Sam Elliot Audio Book
Art Gillham
The Whispering PianistArt Gillham, The Whispering Pianist, (1895-1961) was a pioneer radio and recording artist who was also a songwriter and vaudeville performer. In February, 1925, he recorded the first Western Electric masters to be released; appeared on over 300 radio stations before network broadcasting; was a writer of Hesitation Blues. Recorded for Columbia Records 1924-1931. Appeared on radio 1923-1954. His intimate style is an early form of the crooner.
EARLY LIFE
Art Gillham was born on January 1, 1895 in St. Louis, MO while his mother was on a visit. His family lived in Atlanta, GA and moved to St. Louis early in his life. His mother taught him to play piano beginning at age five. He was trained in classical music but became influenced by St. Louis ragtime and stride piano. He attended Wyman Elementary School and Central High School and worked with St. Louis music publishers as a song pluger.
HESITATION BLUES
His closest friend was Billy Smythe. Together they joined a band and traveled to Los Angeles in 1912. They killed time on the train ride time by making up verses for a traditional tune. Billy Smythe went to Louisville where he started his own music publishing company and published the song crediting himself and his brother-in-law, Scott Middleton and calling the song "Hesitation Blues". This caused a rift in the Gillham-Smythe friendship that was not healed until 1922 when he and Smythe began writing songs as "by the creators of the original Hesitation Blues". Art
recorded Hesitation Blues for Columbia on February 25, 1924 as one of the first electrical recordings. Hesitation Blues was republished in 1926 with Art Gillham receiving credit with Smythe and Middleton. The 1925-1926 version included different words than the 1915 version, including the famous lines "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust..." and "Going down to the levee, take and old rocking chair...." All verses ended with "Tell me how long, how long do I have to wait? Oh can I have you now, or do I have to hesitate?" W.C. Handy had also published a song in 1915 using the same traditional tune calling it "Hesitating Blues". Handy's lyrics are not similar to the Gillham-Smythe- Middleton song. The 1926 publication had an additional 50 verses on the inside from cover. The song was very popular and the tune is used by multiple artists with or without the lyrics from the 1920's. The imdb.com shows it as part of the soundtracks of several films.Art Gillham was in the Army during War War I and was a marksman. He carried his marksmanship on throughout his life in competitions. During the war he was a member of an Army Chorus and sang at the last public appearance of Theodore Roosevelt.
SONG PLUGGER - EARLY RADIO - CROONER
After the War, Art went to Chicago as a song pluger for Ted Browne Music. He had worked for Ted Browne in St. Louis before the war. He traveled around the country playing in music stores and Five and Dime stores and on the Keith Vaudeville circuit for Ted Browne. He also made piano rolls for several companies, including Duo-Art. When radio appeared in 1922 he began stopping in at radio stations on his travels. At this time he was accompanying singers. In Chicago he was on WDAP a radio station in the Drake Hotel. In December, 1923 at WBBM in Chicago, he was dared to sing. Art accepted the challenge by singing in a quiet intimate manner later called "crooning". In February, 1924 he appeared on WSB in Atlanta. Lambdin Kay, the program director, called him "The Whispering Pianist", and Art began using the title as his billing. Though he never recorded it, he used "Whispering" as his theme song on radio.
1924 ACOUSTIC RECORDINGS
On May 2, 1924, Art Gillham began his recording career at Gennett Records recording 4 of his own compositions, including Hesitation Blues. None of those recordings were issued. In early October, 1924 he was broadcasting in New York and made two recordings for Pathe. After making the Pathe recordings,
Columbia Records signed Art Gillham as an Exclusive Artist. He began his career at Columbia with a Ted Browne song he was plugging, "How Do You Do". It became the theme song of Billy Jones and Earnest Hare, The Happiness Boys. Art Gillham also introduced the Ted Browne songs "Angry" and "Drifting Back To Dreamland."ELECTION NIGHT, 1924
On November 4, 1924, Art Gillham was one of the entertainers on the WEAF election night program which was the first commercially sponsored "hookup" of 18 stations, a precursor of network broadcasting. Earlier hookups were only regional. The WEAF program was the regular program of The Eveready Hour starting at 7:00 pm. The broadcast extended into the early morning hours of November 5. Other entertainers on the program were the regular host of the Eveready Hour, Wendell Hall "The Red Headed Music Maker", Will Rogers, Carson Robison, the Eveready Quartet, the Waldorf Astoria Dance Orchestra led by Joseph Knecht. Election returns were given by Graham McNamee. Calvin Cooledge was elected president.
From the right rear: Will Rogers, Art Gillham, Wendell Hall, Eveready Quartet, Graham McNamee (?). Front with Art Gillham hands on his shoulder is Carson Robison. Violinist-conductor is Ben Posner.
