Edward T. King
Encyclopedia
Edward T. "Eddie" King was an early twentieth century percussionist, conductor
, Artist and Repertoire (A&R) man, and manager for Zon-o-phone, the Victor Talking Machine Company
, and Columbia Records
.
As early as 1911, Victor used the name "King's Orchestra" for one of its house orchestras. From ca 1915 to ca 1920 King was manager of Victor's Foreign Department, the unit responsible for making the recordings for the foreign and ethnic groups in the United States, excluding recordings made by the Race, Hillbilly, and Export (to Central and South America) Departments. King's Orchestra was the primary house orchestra for making foreign recordings during this period. For the majority of the orchestra's foreign department recordings, King's Orchestra served as the accompanying orchestra for Victor's foreign vocal and instrumental artists.
About mid-1915, King hired Nathaniel Shilkret
to work for him as conductor and arranger at Victor, and Shilkret replaced King as manager of the Foreign Department when King was promoted to Director of Light Music.
King was also a member of Victor's A&R committee. In his autobiography, Shilkret lists the Victor Talking Machine A&R committee as consisting of Harry MacDonough (chairman), Eddie King, Shilkret, R. P. Wielage, Porter, and Davis. Shilkret cites King as the A&R man responsible for bringing Kate Smith
to Victor.
As Director of Light Music King was well known as an authoritarian who would not any permit departure from the written music. This was a source of irritation to many of the popular Victor recording artists of the time. Sudhalter cites an example of a 1927 recording by the Goldkette Orchestra in which musicians were allowed considerable freedom, and remarks "What, one wonders, would this performance have been if Eddie King had been in charge, and not the more liberal Nat Shilkret." Since the Victor ledgers show no less than five recording sessions in January and February 1926, when King actually conducted Goldkette’s Orchestra, comparison between the approach of Goldkette and King is readily available.
King also conducted many other dance orchestras, such as those of Paul Whiteman
, Ted Weems
and Irving Aaronson
. King went to cities such as Chicago, Oakland, and New Orleans when Victor began recording in these cities.
King left Victor in October 1926 to go back to Columbia, and again his replacement, this time as Victor's Director of Light Music, was Shilkret.
King was one of a group of five that constituted, by a large margin, Victor's most prolific recording artists. EDVR shows over 2000 entries for King. (The other most prolific Victor Talking Machine recording musicians were Nathaniel Shilkret
and
Rosario Bourdon
, each of whom have well over 3000 entries in EDVR, and Walter B. Rogers and Josef Pasternack
, each with around 2000 entries in EDVR.)
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
, Artist and Repertoire (A&R) man, and manager for Zon-o-phone, the Victor Talking Machine Company
Victor Talking Machine Company
The Victor Talking Machine Company was an American corporation, the leading American producer of phonographs and phonograph records and one of the leading phonograph companies in the world at the time. It was headquartered in Camden, New Jersey....
, and Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
.
Zon-o-phone
According to Gracyk, after having been with Columbia, King joined Zon-o-phone in 1905 and, in 1907, became musical director of performances. He was also a Zon-o-phone A&R manager.Victor
Gracyk says that King "began to work regularly in Victor's New York studio after Victor stopped the operation of its Zon-o-phone subsidiary in 1912."As early as 1911, Victor used the name "King's Orchestra" for one of its house orchestras. From ca 1915 to ca 1920 King was manager of Victor's Foreign Department, the unit responsible for making the recordings for the foreign and ethnic groups in the United States, excluding recordings made by the Race, Hillbilly, and Export (to Central and South America) Departments. King's Orchestra was the primary house orchestra for making foreign recordings during this period. For the majority of the orchestra's foreign department recordings, King's Orchestra served as the accompanying orchestra for Victor's foreign vocal and instrumental artists.
About mid-1915, King hired Nathaniel Shilkret
Nathaniel Shilkret
Nathaniel Shilkret was an American composer, conductor, clarinetist, pianist, business executive, and music director born in New York City, New York to an Austrian immigrant family.-Early career:...
to work for him as conductor and arranger at Victor, and Shilkret replaced King as manager of the Foreign Department when King was promoted to Director of Light Music.
King was also a member of Victor's A&R committee. In his autobiography, Shilkret lists the Victor Talking Machine A&R committee as consisting of Harry MacDonough (chairman), Eddie King, Shilkret, R. P. Wielage, Porter, and Davis. Shilkret cites King as the A&R man responsible for bringing Kate Smith
Kate Smith
Kathryn Elizabeth "Kate" Smith was an American Popular singer, best known for her rendition of Irving Berlin's "God Bless America". Smith had a radio, television, and recording career spanning five decades, which reached its pinnacle in the 1940s.Smith was born in Greenville, Virginia...
to Victor.
As Director of Light Music King was well known as an authoritarian who would not any permit departure from the written music. This was a source of irritation to many of the popular Victor recording artists of the time. Sudhalter cites an example of a 1927 recording by the Goldkette Orchestra in which musicians were allowed considerable freedom, and remarks "What, one wonders, would this performance have been if Eddie King had been in charge, and not the more liberal Nat Shilkret." Since the Victor ledgers show no less than five recording sessions in January and February 1926, when King actually conducted Goldkette’s Orchestra, comparison between the approach of Goldkette and King is readily available.
King also conducted many other dance orchestras, such as those of Paul Whiteman
Paul Whiteman
Paul Samuel Whiteman was an American bandleader and orchestral director.Leader of the most popular dance bands in the United States during the 1920s, Whiteman's recordings were immensely successful, and press notices often referred to him as the "King of Jazz"...
, Ted Weems
Ted Weems
Wilfred Theodore Weems was an American bandleader and musician. Weems' work in music was recognized with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.- Biography :...
and Irving Aaronson
Irving Aaronson
Irving A. Aaronson was an American jazz pianist and big band leader.Born in New York, USA, Irving Aaronson learned piano from Alfred Sendry at the David Mannes School for music...
. King went to cities such as Chicago, Oakland, and New Orleans when Victor began recording in these cities.
King left Victor in October 1926 to go back to Columbia, and again his replacement, this time as Victor's Director of Light Music, was Shilkret.
King was one of a group of five that constituted, by a large margin, Victor's most prolific recording artists. EDVR shows over 2000 entries for King. (The other most prolific Victor Talking Machine recording musicians were Nathaniel Shilkret
Nathaniel Shilkret
Nathaniel Shilkret was an American composer, conductor, clarinetist, pianist, business executive, and music director born in New York City, New York to an Austrian immigrant family.-Early career:...
and
Rosario Bourdon
Rosario Bourdon
Joseph Charles Rosario Bourdon D.Mus. was a French Canadian cellist, violinist, conductor, arranger and composer. He was a child prodigy skilled with many musical instruments...
, each of whom have well over 3000 entries in EDVR, and Walter B. Rogers and Josef Pasternack
Josef Pasternack
Josef Alexander Pasternack was a well-known conductor and composer in the first half of the 20th century.-Biography:...
, each with around 2000 entries in EDVR.)