The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Monday brain teaser for a wet soggy day...at least here in Toronto. So, two of the biggest stars in the 'twenties phonograph firmament were Maude Muggeridge and Gertrude Pridgett, both of whom realized that their names were NOT going to look good on marquee. Can you name them, (these are easy) but can you think of any more unlikely ones from the same era?

Are they Carsten Fischer and Vernon Dalhart?

I'm guessing Nipper and The Silver Masked Tenor (Obviously, I have no idea!)

That's easy:

Gertrude Pridgett = Ma Rainey
Maude Muggeridge = Aileen Stanley

How 'bout Sonia Kalish and Fania Borach?

Fania Borach's sister-in-law used to have an antiques shop in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She was quite elderly back in the 1980's. I'm sure she has passed by now. Nice lady. Lots of stories.

Tom and Jerry? Abbot and Costello? Martin and Lewis? Elizabeth and Richard? Manny, Moe, and Jack? ("No, it couldn't have been Moe")

Henry wrote:Manny, Moe, and Jack? ("No, it couldn't have been Moe")

"I can't stand it I tell you! It's driving me sane!"

Mrs Kalish was called Sophie Tucker!

My favourite one is Sonny Boy Williamsson II.

Born Aleck Ford, he was annonunced as Sonny Boy Williamsson by a promoter, when he appeared at the King Biscuit Show.
Probably in an attempt to cash in on the other (and first!) Sonny Boy´s fame, John Lee Williamsson, a major blues star in the 30s.

Aleck got used to the name & when he recorded his own stuff some years later, he continued to use the name.
The First Sonny Boy was dead by then, but when people challenged him with the fact that he wasn't "Sonny Boy" he just punched them in the face & moved on.
Having a reputation as a seriously vicious man, people stopped asking him questions about the Sonny Boy nickname.
It wasn't until after his death the Sonny Boy Williamsson 1 & 2 came to light again.

Nowadays "number 2" is more famous, allthough "number 1" probably had a far bigger influence on the blues to come.

I really must share another fav of mine.
It takes place much, much later though, an artist that actually recorded on vinyl

? was his legal name. Yes, first it was Question Mark, but he legally changed it to "?".
He led the band Question Mark & the Mysterians in the 60s.

Born Rudy Martinez, son to Mexican immigrants, he started the band in Michigan in 1962.
But he denies that & has always claimed to be a Martian who lived with dinosaurs in a past life, and he has never appeared in public without sunglasses.

JohnM wrote:

Henry wrote:Manny, Moe, and Jack? ("No, it couldn't have been Moe")

"I can't stand it I tell you! It's driving me sane!"

And another SJ fan comes out of the woodwork! "Thank you, music lovers!"