[Dixielandjazz] FW: Judy Garland's first recordings

[Bill Haesler]

Dear friends,
This one, from Denis King of the Australian Dance Bands list, may be of
interest to many of you.
Kind regards,
Bill. 

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Judy Garland's first recordings

After more than 70 years, Judy's first recording sessions will be made
available. They will be put up for auction by Bonhams this month.

"Fan websites and Internet blogs devoted to the legendary Judy
Garland have been buzzing as of late - chat about existence of what
insiders call "The Lost Judy Recordings" is now being confirmed as
auctioneers Bonhams & Butterfields announce the pending sale of a
remarkable pair of 1935 acetate (or shellac) discs from the first-
ever recording session of a then-12-year-old who would become a
world famous superstar," describe press notes.

"The two records, created in a recording studio in Hollywood in
March of 1935, feature never-released renditions of songs sung by
Judy Garland in her early Vaudeville shows - including the torch
song Bill, from the Broadway musical Showboat. Garland's Vaudeville
era spanned from 1924 to 1935, and her dramatic rendition of Bill
was memorable as it presented the then little Frances Gumm perched
on a piano with just a tight spotlight on her face. Cheers would
follow the performance after the spotlight broadened to reveal that
a child had sung the song and not an adult woman. No known childhood
recording of Bill by Judy Garland exists outside of the recordings
to be offered on December 17 at Bonhams & Butterfields in Los
Angeles."

Margaret Barrett, director of Bonhams & Butterfields' Entertainment
Memorabilia Dept., places a value of $30,000 to $40,000 on the pair
of records and said, "they were thought to have been destroyed or
erased; the versions of the particular songs on these discs have
never-before been heard by the public."

"According to Scott Schechter's book, Judy Garland: The Day-by-Day
Chronicle of a Legend [2002/2006], that March 1935 session marked
the first time Garland was ever in a recording studio in Hollywood -
quite an historic day. She was accompanied to the studio by her
mother, Ethel Gumm, who also played the piano as Judy sang. It is
believed that Garland made a third recording on that day, Moonglow,
with her sisters (professionally known as The Gumm Sisters), but
only these two discs have surfaced; the other recording is still
thought to be lost (as these were until now). Schechter has heard
the discs and notes that "it is obvious that even at the age of 12,
Judy Garland was magical all on her own -- before MGM. 'Bill' is
especially thrilling, and the experience of hearing this performance
is something the listener will keep with them forever. These first-
ever Garland records are pure, priceless, and true show business
history.

It is also unclear if these particular discs are the original
records pressed that day, or if they were pressed later for
Garland's own personal library. The records were discovered in
material destined for the trash bins as a family cleared out a
Beverly Hills home formerly inhabited years before by Garland
herself. The woman, who as a young girl, found them in 1960, has
held on to the discs for more than 40-years, understanding that Judy
Garland records might have some value.

The first disc has a green label inscribed 'Recordings
Incorporated / Studio / 5505 Melrose, Hollywood, Calif.' with
handwritten notations in black ink which read "Bill / Just My Bill
[crossed out] / Judy Garland / at 11 yrs" [though she was actually
12 years old at the time]. The second disc has a similar green label
with handwritten notations in black ink reading 'Good Ship
Lollipop / Object of My Affections / Dinah'/ by / Judy Garland; this
disc records Garland singing a medley of the three songs noted on
the label.

These rare Garland records will be offered to bidders during the
Entertainment Memorabilia auction to be held in the Sunset Blvd
salesrooms of Bonhams & Butterfields, the world's third largest fine
arts auctioneers. The sale will include TV, film and stage
collectibles and memorabilia, vintage film posters and rock & roll
material."

The illustrated auction catalog will be posted online at
www.bonhams.com/us in the weeks preceding the sale. The property
will be exhibited for the public during the preview days beginning
Friday, Dec. 15, continuing daily from 10am-5pm until Dec 17 and the
10am start of the auction.

--- End forwarded message ---