FIRST ELECTRICAL RECORDINGS
On February 25, 1925, Art Gillham recorded "You May Be Lonesome" (140125), a song written by Art Gillham and Billy Smythe. It was the first master recorded to be released (Col 328-D) using Western Electric's electrical
recording system.[1][2] He also electrically recorded Second Hand Love(140274, Col 343-D), Hesitation Blues (140390, Col 343-D), Heart Broken Strain (140391, not released), I Had Someone Else Before I Had You (140394, Col 328-D), How's Your Folks And My Folks (140395, Col 387-D), on the same day. The next day Art Gillham electrically recorded Can't Your Friend Get A Friend For Me (140399, Col 326-D). Other masters recorded February 25-26 were acoustically recorded. On February 27, 1925 he electrically recorded Hot Tamale Molly (140404, Col 326-D). Then Columbia began using the electrical recording system for its other artists. In a taped interview in May, 1961, a week before his death, Art Gillham said Columbia asked him to help them with testing the Western Electric system, presumably because of his experience in radio. He said Columbia gave him a "gift" of $1000.00 for his efforts. Victor began recording with the Western Electric system in mid-March, 1925. There had been previous attempts at electrical recording. In 1920 English Columbia produced a recording using a telephone connection with poor sound quality. In 1924 Autograph Records made some electrical recordings that are considered as no better than acoustic recordings. The Western Electric recording system became the standard in the 1920's.
CREATED IMAGE AND HUMOR
Art Gillham had a sense of humor about himself. On records and radio he created an image of himself as a fat, balding, poor boy from Georgia who couldn't keep a sweetheart. He was in fact tall, slim, handsome with thick black wavy hair, with a wife and two sons. Most of his songs were of seeking love and fortune, only to have it pass him by, or of lost love. One of his popular records was "I'm Waiting For Ships That Never Come In". His style of song was "Sob Songs". He referred to himself as old and broken down, the world's worst piano player and would talk to his fingers, refer to listeners as "the customers", and comment on his love of coffee during his recordings and performances. In a series of publicity photographs he is shown laying on a park bench covered with newspapers with the caption "Art's luxurious hotel suite" or a downtrodden man being told to leave Columbia studios captioned "Art is greeted by millions as he enters the studio to make Columbia Records.CONTINUED APPEARANCES
Art continued to travel the country appearing on radio stations, record stores and theaters. He made piano rolls for various companies including Vocalstyle, Mel-O-Dee, and Duo-Art. He would sometimes fly between cities and broadcast from the air field. Newspapers would have full page ads about his appearances. He toured primarily on the west coast on the Pantages circuit and in the south on the Loew's and Saenger circuit. His intimate style of soft singing kept him from playing the big theaters as microphones were not in use in theaters. He was on stage with a piano and telephone. The telephone was for "conversations" with his sweetheart who no doubt was jilting him. This then led into his sob songs.
RED NICHOLS, BENNY GOODMAN, JIMMY DORSEY, MANNIE KLEIN
Before recording with Columbia, Art had small bands. With Columbia he sang primarily with his own piano. On some recordings he had a novelty violin. A number of recordings are Art Gillham and his Southland Syncopaters. These were primarily house musicians. Red Nichols was on most, and some had Andy Sannella, Murray Kellner, Mannie Klein, Jimmy Dorsey, Eddie Lang. He used second pianos to boost rhythm with Rube Bloom, Lew Pollack, and Peter deRose. On one recording he does not play piano at all, but uses Black pianist Alex Hill. On a couple of later recordings is Benny Goodman. There were two recordings in which he sings with another group, one being Lanin's Red Heads (Red Nichols) Five Foot Two and on Okeh Billy Hayes Orchestra (Sam Lanin) Why Do I Love You Like I Do.COMPETITION
Art Gillham was a popular artist of his day. His primary competitor was Gene Austin and Jack Smith at Victor.
Also among the crooners of the day were Little Jack Little, Cliff Edwards, Johnny Marvin and Nick Lucas. After Art Gillham began recording for Columbia, Victor signed Jack Smith in the summer of 1925. A song plugger for Irving Berlin, Victor billed him as "Whispering Jack Smith" and had him record Cecelia in September , 1925, a song Art had recorded on June 27, 1925. Victor then tried to cast Art Gillham as the imitator of Jack Smith. Art Gillham responded with a letter to trade publications reminding them that he had been on radio and records before Jack Smith. Columbia responded by advertising Art Gillham as "Famous enough to be imitated." In September of 1953, Gene Austin appeared on Art Gillham's radio program in Atlanta and they recalled the "good old days" and the competition between the record companies while the performers remained friends.RECORDINGS
Art Gillham recorded 134 sides which were released from 1924-1934. Only one of his records was not Art Gillham on both sides. He recorded a number of songs he and Billy Smythe wrote and a few he wrote with others. Among his best selling records were: You May Be Lonesome, Hesitation Blues, Angry, Cecilia, I'm Sitting On Top Of The World, I's Climb The Highest Mountain, Tenderly, Tonight You Belong To Me, I'm Waiting For Ships That Never Come In, So Tired, Just Forget, In My Sweetheart's Arms, Chinatown My Chinatown, On The Alamo, Just Forget, Shine On Harvest Moon, I'm Confessing. Art also made some Columbia Recordings under the name Barrelhouse Pete.IRENE BEASLEY
While on radio in Memphis in 1928, Art was approached by a young school teacher who wanted him to sing a song she had written: If I Could Only Stop Dreaming. Art agreed the song should be sung on his program, but only if she sang it. It was Irene Beasley's first radio appearance.DEPRESSION RADIO
In the early 1930's Art Gillham had two programs on CBS. One, Breakfast With Art and the other an evening program of Syncopated Pessimism. His ending line in radio performances was, "Have you got a cup of coffee in your pocket?" A letter addressed only to "Have you got a cup of coffee in your pocket, New York" was delivered to CBS. Art continued to travel with radio appearances in the early 1930's. He finally settled in Atlanta, GA in 1937 broadcasting from WSB, later WAGA and WGST and worked with a business school. On August 7, 1939 he appeared in the first demonstration of television in the South at Atlanta's Rich's Department Store.LAST YEARS
During World War II he rarely appeared on radio. He did have a friend with a
home recorder and made records for his friends. After the war he had a program on Atlanta's WQXI until several heart attacks damaged his ability to use his left arm. He appeared on various local television programs on Atlanta's WAGA, and on NBC's Monitor radio program. He died of a heart attack on the morning of June 6, 1961 and is buried in Arlington Cemetery in Atlanta suburb Sandy Springs, GA[4]The Georgia Music Hall of Fame in Macon, Georgia, approximately 90 miles south of Atlanta has a collection of the original Columbia 78 rpm recordings and 14 compact disks of the complete Art Gillham recordings, photographs, sheet music, and a monograph on his career in its Zell Miller Library.
