© David Diehl 1996 email ddiehl@tstc.edu
This work-in-progress is focused on under-the-counter 78 RPM records and specialty series produced by very small labels. The first wave of modern party records began in the Depression, anticipating that the repeal of prohibition would bring about increased demand for 'after hours' music on jukeboxes in smaller nightspots which could not afford live entertainment. As the thirties progressed and fragile recovery began, consumers returned to record buying and the makers and vendors of party records focused their attention on the retail market. During their quarter-century or so, a surprising number of 78 RPM party records were released, testimony to their popularity in the face of adversity. They paved the way for Oscar Brand's "Bawdy Ballads" and Rusty Warren's "Knockers Up" LP's. They weakened the rigid strictures against healthy white Americans doing nasty blue humor and were the grandsires of Lenny Bruce.
The Blue Pages is divided into an index and four major sections: the main index below; a TITLES LIST OF ANONYMOUS DISCS cross-referenced to a performer when known; the ARTIST LISTING which details the known works of each identified performer in chronological order along with biographies; next the LABEL PROFILES give brief descriptions of party labels. Label names are alphabetized in full, so NAN BLAKSTONE'S PRIVATE COLLECTION will be found under "N". Finally, there are ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS & LINKS for dessert.
Links to JPEG label images are indicated by a
yellow ball.Updated 7/29/98.
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