Three Popular Hits of 1930 on a Jumbo Ampico Recording

Jumbo Ampico roll #100495 was issued in July of 1930 as "Fox Trot Medley No 3" containing four hit songs that were also simultaneously issued Ampico as single titles on smaller rolls. Many of these songs became jazz standards, recorded by various artists in the following years. The following selections are in this video:


2) "On The Sunny Side Of The Street"(1930) with music by Jimmy McHugh and lyrics by Dorothy Field was in Lew Leslie's Broadway musical "International Revue". It was also issued as Ampico #212701, and played by "Victor Lane", an Ampico pseudonym that had earlier been used by Milton Delcamp, but by 1930 was being used by Adam Carroll. Indications are that this very popular depression-era song may actually have been composed by Fats Waller, but with rights sold "for a song" before publication.



3) "Under A Texas Moon" (1929) with words and music by Ray Perkins was the theme song to the 1930 movie of the same name. It was also issued as Ampico # 212751, played by "Harry Shipman" also a pseudonym of Adam Carroll



4) "Sing, You Sinners" (1930) with music by W. Franke Harling and lyrics by Sam Coslow was used in the film "Honey" starring Lillian Roth. It was also issued as Ampico #212711 played by Victor Arden.



One feature of the "New Ampico" or "Ampico B" reproducing player introduced commercially in early 1929 was that it allowed for larger "jumbo" rolls that can play about twice as long as typical rolls for the earlier. Ampico issued some unique titles in the Jumbo format as well as compilations of other rolls, as in this case. The instrument is a 7' 1928 model RBB Mason & Hamlin Ampico B, the very first large M&H experimentally fitted with the Ampico B mechanism in the Ampico Research Laboratories in late 1928. The piano and player were completely restored at Historic Pianos in 2020. Please visit www.historicpianos.com.