA, USA. Age 101 years
Overview
Jimmy Davis had a remarkable career. He was governor of Louisiana for two terms; first, from 1944 through 1948 and again from 1960 to 1964. In addition, he was a singer of 'country and western' songs; a composer; a lyricist, and an actor in Hollywood 'B' grade westerns. His recording career began in the mid-1930's, when he often sang his own compositions, including 1940's "You Are My Sunshine." In more recent years he has concentrated on the gospel music field.

His show business career started in the late 1920s, when. Davis taught college while at the same time singing on radio and making records.

Davis once estimated that, over his career, he written more than 400 songs, including "It Makes No Difference Now" and "Sweethearts or Strangers," and recorded at least 52 albums. "You Are My Sunshine," his first smash hit in the late 1930s, became a standard.

While Davis pursued his musical career, he was also climbing in politics, serving in local offices in Shreveport and on the state Public Safety Commission. Even while serving as governor, he kept his hand in show business. Among his films: "Louisiana," in 1947, the plot was about a country boy who becomes a singer and then a governor.

Sadly, during his term in office, he called five straight special legislative sessions to resist federal School desegregation orders, and even after the courts prevailed, he created a grant program to aid private school pupils He said later that "Everybody ran on the segregation ticket. You couldn't be elected without it. When desegregation came, we did it without having anybody killed. We didn't even have a fist-fight."

One of the accomplishments of his second term was the Sunshine Bridge over the Mississippi. This bridge, called by critics "the bridge to nowhere", was later credited with fostering industrial growth in the area between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. At one time, Davis rode a white horse (named Sunshine) up the capitol building's steps after having been criticized for the state's purchase of a Cadillac limosine for his use.

Davis had little involvement in politics in his later years, devoting his energy to his music. He once said that's what he'd most like to be remembered for, as "someone who scattered a little sunshine along his path."

He performed occasionally even as he neared the century mark, even singing at his own 100th birthday celebration in Baton Rouge in September 1999. (He did not know the exact date of his birth.) Survivors include his wife, Anna Gordon Davis, who sang with him in the gospel group "The Chuck Wagon Gang," and a son, Jim

   Evelyn Danzig
b. 1902, d. July 26, 1996, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Overview
Composer Evelyn Danzig worked mainly with her longtime lyricist collaborator, Jack Segal. In the 1930's, Danzig had her own radio program on New York radio station WOR, called 'Treble and Clef'. In the 1950's, she wrote two operas, 'Three for Tonight', and 'Hester'. Both were written specifically for vocalist Harry Belafonte.

Danzig's husband, Manuel W. Levine, had been a Long Island, N.Y. District Attorney and he also had served as a State Judge. When he died (1986), she moved from Port Washington, L.I., N.Y., to Los Angeles, CA.

Among the songs she composed, (all lyrics by Jack Segal) are:
"Where May I Live With My Love", recorded by Tommy Edwards.
"The Wonder of Wonderful You", recorded by Brock Peters.
"When a Warmhearted Woman Loves a Coldhearted Man", for Dinah Shore.
"Midnight in Manhattan"
"Scarlet Ribbons", was written in 1949. In 1954, Jack Segal mentioned it to singer Harry Belafonte. It became a hit when Belafonte included it in one of his albums. Subsequently, the song was recorded by The Kingston Trio; Wayne Newton; Danny Thomas; The Lennon Sisters; Joan Baez; Mary O'Hara and Sinead O'Connor.

   Angel D'Agostino
b: May 25, 1900, d: Jan. 16, 1991
Here's a photograph of pianist/composer/bandleader Angel D'Agostino (center of picture. At left is Alfredo De Angelis, and at right is bandleader Juan D'Arienzo.) D'Agostino was another of those men who both led a band and composed Tangos. Very early, he was part of a trio that consisted of Juan D'Arienzo, and Ernesto Bianchi. Later, D'Agostino led his own band, in which Angel Vargas was the singer. ( Angel Vargas. b: Oct. 22, 1904, Argentina. d: July 7, 1959, Argentina. né: Jose Lomio. Originally sang with the Angel D'Agostino orchestra, and later led his own band - not very successfully.) While both D'Agostino and Vargas had their own orchestras, the fate of the two was intertwined. For 15 years or so, Vargas was D'Agostino's principal singer.

