'Amos 'n' Andy'--Arthur Fields and Fred Hall (1930).

[Viva-Tonal]

The great popularity of the new medium of radio and what must have been the first 'hit' radio series find themselves immortalised in this amusing duet ditty.

This record must have been as popular with its owner as the series was, given how badly worn it is. I've done my best to clean the sound up. Both sides are Western Electric electric recordings (though they lack the W symbol in the dead wax on both sides) on Columbia's chain store series; my copy is on Velvet Tone 2102-V. (This would also be Diva 3102-G and Harmony 1102-H.)

Matrix 149958-2, recorded 3 February 1930.

'Amos 'n' Andy'

The flip side is a rather strange Fields and Hall concoction. It seems like it was a novelty item to have as filler, not really knowing what to have for a flip side to 'Amos 'n' Andy', possibly? It's a remastered matrix, dubbed from another matrix (149959?).

Matrix 194633-2, recorded 3 February 1930.

'Hank Simmons show boat'

Enjoy!

[Michael Biel]

There is nothing unusual for the song Hank Simmons Show Boat to be on the filp side of Field and Hall's Amos 'n' Andy. The Show Boat program was another popular radio program of that era and this is the theme song. I think the use of Hank Simmons name in the title is of a period before it was known on the network as The Maxwell House Show Boat, but after it had been a local show known as The WLS Showboat. There is a six-sided set on Silvertone of a simulation of a WLS Showboat broadcast, with Harold Safford as Captain.

[Viva-Tonal]

I had no idea about 'Show boat'. Thanks, Mike!