MC 021

Guide to the Musicraft Records, Inc., Records 1937-1960 By Erika Gorder 1998 Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University Libraries. Finding aid encoded in EAD, version 2002, by Tad Hershorn, Robert Nahory and Caryn Radick - August 2012

Descriptive Summary Creator: Title: Dates: Quantity:

Abstract:

Musicraft Records, Inc. Musicraft Records, Inc., Records (circa 1937-1960) 9.25 cubic feet of records housed in 8 Paige boxes, 1 document box, and one flat box plus 18 linear feet of audio tapes, record albums, acetates (test pressings) and 78 rpm disks. The Musicraft Records, Inc., Records (1937-1960) Collection contains detailed business records of Musicraft Records, Inc, its parent company, the Jefferson-Travis Corporation, along with subsidiaries and predecessors. The collection illustrates the complex vertical industrial organization of the company covering various aspects of record production: artists and repertoire, recording, record pressing (manufacturing), distribution, and songwriting/royalties. Also included is a large library of released Musicraft records/disks consisting of acetates, official and promotional releases as well as thirty (30) preservation or safety copies of miscellaneous recordings on 7" and 10" open reel 1/4" tape..

Collection No.: Language: Repository:

MC 021 English Rutgers University Libraries. Institute of Jazz Studies

Historical Overview: MUSICRAFT Records, Inc. Musicraft Records was founded in New York in 1937 as part of the Jefferson Travis Radio Corporation. The company initially recorded classical music and earned a good reputation for quality releases in its first four years. During and after the Second World War, Musicraft began recording popular music. Jazz became an important element of their catalog after Albert Marx joined the company as artistic director in 1944 and as a result of the purchase of Guild Records in 1946. Among the many musicians who recorded new material for Musicraft were Teddy Wilson, Artie Shaw, Duke Ellington, Georgie Auld, Dizzy Gillespie, and Sarah Vaughan By 1949, Musicraft had recorded more than a thousand items, most of which were jazz. However, late in 1948, Musicraft filed for bankruptcy, its catalog was leased to MGM Records, which owned it well into the 1950s. In the 1970s the label was revived by Albert Marx, then president of the renewed Trend and Discovery labels in Los Angeles. Musicraft Records Inc. was a subsidiary of the Jefferson Travis Radio Corporation (later Musicraft Recording Corporation.) Indeed, the historical records bear out the existence of Jefferson Travis in 1937 but not Musicraft Records until 1942. Nonetheless, the company finally emerged as Musicraft Records, Inc. in 1947 with a fully developed vertical organizational structure. Various companies absorbed by Musicraft/Jefferson-Travis since 1937, with many sharing similar Boards of Directors, included: Union Aircraft Co., the Fonda Corporation, Musicraft Distributing Corporation (originally Hilton Distributing Corp.), Musicraft Manufacturing Company, Abbey Music, Century Distributors, Emcee Music, Olympic Record Corporation, and Guild Records. Individual Company Histories: Musicraft Records, Inc.: Began recording in 1936 but its official organization was not until 1937; incorporated (NY) August 10, 1942; A subsidiary of Jefferson-Travis Radio Manufacturing Corporation (which became Musicraft Recording Corp.); Planning of intercompany consolidation began March 19, 1947 for Musicraft Recording Corp (formerly Jefferson-Travis Corp.) and its subsidiary Musicraft Records, Inc. resulting in Musicraft Records, Inc.'s emergence as the parent company. The consolidation of May 1947 included the big four: Musicraft Records, Inc., Musicraft Recording Corp., Musicraft Manufacturing, and Musicraft Distributors. Common personnel links, throughout, were directors Edgar Ellinger, Irving Felt, and Paul Puner. Jefferson Travis Radio Manufacturing Corp /Jefferson Travis Corporation: (Incorporated 1937) The business originally consisted of the design, engineering, and production of two-way radio communications and continuous sound recording-playback machines through the medium of acetate in cellophane tape; Jefferson Travis entered into a