   Vernon Dalhart
né: Marion Try Slaughter);
b. April 6, 1883 (near) Jefferson, TX, USA. d. Sept. 15, 1948, Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA.
   (Much more information on Dalhart's career may be found in our April 6 Calendar Page)
Dalhart took his stage name from two Texas towns, between which, he had worked as a 'cowboy' in his early years. Dalhart is very often mentioned as a composer who wrote mostly "Black/Country" songs i.e. "The Prisoner's Song", "Can't Yo' Hear Me Callin', Caroline", and others. However, in private correspondence, writer, Mr. Jack Palmer, who spent over 10 years researching Dalhart for a book which was published in 2005: VERNON DALHART; FIRST STAR OF COUNTRY MUSIC, has said:

    "I was unable to find any song that Dalhart wrote although he
   did work with Bobby Gregory on some songs in the early 30s.
   He did not write "The Prisoner's Song". Although his cousin, Guy
   Massey, is given the credit, it actually was taken from an old
   folk song and everyone claimed credit for it. (See my book for
   the long story.) Dalhart did have his name as composer on
   one song which he bought outright from Carson Robison and
   when the copyright came up for renewal Robison put it back in
   his name. "

A Dorothy Horstman telephone interview of Jan 21, 1974, with (Mrs. Robert) Novie Massey, which was reprinted in "Sing Your Heart Out, Country Boy, New York, 1976, p. 300", had the following comment about "The Prisoner's Song".

    Guy Massey did not write this song. His brother, Robert Massey,
   wrote it. Guy always stayed with us when he came to Dallas,
   and I was with them while my husband sang it and Guy wrote it
   down. He said he wanted to take it to New York. Well, he did,
   and he copyrighted it in his own name. Up until the time we
   were married, Robert traveled around over the country, and he
   picked up part of it somewhere and put words to it. He was
   singing it when we were married in 1920. Guy tried to put it
   on record, but he failed, then their cousin, Vernon Dalhart,
   recorded it, and it just went like wildfire. In his will,
   Guy willed it back to my husband, but he never did admit that
   he didn't write it.

Dalhart died in obscurity. Claims over the authorship of "The Prisoner's Song" would eventually find their way all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Listen now to Dalhart singing.
  "The Wreck of the Old 97", (498 kb): Vernon Dalhart singing, guitar and harmonica. Rec'd: Victor 19427-A. it was the first million-selling record in the United States. The original title, "The Wreck on the Southern Old 97", was changed when Dalhart recorded the tune. The song refers to the "Old 97", a Southern Railway locomotive that was pulling a train enroute to Spencer, North Carolina. The train, on its September 27, 1903 run, derailed at Stillhouse Trestle near Danville, Virginia killing 11. In the 1800s, tragic train derailments were not uncommon, and the derailment of "Old 97" would not now be remembered were it not for this song.

  "New River Train", (483 kb): No, - not another train wreck. Just a fellow leaving town because his girl friend is trying to love too many men at the same time. Vernon Dalhart singing,in 1924 with fiddle and guitar accompaniment. Dalhart may well have been playing the guitar too, but the fiddle player is unknown.

   Ford Dabney
During 1904 to 1907, Dabney was not only a theater owner (in Washington, D.C.), but also the President of Haiti's 'Official Musician', and also an aspiring Vaudevillian. By 1910, some of Dabney's compositions, for example, "That Minor Strain", had already been published. Ca. 1913, Dabney and his good friend James Reece Europe became collaborators in writing for Florenz Ziegfeld's "Midnight Frolics", then produced on the Roof of the New Amsterdam Theater in New York city.

Interestingly, one of the orchestras that played the "Frolics" during these years was another Black star, Tim Brymm Singer, and later comedienne, Fanny Brice introduced the hit song, "Rose of Washington Square", while she was appearing in the frolics. In 1920, Eddie Cantor also appeared in the Frolics.

In 1910, Europe gathered a group of Black musicians and formed the Clef Club, which soon turned into a combination of orchestra, Booking Agency, and a Black Musican's Union.

Early on in his career, Dabney had written "Shine", perhaps his most famous song. Dabney and Europe were also very instrumental in the success of dancers Vernon and Irene, writing at least eight compositions for that renowned husband and wife dance team. Among the dance songs they composed for the Castles were the "Castle Maxixe" (pronounced 'Machich'), and the "Castle Perfect Trot".

In 1919, Europe was stabbed to death by his band's drummer, during one of their performances, and after this, Dabney seemed to lose something of his creative edge. in late 1919, Critics perceived a lack of variety in Dabney's Syncopated Orchestra, and in 1920, the Ziegfeld organization did not renew his contract.

With the death of his good friend, James Europe, Dabney seemed to lose interest in following the latest developments in Jazz. And, during the 1930s worked mostly as a "music consultant". He helped with the 1943 film "Stormy Weather", that starred a young Lena Horne, and others.

Fortunately, Dabney was able to live handsomely on the flood of royalties for his song "Shine", which was recorded by Louis Armstrong, Count Basie and Bing Crosby, and many others. It remained a very popular tune all during the Jazz and Swing eras.