Vincent Lopez was an incredibly successful bandleader -- for decades
one of the top in the USA. The appearance of his name on Ampico rolls
has therefore long since intrigued enthusiasts. When Adam Carroll
was interviewed by Nelson Barden he was very dismissive about Lopez'
pianism, but looking at these rolls from a commercial viewpoint gives
a better idea of what was going on.

In MMD 1999.08.09.05, following some discussion on the subject Robbie
assessed the rolls and concluded, "I believe that most of the Vincent
Lopez Ampico rolls are the product of two or three talents: Domenico
Savino, who created the marvelous orchestra arrangements, and Adam
Carroll and/or Edgar Fairchild, who adapted Savino's arrangements for
the performance on the Ampico music rolls. Vincent Lopez simply lent
his name to the label."

I think we can use some details in Music Trades Review [MTR], now
online, to give a fuller picture from outside the closed world of the
piano roll.

Lopez was as hard-nosed a businessman as was Ampico's owner,
George Foster. Lopez signed to record for Columbia in 1920, started
broadcasting in 1921, and in 1922 started to sell arrangements to
others for unprecedented four-digit payments. This was reported by MTR
in issue 75-7, 12 Aug 1922:

"Vincent Lopez, playing at the Pennsylvania Hotel, New York, has entered
into a contract with the Woodlawn Theatre Co., of Chicago, whereby he
will supply the latter with twentyfive special orchestrations of
popular dance tunes for a consideration that is said to be well up in
four figures. This is the first time that such a large sum has been paid
for a limited number of orchestrations and establishes a precedent.

"J. Bodewalt Lampe, who makes the Lopez orchestrations, will start to
work immediately on several new numbers, so as to have them all ready
by September, when the Woodlawn people open their new dance hall, The
Trianon, said to be the largest and most exquisite dance hall in the
Middle West.

"Paul Sternberg, musical director for the Woodlawn Theatre Co.,
heard the Lopez Orchestra and expressed his delight with the novelty
and beauty of the Lampe arrangements. He entered into negotiations
immediately and the contract is the result. The work of orchestrating
is by no means easy, as Mr. Sternberg will have thirty-four men in the
Trianon Orchestra. It is understood that there is a renewal clause in
the contract, so that it is possible that all orchestrations used in
the Trianon Ball Room will be purchased from Mr. Lopez."

So, here we have the evidence for the sale of 'Lopez' arrangements
created by Lampe, and it's very likely this led directly to Lopez
appearing on Ampico a few months later, in April 1923. MTR listed the
first two titles as 'You've Got to See Mama Every Night' and 'Wonderful
You', both 'assisted by E. F.' -- in other words, Edgar Fairchild (the
name adopted by Milton Suskind, head of popular music for Ampico).

In 1923 both Lopez and the piano roll were in the ascendency so it
was good business for both to associate -- a win-win in modern terms.
The deal would no doubt have been approved by Foster, but who thought
of doing it isn't mentioned in MTR; there was no big announcement,
just this terse announcement:

"In the popular section the first recordings of Vincent Lopez, the
well-known orchestra leader, whose orchestra has come into great
popularity, appear."

I suspect that Lopez was paid a lot to "lend" his name, or in reality
sold arrangements to Ampico as he did to others.

Julian Dyer

 [ "There has been some speculation that Lopez did not actually
 [ record all the rolls listed under his name. While this may be true,
 [ it seems likely that at least some of them were done by him.
 [ Certainly it was necessary to have assistance on many of these
 [ rolls to create the effect of his entire band playing."
 [
 [ Ref. Obenchain, Elaine: The Complete Catalog of Ampico Reproducing
 [ Piano Rolls, (C) 1977 by William H. Edgerton, page 140.
 [ -- Robbie