In 2003, cartoonist Kim Deitch made a short cartoon based on Art Gillham's recording of I'm Waiting For Ships That Never Come In.[3]
Further Reading
Jim Walsh, My Favorite Pioneer Recording Artists: Art Gillham, Hobbies Magazine, September, 1957Woody Backensto, Art Gillham, Record Research, March, 1963
Michael Pitts & Frank Hoffman, The Rise Of The Crooners
Russ Connor, Benny Goodman, Listen To The Legacy
Brian Rust, Jazz Records 1897-1942
Brian Rust, Complete Entertainment Discography 1897-1942
Brian Rust, The Victor Master Book, Vol. II
Brian Rust, Columbia Master Book Discography, Vol III 1924-1933Sutton, Allan, Recording The Twenties - Evolution Of American Recording Industry 1920-1929, pp167, 200, Mainspring Press, 2008.
Roger Kinkle, Complete Encyclopedia of Popular Music
Tom Lord, Jazz Discography, Vol 7
Ross Laird, Tantalizing Tingles
Online archives of newspapers, such as genealogybank.com and newspaperarchive.comA selection of recordings is available at Library of Congress: http://star1.loc.gov/cgi-bin/starfinder/0?path=sonic.txt&id=webber&pass=webb1&OK=OK
DISCOGRAPHY
Information on Art Gillham recordings released on Gennett, Apex, Pathe, Okeh, Star Gennett, Perfect, Columbia, and Bluebird has been compiled from various sources, including the original disks, primarily the discographies of Brian Rust, Tom Lord, Woody Backensto in Record Research concerning Red Nichols, Russ Connor concerning Benny Goodman. Information on the Allied Transcriptions, audition recordings made for King and for RCA Victor come from the recordings themselves. All of the commercial 78 rpm recordings are in the collection of the Georgia Music Hall of Fame as are compact disk copies. Some of the recordings are available as mp3 format from Itunes, Amazon mp3 downloads and the Internet Archive audio.1924
1924, May 2 Richmond, INArt believed he made ten recordings for Gennett. Gennett records show
ten takes of four songs, all his own compositions:
11848-B The Deacon Told Me I Was Good (not issued 3 takes)
11849-B Mean Blues (not issued 3 takes)
11850-A You May Be Lonesome (not issued 2 takes)
11851-A Hesitation Blues (not issued 2 takes)
1924, October, New York
In a letter to Jim Walsh, dated May 24, 1957, for a Hobbies Magazine article, Art wrote: "When I went to New York with recording on my mind, after making about 50 radio stations around the country as a traveling radio artist, I sent a telegram to each recording manager of the various New York companies, telling them I was on WJZ for one week at noon and 9 o'clock at night, and as I had a radio following throughout the country they should be interested in my record sales, if I made records. The only companies that responded to the telegrams were Pathe, then Okeh, then Columbia - so I made records."
New York: Art was contacted by Herman Rose of Pathe Records and made two records for Pathe, one of his own compositions and one being plugged for Ted Browne Music, issued on Pathe, Perfect, Apex, Ajax, and Starr Gennett. Art believed he had made 4 recordings for Pathe, but no evidence of these recordings has been found. Still a song pluger for Ted Browne Music he recorded two Browne songs.
105600-A-B The Deacon Told Me I Was Good (Billy Smythe - Art Gillham)
Pathe 03209; Perfect 1217; Apex 680; Starr Gennett 680.
(Apex and Starr Gennett released under name "Fred Thomas") 105602-B How Do You Do (Fleming - Harrison - deVoll)
Pathe 03208; Pathe 10799; Perfect 12166; Apex 679; Star Gennett 679; Ajax 17084
(Ajax, Apex and Starr Gennett were issued under the name "Fred Thomas")
1924, October, New York:Art stated he was contacted by Arthur Berg of Okeh Records. No recordings are known to have been made for Okeh, though Art believed he made 6 recordings for Okeh. It has been discovered that Art made an anonymous recording for Okeh after it had been acquired by Columbia
1924, October 22, New York
New York: Art was contacted by Frank Walker of Columbia Records, signed a contract as an Exclusive Artist and made two records for Columbia. Art credited Frank Walker for his advice during his career with Columbia. Still a song pluger for Ted Browne Music he recorded the Browne song How Do You Do.
140113-1 Way Out West In Kansas (2 takes) (acoustic) (Carson Robison)
Col 238-D
140114-3 How Do You Do (3 takes) (acoustic) (Fleming-Harrison-de Voll)
Col 238-D
Two days later, Columbia experimented with electrical recording on masters 140117 and 140118 by Paul Specht and His Hotel Alamac Orchestra. These electrical recordings were rejected with no comment. Columbia's next electrical recording session was of Art Gillham on February 25, 1925, which resulted in the first recorded issued Western Electric recordings. Columbia had been forced into receivership in October, 1923. In December 1923 Columbia promoted its "New Process" record method which greatly reduced the surface noise and made Columbia the superior record product. The new records had a "Flag" label and a new series numbering with the "D" (Domestic) series replacing the previous Blue label "A" series.
