THE MUSIC CORPORATION IS ON THE JOB

Radio Record, Volume XII, Issue 33, 27 January 1939, Unnumbered Page

THE MUSIC CORPORATION IS ON THE JOB

Big Stars May Tour Australia And N.Z. ~ Under Contract to Songwriter Jimmy Campbell ON MAY 30 last the Swedish motor-ship Mirrabooka deposited in Sydney a very well-known — English song-writer and publisher named Jimmy Campbell. On the same ship _ was Mrs, Campbell, who may be better known as Betty Balfour, English film and stage star. . The Campbells had been considering coming to Australia for some time. Their stay developed into a permanent one, and it was not long before the Australian theatrical world began speculating as to just who and what was behind a new organisation terming itself the Music Corporation of Australia.

JANAGING DIRECTOR of the Music Corporation, it was soon revealed, was none other than Jimmy Campbell. After a cautious entry into Australian entertainment, the Music Carporation bégan to branch out, and at the present time, judging by announcements which have been made recently, there is a

chance that it will soon be playing a big part in general entertainment in Australia and New Zealand. Mr. Campbell, who is English born and bred, but has the reputation of being a greater hustler and go-getter than any American, was formerly managing-director in Englana of Cinephonic Music and the Campbell-Connelly Music Publishing Company. Songs he has written have been whistled all over the world. They include: "Show Me _ the Way To Go Home," "The More We Are Together," "Good Night, Sweetheart," "Underneath the Arches," "Echo in the Valley," "By the Fireside," and countless others, Betty Balfour came to Australia to appear in several plays in Melbourne and Sydney, including "Personal Appearance," in the part made famous by Gladys George. ‘When she decided to stay on in Australia she was commissioned by the ABC to play lead in a speciallywritten radio serial, "Bundles." Policy of the Music Corporation of Australia, Mr. Campbell anmounced soon after starting up in business, was to bring to Australia several internationally famous band leaders, put them in charge of

local bands, and present the outfits in vaudeville, over the air and in the larger cabarets. Jay Whidden RST band-leaders he signed up were America’s Jay Whidden and England’s Roy Fox. Whidden arrived in Australia several months ago with the nucleus of a band, incorporated Theo Walters (well known to New Zealand dancers) together with Walters’s band, and opened to very good business at the big Melbourne Palais de Danse. He brought with him as vocalist Lawrence Brooks, young American tenor, now in Wellington with the Frank Neil show. Brooks, who had met Jimmy Campbell in America some years previously, is also under the management of the Music Corporation. Wen the announcement regarding Roy Fox was made, there was immediate and not a little scepticism. Somebody went to the trouble to point out that Fox was under a_ contract which brought him £600 a week personal salary, the inference being that he was not likely to leave England while he was earning that amount. However, Campbell had a radiophone talk with Fox, arranged all details satisfactorily, secured ca business and personal management contract from Fox, and the net result is that by the time this appears, the famous band leader will probably have landed in Australia. He will recruit his band in Australia, but he has brought a vocalist who he claims is an outstanding discovery. Theo Walters will be his deputy-leader. Australian Musicians T may at first seem a slight perversion of fact to describe a band composed almost entirely of Australians as, say, "Roy Fox and his Band,’’ but what will happen will be that the band will be built up to resemble as closely as possible in composition Roy Fox’s original band. Regarding the talent of Australian dance-band musicians, there can be no question; many have left Australia to fill with credit places in some of the most famous bands in the world. Other Music Corporation artists at present in Australia include Jack Dale, American radio star, and Sylvia Sefton, Jay Whidden’s feature vocalist, The corporation aiso controls the radio recitals of Lary Adler, famous mouth-organ virtuoso, who will

probably be coming. over to New Zealand in the. near future, and Evie Hayes, popular singer with the Frank Neil show now. in Wel-: lington.

Bie Names [N an advertisement inserted by the corporation in an Australian musical publication, were listed the artists for whom Jimmy Campbell controls Australian and New Zealand rights. Here are some of the better-known:

Fats Waller, corpulent negro Pianist, noted for his inimitable style of singing; Betty Boop, of "Good Ship Lollypop" fame; the Mills Brothers, originally known as "Four Boys and a Quitar," though one of the combination has died; Joe Penner, American humourist, whose speciality is selling a duck; Elsie Carlisle, muchrecorded light vocalist; the Andrews Sisters, a yocal combination; Gene Austin, light tenor whose records were frequently heard over the air in New Zealand a few years ago; Cliff Edwards, better known as Ukulele Ike, who has appeared in several musical films; Judy Garland, brilliant young Singer, who was last featured in the film "Love Comes to Andy Hardy"; Maxine Sullivan, torrid coloured lass, who startled the world with her swing versions of old Scottish songs such as "Annie Laurie" and "Banks of Loch Lomond"; and Arthur Tracy, the romantic Street Singer. Band leaders Jimmy Campbell _has under contract are legion. They include Billy Cotton, Mantovani, Maurice Winnick, Ray Ventura, Gus Arnheim, famous coloured trumpeter Louis Armstrong, Emery Deutsch, Jimmy Dorsey, Benny Meroff, Art Shaw, Jimmy Grier, Frankie Trumbauer, Joe Venuti, and Victor Young. He also has that famous swing combination, the Casa Loma Orchestra, The Mills Brothers will definitely be coming to Australia in the near future (possibly to New Zealand, also). They were scheduled to arrive in December, but the visit has now been postponed until about August. Louis Levy LOUIS LEVY, whosg GaumontBritish Symphony Orchestra i is frequently heard over the air, will also be coming out. Much of the credit for Levy’s rise to prominence must be given to Jimmy Campbell, who "put him on the map" in England. According to an Australian publication, Jessie Matthews and Son-

nie Hale are also coming out under the management of the Music Cor« poration. Mr. Campbell has been Jessie Matthews’s manager. $ Markets in Australia for ali Mr. Campbell’s talent consist of vaudeville organisations, such as that controlled by Frank Neil, which is almost the only worthwhile market in this connection, radio, and larger dance "palaces" and cabarets. It is rumoured, however; that Mr. Campbell has been studying

conditions in the Australian theatre very carefully, and that he may branch out in other directions very soon. Certainly, if he applies as much enthusiasm and energy to the concert and legitimate stage as he has to the initial establishment of the Music Corporation, he will soon be a force to be reckoned with.