Willard Robison

[martini]

I recently picked up some 78s of Willard Robison (unfortunately none featuring Bix) on Perfect, but I'm having a hard time finding a Robison discography (or a discography of the label) that provides information about the recording dates. Does anyone know of a site out there that has this information? Or a book that I can buy that might have it? Thanks.

[AllenLowe]

do not know sources, but I am an admirer - he was a Southerner who showed that influence in his pop tunes, praised by Alec Wilder and Johnny Mercer; he's in my American Pop and will probably be in my blues collection - check out a Mercer bio and books by and on Wilder, they probably have references in them -

[Stereojack]

I recently picked up some 78s of Willard Robison (unfortunately none featuring Bix) on Perfect, but I'm having a hard time finding a Robison discography (or a discography of the label) that provides information about the recording dates. Does anyone know of a site out there that has this information? Or a book that I can buy that might have it? Thanks.

Brian Rust's Dance Band discography has a full listing for Robison. Unfortunately the book is out of print. If you can provide me with titles and catalog numbers, I'd be happy to look them up for you.

[jazztrain]

I suspect that some of Robison's records are listed in some of Brian Rust's discographies, perhaps the Dance Band discography. I'd have to check at home later.

In the meantime, you might find some information from some of the following sites:

http://settlet.fateback.com/PE12000.htm

http://settlet.fateback.com/PE14500.htm

http://settlet.fateback.com/PE15000.htm

If you list the titles and issue or matrix numbers it would help track down the information.

I recently picked up some 78s of Willard Robison (unfortunately none featuring Bix) on Perfect, but I'm having a hard time finding a Robison discography (or a discography of the label) that provides information about the recording dates. Does anyone know of a site out there that has this information? Or a book that I can buy that might have it? Thanks.

[jazzbo]

Hmmm. . .I couldn't find any information either. Did find six tracks on the Internet Archive from 1927. . .that surprised me.

[martini]

In the meantime, you might find some information from some of the following sites:

http://settlet.fateback.com/PE12000.htm

http://settlet.fateback.com/PE14500.htm

http://settlet.fateback.com/PE15000.htm

If you list the titles and issue or matrix numbers it would help track down the information.

Thanks so much for the links. This helps a ton.

I have Perfect 12280 (The Birth of the Blues/Deep River Blues), which according to the page that you linked was from 7/28/26; Perfect 12311 (Clap Yo' Hands/Thinking of You), which has a date of 12/14/26; and Perfect 14938 (There Must be a Silver Lining/Oh! Ya Ya); the former track was recorded 1/25/28 and the latter on 1/30/28.

If they are different than what is listed in Rust's book, let me know. Thanks for your help.

[Stereojack]

I have Perfect 12280 (The Birth of the Blues/Deep River Blues), which according to the page that you linked was from 7/28/26; Perfect 12311 (Clap Yo' Hands/Thinking of You), which has a date of 12/14/26; and Perfect 14938 (There Must be a Silver Lining/Oh! Ya Ya); the former track was recorded 1/25/28 and the latter on 1/30/28.

If they are different than what is listed in Rust's book, let me know. Thanks for your help.

I have checked in Rust's jazz & dance band books. Neither is complete, as many of his sides are vocals with piano accompaniment, and therefore fall outside the purview of either book. Perfect 14938 is listed, and the dates match the site. Interestingly, Jack Teagarden is said to be present on the 1/25/28 date, and he does solo. The track is reissued on a Teagarden LP. Actually, not true. The LP has a different take!

[jostber]

Jack Teagarden was a big fan of the songs of Willard Robison. A lof of them here on this album from 1962:

[martini]

Jack Teagarden was a big fan of the songs of Willard Robison. A lof of them here on this album from 1962:

I'll have to check this one out.

Thanks for the information, everybody. I became curious about the discographies of Brian Rust as a result of these posts. His JAZZ AND RAGTIME RECORDS (1897-1942) is available on CD Rom from the publisher, but currently OOP in book form. However, today I was able to order an OOP hard copy set (library bound) here: http://www.rustbooks.com/books.php at a discounted price. Anyone interested might want to email the webmaster for pricing and availability.

Edited February 5, 2009 by martini

[jazztrain]

Make sure that you get the index. This edition was originally published without the index. You had to buy the paperback index separately.

What's the deal on the CD ROM issue? I wasn't aware that it was offered in that form.

Jack Teagarden was a big fan of the songs of Willard Robison. A lof of them here on this album from 1962:

I'll have to check this one out.

Thanks for the information, everybody. I became curious about the discographies of Brian Rust as a result of these posts. His JAZZ AND RAGTIME RECORDS (1897-1942) is available on CD Rom from the publisher, but currently OOP in book form. However, today I was able to order an OOP hard copy set (library bound) here: http://www.rustbooks.com/books.php at a discounted price. Anyone interested might want to email the webmaster for pricing and availability.

[martini]

Make sure that you get the index. This edition was originally published without the index. You had to buy the paperback index separately.

The books arrived yesterday, and it did include the paperback index with the 2 Vol. hardcovers. You are correct about needing it, though. These books would be difficult to use without it.

[jazztrain]

Glad that you received the index. It wasn't an issue with several earlier editions which included the index as part of the second bound volume. Of course, some other Rust discographies (such as the dance band discography) didn't include an index at all (which, as you observed, made them far less user friendly).

Make sure that you get the index. This edition was originally published without the index. You had to buy the paperback index separately.

The books arrived yesterday, and it did include the paperback index with the 2 Vol. hardcovers. You are correct about needing it, though. These books would be difficult to use without it.