1924, Nov 6 140123-1-2-3 The Deacon Told Me I Was Good (acoustic) (Billy Smythe - Art Gillham) not issued (resumed on January 20, 1925)
140125-1-2-3 You May Be Lonesome (acoustic) (Billy Smythe - Art Gillham)
not issued (resumed on January 20, 1925)
1924, Dec The first known release of an Art Gillham record: Pathe 032087 How Do You Do
1925
1925, Jan. 20 Chicago: 140123-5 The Deacon Told Me I Was Good (acoustic) (2 takes) (Billy Smythe - Art Gillham)
Col 297-D (resumed from November 6, 1924)
140125-4-5-6 You May Be Lonesome (acoustic) (Billy Smythe - Art Gillham)
not issued (resumed from Nov 6, 1924; resume on Feb 25,
25, 1925 with first electrical recordings)
140270-1 Carolina Blues (acoustic) 140270-2 Carolina Blues (acoustic)
Col 297-D
1925, Jan. 21 Chicago: made two recordings for Columbia
140274-1-2 Second Hand Love (acoustic) (Billy Smythe - Art Gillham)
not issued (resumes on February 25, 1925 electrical
140275-1-2 Doo Wacka Doo (Gaskill-Donaldson-Horther)
not issued
1925, Feb First Columbia Art Gillham record released: Col 238-D.
1925, Feb. 25
1926, Oct. 19 New York: records 6 titles for Columbia, accompanied as shown by Peter de Rose or Sid Wolf, piano; Horace Seavy, bass.
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142839-1 Broken-Hearted Sue (Peter de Rose) (3 takes)
(Breen - Peter de Rose - Paskin)
Col 842-D
142840-3 Pretty Little Thing (Sid Wolf & H. Seavey) (tobias-Rose-Dubin)
Col 1051-D
142841-3 Things That Remind Me Of You (Billy Smythe-Art Gillham)
Col 892-D
142842-3 I'm Missing The Kissing of Someone (Davis-Bibo-Art Gillham)
Col 1472-D
142843-2 I'm Only Another To You (Johnson-White)
142843-3 I'm Only Another To You
Col 955-D
142844-1-2-3 I'm Drifting Back To Dreamland (piano solo)
(Harrison - Charlesworth - Sadler)
not issued (resumed on Nov 3, 1926)
1926, Nov Record released: Columbia 737-D.
1926, Nov. 3 New York: records 3 titles for Columbia, accompanied by Abner Silver, piano on Silver's composition:
142831-4 Just A Little Longer (3 takes) (Irving Berlin)
Col 806-D (resumed from October 18, 1926
142844-4 I'm Drifting Back To Dreamland (piano solo) (3 takes)
142844-5 I'm Drifting Back To Dreamland (piano solo)
(Harrison - Charlesworth - Sadler) Col 955-D
142904-3 Rags (pianio by Abner Silver) (Fain-Richman-Abner Silver)
(Fain - Richman - Abner Silver)
Col 806-D
1927
1927, Jan. Columbia made a slight adjustment to its Black label by adding the words "Viva-tonal Recording" and "Electrical Process".
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1927, Jan Record released: Columbia 771-D.
1927, Feb Record released: Columbia 806-D.
1927, Mar Record released: Columbia 842-D.
1927, Apr. 25 New York: recorded 2 titles for Columbia, accompanied by Andy Sannella on steel guitar:
144044-1-2-3 Tonight You Belong To Me (David-Rose)
not issued (resumed on May 16, 1927)
144045-1-2-3 I'm Waiting For Ships That Never Come In (Yellen-Olman)
1927, Apr. 26 New York: recorded 4 titles for Columbia, accompanied by Andy Sannella on alto sax, or by his "Southland Syncopaters", probable, as per Woody Backensto: Red Nichols, cornet; Miff Mole, trombone; Andy Sannella alto sax\clarinet/flute, Ben Selvin, violin, Harry Barth, bass Rube Bloom, piano:
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144048-1-2-3 That Saxophone Waltz (Sannella on alto sax) (Sisk)
not issued (resumed on May 16, 1927) 144049-3 I Crave You (SS) (Hibbeler-Geise)
144050-2 Twiddlin' My Thumbs (SS) (Rose-Mecum)
144050-3 Twiddlin' My Thumbs (SS)
Col 1194-D
144051-1 Flutter By, Butterfly (SS) (Stanley-Layton)
144051-3 Flutter By, Butterfly (SS)
Col 1116-D1927, Apr. 27 New York: record 3 titles for Columbia, accompanied by his "Southland Syncopaters" probable, as per Woody Backensto: Red Nichols, cornet; Miff Mole, trombone; Andy Sannella alto sax\clarinet/flute, Ben Selvin, violin, Harry Barth, bass, Rube Bloom, piano:
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144056-1 Now I Won't Be Blue (SS) (Art Gillham)
144056-2 Now I Won't Be Blue (SS)
Col 1253-D 144057-2 I'd Walk A Million Miles (SS) (Lewis-Marks)
144057-3 I'd Walk A Million Miles (SS)
Col 1116-D 144058-1 I Love You But I Don't Know Why (SS) (3 takes) (Malie-Chapman)
144058-2 I Love You But I Don't Know Why (SS)