contract with Fonda Corporation (est. 1939) in February 1941; merger with Fonda Corp. in April 30, 1945 to become the Jefferson Travis Corporation; November 1945--acquired stock of Musicraft Corporation; December 1945 acquired stock of Union Aircraft Products Corp. (which manufactured aircraft fittings and junction boxes); January 16, 1946 -acquired Guild Records Inc. from American Glossite as a wholly-owned subsidiary devoted to manufacture and pressing of phonograph records for "another of the wholly-owned subsidiaries of the parent company" (possibly Musicraft Records); June 1946--acquired all stock of Musicraft Distributors, Inc.; October 22, 1946--all assets of JTC Radio Communications Division sold to Emerson Radio Phonograph Corporation including use of JT name with the exception of the tape recorder hence the name Jefferson Travis Corporation was changed to Musicraft Recording Corporation which had thus disassociated itself from radio communication equipment business; December 1946--Union Aircraft Products no longer affiliated with Musicraft Recording Corp.; May 28, 1947--Merger with Musicraft Records Inc.; February 26, 1947--Guild machinery and equipment was sold and as of 1948 was an inactive wholly-owned subsidiary of corp. Musicraft Distributing Corporation: (Incorporated April 20, 1946) Originally founded as Hilton Distribution Corporation in February 15, 1946 for the purpose of buying "Gwirtz Franchises" for the sale and distribution of Musicraft Records. Acquired by JTC in June 1946. Musicraft Manufacturing Corporation: A wholly-owned subsidiary of Musicraft Corporation (Musicraft Records) which operated the Ossing, N.Y. pressing plant. Musicraft Manufacturing (of NY) stock was held by Century Distributors. Abbey Music Corporation: Established September 1945 as subsidiary of Musicraft for the purpose of music publishing, but having no assets and conducting no business, was dissolved in May 1946. Century Distributors, Inc.: Founded in September 1944 and consolidated with Musicraft in December 1945; Albert Marx becomes associated with Musicraft through Century (in which he was involved since 1944). Fonda Corporation: Founded in Delaware in July 21, 1939 by Jay Fonda, the company produced and designed radio and sound recording equipment. In particular, it outfitted the U.S. military with radio equipment during the Second World War and developed a sound recording machine for the peacetime market. This "tape recorder" was one of the earliest prototypes for tape recording. After initial contracting in 1941, Fonda entered into contracts with Jefferson Travis in January 1943 for coordinated production of radio equipment for Union Aircraft. It was eventually acquired as a wholly owned subsidiary of Jefferson Travis Radio Manufacturing Corporation in April 1945. Guild Records: Prior to its incorporation in Connecticut in 1945, operated as part of the American Glossite Company; incorporated as wholly owned subsidiary of the former in May 1945; acquired as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jefferson-Travis Corporation in January 1946 along with its pressing plant in Norwalk, Conn. Guild Records relied on

popular names, not advertising, to sell records. It recorded various artists in new and popular genres including calypso--represented by Gerald Clark and His Original Calypsos, among others. In the "Hot Jazz" field, Guild recorded Dizzy Gillespie and featured sidemen and musicians including Don Byas, Slam Stewart, Charlie Parker, Maurice Rocco with Cozy Cole and Billy Taylor, Georgie Auld, Erskine Butterfield, and Jesse Rogers. Olympic Record Corporation: A wholly-owned subsidiary of Musicraft Corporation (Musicraft Records) that operated Los Angeles pressing plant.

Scope and Content Notes The Musicraft Records, Inc. Records (1937-1960) Collection consists of 9.25 cubic feet of records housed in 8 Paige boxes, 1 document box, and one flat box plus 18 linear feet of audio tapes, record albums, acetates (test pressings) and 78 rpm disks. The collection is divided into 15 subgroups, consisting of subsidiaries and predecessors of Musicraft Records, Inc. The main subgroup, Musicraft Records, is further divided into six subseries which include: Minutes, General Correspondence, Correspondence and Documents, Financial and Legal, Copyright Contracts, and Artists Contracts. Many of the financial ledgers are housed separately as oversized items. The other subgroupings, which consist of Musicraft's "parent" company, the Jefferson-Travis Corporation, and its subsequent subsidiaries are: Musicraft Distributors, Inc., Musicraft Manufacturing, Musicraft Recording Corporation, Abbey Music, Century Distributors, Emcee Music, Fonda Corporation, Guild Records, Inc., Hamptone Company, Olympic Record Corp., Educational Audio Visual, and William Fortgang ventures. The bulk of the collection consists of four boxes of Musicraft Records, Inc. records documenting the period 1942-1949. Although Musicraft is said to have been founded in 1937, and we know it began recording music in 1936, the archival materials seem to substantiate the company's evidential incorporation in 1942. The records thoroughly document the formal operations of the company through a full run of Board of Director's Minutes and Copyright Contracts which cover the period 1942-1948. Musicraft Records Inc.'s documentation is rather sketchy, however, in the general correspondence and financial series but seems to adequately represent the "bankruptcy" period of 1948-1950. The completeness of the various copyright and artists contracts is also unclear. Of particular interest are the oversized copies of Musicraft Records' recording ledgers which give the only detailed information regarding the recording and production from late 1936 to 1946. The second largest and equally important subgroup is the Jefferson-Travis Radio Manufacturing Corporation records, predominantly Board of Directors minutes from 19371946. Although primarily financial and stock information the minutes, and various reports and correspondence dispersed throughout, provide documentation regarding record and radio manufacturing during the Second World War. It is likely that this subgroup provides the sole documentation of the whole corporation from its origins in 1937.

