R.S. Baker

When collecting records, we can only hope that each record we acquire plays well enough so we can enjoy its contents. Collecting acoustic era recordings

In several articles I have written about performers whose siblings got into recording, this seemed to have been a more common pattern than expected. To

Before researching him, I had assumed that there wouldn’t be much on Frank S. Mazziotta, but I was wrong. As historians, we can only hope

When listening to acoustic era recordings, some performers will usually turn people off right away, one of these performers is Billy Golden. He specialized in

In this column I have written about many figures who were instrumental in the acoustic recording era, but often go unnoticed. One figure who fits

Historically, many of us have been told that recording the piano in the acoustic era (before 1925) was extremely difficult, and that because of this

When looking through acoustic era recordings, it can be easy to assume that the more common songs we see must have sold well in sheet

In the beginning of recording, among the first things to be recorded regularly were orchestras. Recording so many different instruments was perfected and improved upon

There were several recording stars in the 1890s and early 1900s who were known for performing ragtime songs, but one of the most famous of

Studying history often comes with an inevitable fact that we will never be able to communicate with the people we are interested in. As frustrating

Between the 1820s and the early 1890s, the Five Points slum was the most feared neighborhood in New York. It was, however, the most diverse

Musicians who worked in phonograph studios in the acoustic era were basically forced to fend for themselves for pay. The Musicians’ Union as we know

For over eight months, I have lived in the Bronx, specifically the neighborhood of Morrisania. Nothing is quite as exciting and inspiring as living in

In the world of 19th century theater, there were many siblings who made their success by performing together. As the phonograph became a legitimate medium

In the latter 19th century, a few daring publishers decided to try and combine their hustling status with the phonograph. In the 1890s it was

Since I moved to the Bronx back in September, I have been more inspired than ever to write and to draw. Living in the very

In the earliest days of the phonograph, many recording artists were forced to work extra jobs to make a living. None of the workers in

In 1908, a relatively small publishing firm named Seminary Music published a piece called “Pineapple Rag” by Scott Joplin. At this time, Joplin had freshly

In the 1890s, many new technologies were being developed at the same time, and it’s no surprise that many of these fledgling fields would occasionally

In the era of Tin Pan Alley, a few recording artists tried to unite their record making with sheet music publishing. In the latter 19th

Recently, I went back to Medford, Long Island, to revisit the box of papers that once belonged to Fred Hager. While yes, I did go

Just after I submitted the last piece on Jacob Silberberg, within a few days I did some more research and discovered much more on him.

In the realm of studying ragtime history, importance is often given to the banjo, and rightfully so. Some of the best sources of authentic ragtime

When I started pursuing the legendary scrapbook that once belonged to Fred Hager, one of the aspects of this ultimate treasure was a steamer trunk