Col 1152-D1927, May Record released: Columbia 892-D
1927, May 4 New York, records 4 titles for Columbia, accompanied by Eddie King on piano on last title:
144087-1 The Pal You Left At Home (3 takes) (Cullings-Alton)
144087-2 The Pal You Left At Home
Col 1194-D 144088-2 I Could Waltz On Forever With You, Sweetheart (3 takes)
(Baskette-Bennett)
144089-1-2-3 What A Wonderful Night This Would Be
(Billy Smythe - Art Gillham)
not issued (resumed on May 16, 1927)
144090-3 Just Before You Broke My Heart (E. King) (4 takes)
(Segar Ellis - Lipschultz - Art Gillham)
Col 1152-D
1927, May 16 New York: recorded 7 titles for Columbia, accompanied by Andy Sannella, steel guitar or Rube Bloom on piano:
144044-5 Tonight You Belong To Me (A. Sannella)
144044-6 Tonight You Belong To Me (A. Sannella)
(David - Rose)
Col 1007-D (resumed from April 25, 1927)
144045-4 I'm Waiting For Ships That Never Come In (Sannella) 144045-5 I'm Waiting For Ships That Never Come In (Sannella)
(Yellen - Olman)
Col 1051-D (resumed from April 25, 1927)
144048-4 That Saxophone Waltz (Andy Sannella, alto sax) (Sisk)
144048-6 That Saxophone Waltz (Andy Sannella, alto sax)
Col 1081-D (resumed from April 26, 1927)144089-4 What A Wonderful Night This Would Be (3 takes)
144089-5 What A Wonderful Night This Would Be
(Billy Smythe - Art Gillham)
Col 1253-D ( resumed from May 4, 1927)
144152-2 I'm Looking For My Old Gal Sal (Rube Bloom) (Davis-Kortlander)
144152-3 I'm Looking For My Old Gal Sal (Rube Bloom)
Col 1392-D144153-1-2 I Told You I'd Never Forget (Rube Bloom)
(Breen - Peter de Rose - Hall)
not issued
1927, June Record released: Columbia 955-D.
1927, July Record released: Columbia 972-D
1927, Aug Record released: Columbia 1007-D
1928
| 1928, Jan. 9 New York: recorded 3 titles for Columbia, accompanied by 4 piece group probably being Murray Kellner, violin, Andy Sannella, alto sax/clarinet/guitar, Rube Bloom, piano, Eddie King, celeste:
145491-2 Gee! But I'm Blue (Little-Rose-Harris) 145491-3 Gee! But I'm Blue Col 1392-D 145492-1 Nobody's Lonesome But Me (Malie-deVoll-Vincent) 145492-3 Nobody's Lonesome But Me Col 1492-D 145493-1 Just For Tonight (Sannella) (Cobb) 145493-3 Just For Tonight (Sannella) Col 1619-D 1928, Jan. 10 New York: recorded 4 titles for Columbia, accompanied by Murray Kellner, violin and Rube Bloom, piano: 145499-2 So Tired (Little-Sizemore) 145499-3 So Tired Col 1282-D 145500-3 You'd Rather Forget Than Forgive (Johnson-Davis) Col 1282-D 145501-1 In My Sweetheart's Arms 145501-3 In My Sweetheart's Arms (Elliott - J. Russell Robinson -Art Gillham) Col 1492-D 145502-3 Silver-Haired Sweetheart (Herscher) Col 1319-D 1928, Jan. 11 New York: recorded 4 titles for Columbia, accompanied by Anday Sannella on clarinet, alto sax, flute, guitar and effects; Murray Kellner on violin; Rube Bloom on piano:
145505-2 Chinatown, My Chinatown (Jerome-Schwartz) 145505-3 Chinatown, My Chinatown Col 1619-D 145506-2 My Heart's Aching For My Old Gal (Rose-deVol) 145506-3 My Heart's Aching For My Old Gal Col 1619-D 145507-1 Who Gives You All Your Kisses? (Elbel-Elbel) 145507-3 Who Gives You All Your Kisses? Col 1319-D 145508-1-2 I'm Just A Rollin' Stone (piano solo)(Wendell Hall-Art Gillham) not issued (resumed on January 23, 1928) 1928, Jan. 17 New York: recorded 1 title for Columbia accompanied by Murray Kellner, violin, Andy Sannella, alto sax and guitar, Rube Bloom, piano 145539-1 The Hours I Spent With You (Lewis-Young-Little) 145539-3 The Hours I Spent With You Col 1353-D 1928, Jan. 19 New York: recorded 1 title for Columbia, accompanied by Dale Wimbrow, harmonica: 145553-1-2-3 Think Of Me, Thinking Of You (Wimbrow-Abbott) not issued 1928, Jan. 23 New York: recorded 2 piano solo titles for Columbia as "Barrel-House Pete": 145562-2 I'm Just A Rollin' Stone (Wendell Hall-Art Gillham) 145562-3 I'm Just A Rollin' Stone Col 14308-D (resumed from January 11, 1928) 145563-2 Pussy (Art Gillham) 145563-3 Pussy Col 14308-D |
1928, Feb. 23 New York, recorded 1 title for Columbia:
145676-1 I Found You Out When I Found You In Somebody Else's Arms (4 takes)
145676-2 I Found You Out When I Found You In Somebody Else's Arms
(O'Flynn - Ponce)
Col 1353-D
1928, Mar Record released: Columbia 1253-D.
