Great War Centennial gigs.

[Carl Anderton]

With the coming of the WW1 centennial there will probably be a need for period music at events.  I have the great good fortune of living very close to the National World War 1 Museum and Monument in Kansas City.

Any ideas of how to choose the best songs portraying a middle-aged civilian banjo player in the 1910's?  Besides picking tunes out of tutors from that specific time frame, which I will do.  I wish I had a better sense of repertoire as a period classic banjoist.

I'll need some singin' songs, too, playing all instrumental tunes probably won't cut it.

[Trapdoor2]

I'm envious. I would love to visit the museum. My grandfather was a WWI vet and I retain his impressive rack of medals.

Hard to go wrong with the huge variety of War-related songs, rags and marches. Cohan tunes, Berlin tunes, etc. Tin-pan Alley was in full tilt in the teens, there is probably so many tunes that it would be difficult to pick just a few!

My favorites songs would range from "Oh, How I Hate To Get Up In The Morning" to "When I Wore A Tulip" to "Mary" to "Over There" to "How're You Gonna Keep Em Down On The Farm"...and dozens more. I believe "After The Ball" was the biggest hit recording of the pre-WWI period.

It is a great time period for fun songs as well as sentimental ones. The Brit "music hall" repretiore is also huge, see the raft of CDs that David just posted.

[Carl Anderton]

Thank you, Marc, that just what I needed to get me started. I'll have to do a lot of arranging--say, there's an idea--I could create a tab book of arrangements of popular airs, say 1910-1918. I'll bet if I study all those tutors on Hal Allert's Classic Banjo site I'd find tips and clues for how to properly accompany oneself whilst vocalizing.

You quite welcome to visit me anytime to go to the Liberty Memorial, which is the National WW1 Museum. It's an amazing place. My grandfather also served, in the 77th "Statue of Liberty" Division. He fought in the Meuse-Argonne.

[Trapdoor2]

Here's just one of the "Top 100" lists.

http://www.popculturemadness.com/Music/Pop-Old/1900s.html

Joel Whitburn's books are also excellent sources for what America was listening to...year by year.

Generically, if you visit an antique's store there'll be a pile of old sheet-music in one of the booths. The large format stuff is usually the oldest and probably dates to your target. I have to stay away from it...I can sit there for hours sifting thru it all.

You could go thematic with automobiles, aircraft or ships or trains..."modern" transportation songs were very popular. "The Little Old Ford Rambled Right Along", "Come Josephine In My Flying Machine", "White Star Line March", etc. are great tunes. The 1900-1918 era of music is simply bulging with great tunes...you've got a tough task!

Another great source for songs is cylinder recordings on CD. There are several collections of tunes by the great singers of the period, Billy Murray, Ada Jones, Henry Burr, Vernon Dalhart, etc. So many tunes that are still familiar today were penned in the period: "Shine On Harvest Moon", "Ragtime Cowboy Joe", "Redwing" (well, 1899), etc., etc. Here's Billy Murray now! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Billy_Murray_-_K-K-K-Katy.ogg

I know very little else about my grandfather except for the rack of medals. His name was John Smith...finding him in any database will simply be crazy luck. He was in the "Big Red 1" (1st Infantry Div) and had to have enlisted prior to the war (as one of the medals is the "Mexican Campaign" medal of 1916). His "Victory Medal" has bars for many battles, including Meuse-Argonne, St-Mihiel, etc. He won the Croix de Guerre (with palm) and there's a purple heart with two clusters (he was gassed).

[marc dalmasso]

Marc , I found one John Smith , born in NY , in the site i usually go when i am searching something ( French army site _ avaiable in English_ possible research by family name
http://www.memoiredeshommes.sga.defense.gouv.fr/

[Trapdoor2]

Interesting, Marc. My grandfather may have emigrated thru New York, I do know he changed his original surname of "Schmidt" to "Smith" at some point, perhaps because of the war. My older brother contacted the French consulate when they were recognising Croix de Guerre winners a few years ago. Eventually he got a letter from them stating that they could find no record of his medal...many records were destroyed over the years.

I have never really given a search for him any serious attention. One day I'll do so.

[Carl Anderton]

A 1973 fire at the National Archives in St. Louis destroyed many records of WW1 veterans. I have tried to research my grandfather but was told his records were lost in the fire.