It was new technology which collapsed interest in mechanical music.
Different decades, depending on what kind.  But generally, the
phonograph drove out the music box and other mechanical instruments,
and then radio sounded the death knell for the phonograph.  Radio begot
television, and Edison's old nemesis the telephone begot electronics,
which begot today's polyglot!

Roughly after World War II, electronics flooded in.  LP records piqued
people's interest in 'old-timey' sounds for one or more entirely new
generations of listeners, and stereo produced a spawn of crazy sounds
on disc, and then tape: ping-pong games, bagpipe bands coming in from
a distance and marching past, thunderstorms doing the same, whatever's
plopping into barrels of water, jets overhead, and so on.

Most of the 'sampler' type recorded collections included at least one
musical box, which led to a spate of Christmas albums by the same.  The
early ones not the greatest, but improving over the years.   The pre-named
rage for nostalgia popping up on hit honky-tonk or true ragtime records
all seemed to create a huge interest and entrepreneurial instrument
hawkers and record companies took advantage of and continued to build
the interest.

Max Morath was literally banging away at pianos for years, promoting
'good ragtime' as opposed to honky-tonk (although one of his earliest
entries was essentially the latter).  He appeared variously on
television - especially in the early days of public TV (How I wish that
marvelous series still existed) .  He became a regular visitor on the
hugely popular Arthur Godfrey radio programs, and more and more people
took up the cudgels.

"The Sting" -- despite the anachronism in the time setting of the film
vs. the dating of the music -- helped a great deal in exposure to new
people.  Many non-knowledgeable latter day experts on ragtime credit
Marvin Hamlisch with both the music itself and its impetus on the renewed 
popularity, which many forget was from a 1972 film!   Mr. Hamlisch in
all candor and honesty declined the credits saying he simply took great
Scott Joplin music and arranged it for the soundtrack.  True, and
beautifully done.

And Hamlisch clearly and frequently demurred from the title of champion
of ragtime and/or Joplin, saying it was clearly Max Morath who "brought
back ragtime" in the two preceding decades.  I have frequently thanked
him for such, and he enthusiastically responded, thanking Morath again.

Max went on to weave the great ragtime music of the turn of the 1890s
to 1920s and other history from the era into a marvelous series of on-
and off-Broadway hit one-man shows, records, and road concerts.  At the
time, I was running Yesteryear Museum in Morristown which displayed and
played material from that period.  We ran annual fund-raising concerts
to support the museum and its work.  The enthusiastic audiences twice
demanded that he return as he reiterated his funny and charming
programs with variations on the same themes.

The post office box and telephone number for the museum was 1890.
My personal number at home where our street number was 20, was 1920.
Max yelled at me, "Hey! You've got me boxed in - that's my era!"
I told him that he was the cause of both, meant it at the time,
and still do.

Max remains a good friend, one of many I am proud to have known.
It was he who introduced me to Marion and Eubie Blake.  They became
wonderful friends, they to Yesteryear the museum as well as one of the
annual shows, and I to their charming and historical home in Brooklyn.
I often marvel, how fortunate can one guy get?  People keep reminding
me that I've had the good luck to know many remarkable people, and
should write a book.  You know, I just might do that!

Back to all those old performances live and mechanical, to be put up
on Facebook, YouTube and the other so-called 'social networks", plus
reissued on DVDs, Blu-Ray, i-Whatevers and the like.  Let's hope people
in our midst have contacts in these fields and/or the expertise to do
just that.  We could all see another rebirth in interest among the
several new generations who think the only mechanical rhythm is rap,
and we'd have a new, legitimate heyday for our beloved music and the
instruments produced by the loving minds, fingers and tools of a
century and more ago!  Will somebody please take up the gauntlet?

From Lee Munsick, retired in Florida, and proud to have been one of
the earliest members of MBS and then the other groups around the world,
initially during the MBS founding year of 1949.  My eternal thanks,
respect and love for Ruth Bornand.  And thanks to all my remaining
friends reading this.

Bestus, Lee Munsick