1928, April Record released: Columbia 1282-D.
1928, Apr. 24 New Orleans: recorded 4 titles for Columbia, all piano solos, under name "Barrel-House Pete": Brian Rust speculated that this Barrel-House Pete recording was by Art Gillham because of the January 23, 1928 recording. That it is Art Gillham is shown in that he was playing a theater date in New Orleans on April 24, 1928 and one of the songs recorded is his composition: Hesitation Blues.
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146181-1-2 St. Louis Blues (W.C. Handy)
not issued
146182-1-2 Memphis Blues (W.C. Handy)
not issued
146183-1-2 Some Of These Days (Shelton Brooks)
not issued
146184-1-2 Hesitation Blues (Smythe-Middleton-Gillham)
not issued
| According to Brian Rust: "All takes of the above four titles were originally passed for issue, but a note written on the file cards reads `Reject - our letter to Mr Dodds 8-17-32. Ben Selvin.' By that date Art was no longer recording for Columbia. |
1928, May Record released: Columbia 1319-D.
1928, May 10 Record released: Columbia 14308-d (Barrelhouse Pete). 6750 copies pressed.
1928, June Record released: Columbia 1353-D.
1928, July Record released: Columbia 1392-D.
1928, August Record released: Columbia 1429-D
1928, Aug 3 New York: recorded anonymous vocal for Billy Hayes Orchestra, a Sam Lanin group. Columbia had purchased the Okeh label, so apparently it was not considered a breach of his Exclusive Artist contract, but his name was not used on the label.
1:401055 Why (Do I Love You Like I Do)
Okeh 41091
1928, Aug. 15 New York: recorded 3 titles for Columbia:
146845-3 It's Never Too Late To Be Sorry (J.E. Dempsey-Joe Burke)
Col 1540-D
146846-2 My Heart Cries Out For You (George Randall-Art Gillham)
146846-3 My Heart Cries Out For You
Col 1572-D
146847-2 You Can't Take My Memories From Me
146847-3 You Can't Take My Memories From Me
(Joe Davis - Spencer Williams)
Col 1663-D
1928, Aug. 16 New York: recorded 3 titles for Columbia accompanied by Red Nichols, cornet and Arthur Schutt, piano:
146848-2 The Lamp Of Aladin (Johnson-Kennedy-Art Gillham)
146848-3 The Lamp Of Aladin
Col 1663-D
146849-2 Right Or Wrong (Sizemore-Biese)
146849-3 Right Or Wrong
Col 1540-D
146850-1 Somebody Else May Be Telling Her Something (She'd Love To Hear From You)
146850-2 Somebody Else May Be Telling Her Something (She'd Love To Hear From You)
(Joe Goodwin - Larry Shay)
Col 1572-D
1928, Oct Record released: Columbia 1472-D.
1928, Nov Record released: Columbia 1540-D.
1928, Dec Record released: Columbia 1572-D.
1929
1929, Jan Record released: Columbia 1619-D.
1929, Feb. 28 New York: recorded 2 titles for Columbia accompanied by Red Nichols, cornet, Andy Sanella, clarinet, Ben Selvin, violin, other strings, Eddie Lang, guitar, Harry Barth, bass, Rube Bloom, piano:
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148008-1 Some Sweet Day (from Children of the Ritz) (3 takes)
148008-2 Some Sweet Day (from Children of the Ritz)
(Nat Shilkret - Lew Pollack)
Col 1726-D
148009-2 I Love You, I Love You, I Love You, Sweetheart Of All My Dreams
148009-3 I Love You, I Love You, I Love You, Sweetheart Of All My Dreams
(Fitch - Fitch - Lowe)
Col 1726-D
1929, Mar Record released: Columbia 1663-D
1929, Mar. 5 New York: recorded 3 titles for Columbia, probably accompanied by Andy Sannella, guitar:
148019-1 Two Little Rooms (Lee Tish)
148019-3 Two Little Rooms
Col 1919-D
148020-1 Somewhere There's Someone (Madson-Art Gillham)
148020-3 Somewhere There's Someone
Col 1802-D
148025-1-2-3 You've Made My Dreams Come True (Hornsby-Pomar)
1929, Mar. 6 New York: recorded recorded 3 titles for Columbia, accompanied by Red Nichols, cornet, Andy Sanella, clarinet, Rube Bloom, violin, Harry Barth, bass, Rube Bloom, piano. The first title was released only in Australia:
| |
148034-3 My Swanee River Home (Kindel Henderson)
Col 01542
148035-1 Tell Me There's Hope For Me (Davis-Johnson)
148035-3 Tell Me There's Hope For Me
Col 1944-D
148036-1 What Wouldn't I Do (3 takes) (Jaffe-Boland)
148036-2 What Wouldn't I Do
Col 1802-D
1929, Mar. 7 New York, recorded 3 titles for Columbia accompanied by Red Nichols, cornet, Andy Sannella, alto sax, clarint, Eddie Lang, guitar, Harry Barth, bass, Rube Bloom, piano:
| |
148041-1-2 I'm Nobody's Baby (Davis-Ager-Santly)
not issued
148042-2 True Blue (Gillespie-Garland)
148042-3 True Blue
Col 1919-D
148043-2 On The Alamo (3 takes) (Gus Kahn-Isham Jones)
Col 1944-D
1929, Mar. 8 New York, recorded 1 title for Columbia probably accompanied by Red Nichols, cornet, Ben Selvin, piano, violin, unknown second violin, Eddie Lang, guitar, Harry Barth, bass, Rube Bloom, piano:
| |
148047-1-2-3 Blue Little You, And Blue Little Me
(Davis - Johnson)
not issued (resumed March 18, 1929)
1929, Mar. 18 New York: recorded 2 titles for Columbia accompanied by violin on second title:
148047-5 Blue Little You, And Blue Little Me (as 3-8-29)
148047-6 Blue Little You, And Blue Little Me (as 3-8-29)
(Davis - Johnson)
Col 2016-D
148101-1-2-3 I'm Still Caring (violin accomp)(Rudy Vallee-John Klenner)
not issued (resumed on March 29, 1929)
1929, Mar. 21 New York, recorded 1 title for Columbia:
148025-4 You've Made My Dreams Come True (Hornsby-Pomar)
148025-5 You've Made My Dreams Come True
Col 1873-D (resumed from March 5, 1929)
1929, Mar. 29 New York, recorded 2 titles for Columbia accompanied by violin and piano:
148101-4 I'm Still Caring (3 takes) (Rudy Vallee-John Klenner)
148101-5 I'm Still Caring
Col 1873-D
148148-2 If You Know What I Know (Howard Johnson-Art Gillham)
148148-3 If You Know What I Know
Col 2016-D
1929, Apr Record released: Columbia 1726-D.
