The last two Wurlitzer Style 150 rolls issued by T.R.T. Manufacturing
Co., roll numbers 13313 and 13314, have always mystified me because
the tune titles are so weird and are nothing anybody has ever heard of,
titles like "Peeping Tom," "Hot Sauce," and "Popcorn." The composers
are unknowns like Cyril Watters, Michael Reynolds, and Bill Potts.
None of the twelve tune titles on these last two T.R.T. rolls could be
found in the U.S. Copyright Office lists. The roll labels show only
tune titles, no composers, and strange titles they are! On January
29, 2004, a search of the Internet turned up the Thomas J. Valentino,
Inc., web site -- and there all twelve tune titles were found:
http://www.tvmusic.com/catalogs/
The Valentino organization owns the rights to thousands of tunes and
sound effects used in the film, radio, and television industry. From
this, one can theorize that the tunes on rolls 13313 and 13314 might
have been familiar in the 1960s as themes from radio or television
shows.
Some of those themes must have once been published in book form, a copy
of which came into Ralph Tussing's hands, and he used it to wrap up his
150 roll production. His last two rolls are up for grabs today on eBay,
search for "Wurlitzer Military Band Organ Roll".
Matthew Caulfield
Irondequoit, New York
[ Ref. http://wurlitzer-rolls.com/150catalog/150index2.html
[ -- Robbie
|