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Last living cylinder artist
Posted: Wed Aug 21, 2024 11:41 pm
by oceanlinerfanatic
This is a question that has been stuck in my head for a better part of a month now.
When did the last person who performed on a cylinder die. I dont mean songwriters who wrote a song that was released on a cylinder I mean people who actually preformed on one. Modern and homemade cylinders dont count.
Re: Last living cylinder artist
Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2024 5:58 am
by Inigo
Taking into account that Edison published the 5000s blue amberols until 1929, a youngest musician, let's say, which was then 19 years old, and who lived 90 years, would have died in 2000. A 9 years old child who had performed as a child prodigy or on a nursery rhyme cylinder, who had lived 100 years would have died in 2020. So possibly the latest surviving cylinder artists could have died in the last 25 years. Interesting.
Another case is to know who they were... Members of the B A Rolfe Orchestra or similar, perhaps?
Re: Last living cylinder artist
Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2024 3:53 pm
by CarlosV
Inigo wrote: Thu Aug 22, 2024 5:58 am
Taking into account that Edison published the 5000s blue amberols until 1929, a youngest musician, let's say, which was then 19 years old, and who lived 90 years, would have died in 2000.
Recordings made to cylinders ended well before 1929, and all Amberols issued in the 20s were dubbings of diamond discs - which accounts for the cavernous and pan sound of most of them until the dubbing process improved by the end of the 20s - so the last performers who actually recorded directly to cylinders date back to 1915, when the dubbing started. B. A. Rolfe was one that only recorded for Edison on diamond discs, all cylinders issues of him being dubs. That means all artists who recorded for cylinders are long gone, except for the elusive baby turtle quartet that is said to have recorded one cylinder and disbanded. That does not account for home or office records, the cylinder recording for business dictation was utilized well in the thirties, with a special purpose blank cylinder that only plays in these machines.
Re: Last living cylinder artist
Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2024 7:10 pm
by pallophotophone
I tend to think that Sophie Tucker was the last surviving artist. She made cylinders for Edison and LP's well into the modern LP era.
Re: Last living cylinder artist
Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2024 8:52 pm
by Jmcmahan67
Sophie Tucker passed away in 1966. I’m thinking Aileen Stanley who passed away in 1982. I believe she has some blue amberol cylinders.
Re: Last living cylinder artist
Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2024 9:21 am
by AudioAntique
I nominate the trumpet virtuoso, Edna White. October 23, 1892 – June 25, 1992. A great Edison recording artist.
Re: Last living cylinder artist
Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2024 1:21 pm
by bearcat
Gonna be tough to beat Edna...
Now I know of TWO elusive and mythical cylinders.
Buddy Bolden AND the Baby Turtle Quartet.
Rock On...
bob stutz
Re: Last living cylinder artist
Posted: Sat Aug 24, 2024 2:07 am
by Homestead
Wasn't there an Irving Peskin who Jerry Fabris interviewed on his Thos Edison's Attic radio program years ago that was alive in the early 2000s? Granted his work was on Diamond Disc, but cylinder dubs may have been made. James Manker
Re: Last living cylinder artist
Posted: Sat Aug 24, 2024 6:00 pm
by 52089
CarlosV wrote: Thu Aug 22, 2024 3:53 pm
Inigo wrote: Thu Aug 22, 2024 5:58 am
Taking into account that Edison published the 5000s blue amberols until 1929, a youngest musician, let's say, which was then 19 years old, and who lived 90 years, would have died in 2000.
Recordings made to cylinders ended well before 1929, and all Amberols issued in the 20s were dubbings of diamond discs - which accounts for the cavernous and pan sound of most of them until the dubbing process improved by the end of the 20s - so the last performers who actually recorded directly to cylinders date back to 1915, when the dubbing started. B. A. Rolfe was one that only recorded for Edison on diamond discs, all cylinders issues of him being dubs. That means all artists who recorded for cylinders are long gone, except for the elusive baby turtle quartet that is said to have recorded one cylinder and disbanded. That does not account for home or office records, the cylinder recording for business dictation was utilized well in the thirties, with a special purpose blank cylinder that only plays in these machines.
Nearly all late Blue Amberols were dubbed from diamond discs, but not quite all. A handful were reissues of earlier, directly recorded selections. Notably, a few Harry Lauder titles come to mind.