1929, May Record released: Columbia 1802-D.
1929, June Record released: Columbia 1873-D.
1929 Aug Record released: Columbia 1919-D and 1944-D.
1929, Nov. 25 New York: recorded 4 titles for Columbia probably accompanied by Red Nichols, cornet, Andy Sannella alto sax and/or guitar, or Jimmy Dorsey alto sax, Ben Selvin, violin, a second violin, Harry Barth, bass, Rube Bloom, piano:
| |
149485-1 Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder (Young-Warren)
149485-3 Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder
Col 2119-D
149486-1 If You Were The Only Girl In The World (3 takes)
149486-2 If You Were The Only Girl In The World
(from The Vagabond Lover)
(Clifford Gray - Nat D. Ayer)
Col 2051-D
149487-2 Hollywood (Newsman-Johnson)
149487-3 Hollywood
Col 2051-D
149492-1 Have A Little Faith In Me (3 takes)
149492-2 Have A Little Faith In Me
(from Spring Is Here)
(Lewis - Young - Warren)
Col 2119-D
1929, Nov. 26 New York, recorded 3 titles for Columbia probably accompanied by Red Nichols, cornet, Andy Sannella or Jimmy Dorsey, clarinet, Ben Selvin, violin, Rube Bloom, piano.
149640-1-2-3 If I Had To Do Without You (Pitman)
not issued (resumed on December 11, 1929)
149641-1-2-3 (You'll Always Be) Welcome (Andy Razaf-Paul Denniker)
not issued
(Columbia file card note: "replaced by 150865 at no cost.")
149642-1-2-3-4-5-6 Would You Care? (Harris)
not issued
| (Rust's Columbia Master Book Discography Vol III states Columbia file card shows no dates of recording or disposition, however takes 4-6 are shown as February 12, 1930 in Brian Rust's Complete Entertainment Discography) |
1929, Nov. 27 New York, recorded 3 titles for Columbia first 2 titles have violin, train effects and bells:
149648-1 Just Forget (Tebben-Billy Smythe-Art Gillham)
149648-3 Just Forget
Col 2245-D
Vocalion 3028
149649-1-2-3 Tonight (Billy Smythe-Art Gillham)
not issued (resumed December 11, 1929)
149650-1-2-3 You Don't Care (Coots-Art Gillham)
not issued (resumed December 9, 1929)
1929, Dec. 9 New York: recorded 1 title for Columbia:
149650-4-5-6 You Don't Care (Coots-Art Gillham)
not issued (resumed December 14, 1929)
1929, Dec. 11 New York, recorded 2 titles for Columbia accompanied by violin and piano:
149640-4 If I Had To Do Without You (Pitman)
149640-6 If I Had To Do Without You
Col 2189-D (resumed from November 26, 1929)
149649-5 Tonight (Billy Smythe-Art Gillham)
Col 2245-D
Vocalion 3028
1929, Dec. 14 New York, recorded 1 title for Columbia:
149650-7 You Don't Care (Coots-Art Gillham)
149650-8 You Don't Care
Col 2189-D (resumed from December 9, 1929)
1930
1930, Feb 1 Columbia List shows release of Columbia 2051-D.
1930, Feb. 12 New York, may have recorded 1 title for Columbia:
149642-4-5-6 Would You Care (Harris)
not issued (see note on November 26, 1929)
1930, Apr. 1 Columbia list show release of Columbia 2119-D
1930, June Record release: Columbia 2189-D.
1930, July 24 New York: recorded 4 titles for Columbia accompanied by Mannie Klein, trumpet, Benny Goodman on clarinet, Ben Selvin, violin, Eddie Lang, guitar, Rube Bloom, piano, bells and whistles:
| |
150661-1 Good Evenin' (3 takes) (Seymour-O'Flynn-Hoffman)
150661-2 Good Evenin'
Col 2291-D
150662-1 Confessin' (That I Love You) (Neiburg-Daugherty-Reynolds)
150662-3 Confessin' (That I Love You)
Col 2265-D
1930, July 30
| New York: recorded 2 titles for Columbia with same accompanment as on July 24, 1930. He recorded I'm Drifting Back To Dreamland on October 19, 1926 as a piano solo: |
150665-1 My Heart belongs To The Girl Who Belongs To Somebody Else
150665-2 My Heart belongs To The Girl Who Belongs To Somebody Else
((Al Sherman - Al Lewis)
Col 2265-D
150666-2 I'm Drifting Back To Dreamland
150666-3 I'm Drifting Back To Dreamland
(Charlesworth - Harrison - Sadler) (a Ted Browne song)
Col 2291-D
1930, Aug Record release: 2245-D and 2265-D.
1930, Oct. 7 New York, records 2 titles for Columbia accompanied by Alex Hill. Art Gillham does not play piano on these recordings:
150865-1 Passing Time With Me (3 takes) (Alex Hill)
150865-2 Passing Time With Me
Col 2331-D
150866-1 When They Changed My Name To A Number
150866-3 When They Changed My Name To A Number
(Carter - Gordon - Osborne)
Col 2331-D
1930 Record released: Columbia 2291-D.
1930, Nov. 6 New York, recorded 2 titles for Columbia:
150939-2 Gazing At The Stars (Crawford-Fairman)
150939-3 Gazing At The Stars
Col 2349-D
150940-2 To Whom It May Concern (Gottler-Mitchell-Myer)
150940-3 To Whom It May Concern
Col 2349-D
1931
1931, Jan Record released: Columbia 2331-D
1931, Jan. 5
| New York, recorded 2 titles accompanied by clarinet, alto sax, and piano and was joined by The Rondoliers Quartet on one title: |
151144-3 Shine On Harvest Moon (Rondoliers) (Jack Norwoth-Nora Bayes)
Col 2374-D
Vocalion 3027
15145-2 If You're Happy I'll Be Glad (3 takes) (Howard Johnson-Art Gillham)
Col 2374-D
Vocalion 3027
1931, Feb Record released: Columbia 2349-D
1931, Feb. 4 New York, recorded 2 titles for Columbia:
151272-2 Something Reminds Me Of You (Billy Smythe-Art Gillham)
151272-3 Something Reminds Me Of You
Col 2451-D
151273-3 If You Haven't Got A Girl (Davis-Hoffman-Vallee)
Col 2451-D
1931, Mar Record release: Columbia 2374-D
1931, Mar. 12 New York: recorded 2 titles for Columbia:
151415-1-2-3 Another Broken Heart (Johnson-Davis)
not issued
151416-1-2-3 As Long As We Have Each Other (___)
not issued
1931, May 12 New York, recorded 2 titles for Columbia:
151551-1-2 You Are The Rose Of My Heart (Allison-Kendis)
not issued (resumed on May 26, 1931)
151552-1-2-3 You Treat Me Like A Baby (Jack Palmer)
not issued
1931, May 26 New York, recorded his final 2 titles for Columbia:
151551-3 You Are The Rose Of My Heart (Allison-Kendis)
151551-4 You Are The Rose Of My Heart
Col 2506-D (resumed from May 12, 1931)
151571-1 Just A Minute More To Say Goodbye (Lewis-Gusman)
151571-2 Just A Minute More To Say Goodbye
Col 2506-D
Art Gillham's first recording session for Columbia included How Do You Do, so it was appropriate to end his career with Columbia with Just A Minute More To Say Goodbye.
1931, June Record release: Columbia 2451-D
1931, July Record release: Columbia 2506-D Art's last Columbia Record.
1931-1934 Chicago. Art recorded an unknown number of titles for Allied Transcriptions. The exact dates, matrix numbers and and release numbers are unknown. Art recalled transcriptions as made in Chicago in 1931. The known titles are:
Song Without A Name
If You Believe In Me
Looking For Someone To Love
If You're Happy, I'll Be Glad
I Don't Suppose
Something Reminds Me Of You
When You Pressed Your Lips To Mine
Silver-Haired Sweetheart
I'm A Millionaire, For I Have You
I'm Losing You
I'm Lonesome For You, That's All
I Laughed At Love Before I Found You
If I Could Find You Tonight
I'll Be The Meanest Man In Town
My Melancholy Baby
So Tired
You Don't Care
Never
I'm Crazy 'Bout My Baby
Some Of These Days
1934
1934, Early
| Columbia Records was acquired by American Record Corp when Grigsby-Grunow Company failed. ARC purchased Columbia for $70, 000. It already had purchased Brunswick, Vocalion, Perfect, Banner and other labels. Apparently this resulted in several of Art Gillham's Columbia recordings to be re-released on Vocalion and Perfect. |
1934, Mar. 31 San Antonio: Frank Walker now with Victor and Art recorded two titles for RCA Victor accompanied by Billy Smythe:
82740-1 Somebody Painted My Dream Castle Blue
(Billy Smythe-Art Gillham)
Bluebird B-5454
82741-1 Alone (I'd Rather Be Alone) (Billy Smythe-Art Gillham)
Bluebird B-5454
1934, May 20 Bluebird Supplement lists B-5454 as released.
1935-1961
Art Gillham continued his career in radio with some television appearances through 1954. He continued recording for friends on home acetate and tape recordings, with professionally recorded acetate disks for audition with King Records and professionally recorded tape for RCA Victor. His last recording was an interview made within two weeks before his death on June 6, 1961.
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