The remaining subgroups represent either subsidiaries of Jefferson-Travis Radio Manufacturing Corp. or later Musicraft Records, Inc. and illustrate the complex vertical industrial organization of the company covering various aspects of record production: artists and repertoire, recording, record pressing (manufacturing), distribution, and songwriting/royalties. Of special note are the subgroups for the Fonda Corporation and Guild Records. The Fonda Corporation records include minutes from 1939 to 1945 which document the progress of a company responsible for the development of one of the first magnetic tape recording devices. Unfortunately, this series does not include research and development files. The Guild Records material includes minutes and general ledgers from 1944-1946, the period when Musicraft began recording jazz artists. The Educational Audio Visual and William Fortgang (ventures) subgroups are only marginally related to Musicraft. The former consists of files and catalogs regarding the various educational a/v materials produced during the 1960s. The William Fortgang subgroup consists of miscellaneous correspondence and financial documents regarding several business ventures of Fortgang, former Treasurer of Musicraft Records, Inc. Included in Musicraft Records Inc. archives is a large library of released Musicraft records/disks consisting of acetates, official and promotional releases as well as thirty (30) preservation or safety copies of miscellaneous recordings on 7" and 10" open reel 1/4" tape.

Arrangement Note The collection is divided into 15 Subgroups, consisting of subsidiaries and predecessors of Musicraft Records, Inc.: Subgroup 1: Musicraft Records, Inc. - Series 1A. Minutes, 1942-1948 - Series 1B. General Correspondence, 1947-1959 - Series 1C. Correspondence and Documents, 1945-1952 - Series 1D. Financial and Legal, 1946-1959 - Series 1E. Copyright Contracts, circa 1945-1949 - Series 1F. Artists Contracts, circa 1938-1949 - Series 1G. Recording Ledger, 1936-1946 Subgroup 2. Musicraft Distributors, Inc. - Series 2A. Minutes, 1946-1949 - Series 2B. Financial/Legal, 1946-1950 Subgroup 3. Musicraft Manufacturing Company - Minutes and Financial, 1945-1949 Subgroup 4. Jefferson Travis Corporation/Musicraft Recording Corporation - Minutes and Financial, 1946-1947 Subgroup 5. Abbey Music Corporation

- Minutes and Stocks, September 1945-May 1946 Subgroup 6. Century Distributors, Inc. - Minutes and Incorporation Documents, 1944-1945 Subgroup 7. Emcee Music, Inc. - Series 7A. Minutes, January 1948 - Series 7B. General Correspondence, 1949 Subgroup 8. Fonda Corporation - Series 8A. Minutes, 1939-1945 - Series 8B. General Correspondence, 1940-1945 Subgroup 9. Guild Records, Inc. - Minutes and Financial, 1944-1947 Subgroup 10. Hamptone Company - Planning Documents, undated Subgroup 11. Olympic Record Corporation - Minutes, 1945-1949 Subgroup 12. Oversized - List of Stockholders, Payroll Books, Financial Reports/Ledgers, Recording session Sheets, 1930s-1940s Subgroup 13. Educational Audio Visual - Orders, Correspondence, Receipts, 1960s Subgroup 14. William Fortgang Ventures - Financial Documents Subgroup 15. Musicraft Music Collection - Series 15A. Open Reel Tapes - Series 15B. Record Disks Many of the financial ledgers are housed separately as oversized items. The other subgroups, which consist of Musicraft's "parent" company, the Jefferson-Travis Corporation, and its subsequent subsidiaries are: Musicraft Distributors, Inc., Musicraft Manufacturing, Musicraft Recording Corporation, Abbey Music, Century Distributors, Emcee Music, Fonda Corporation, Guild Records, Inc., Hamptone Company, Olympic Record Corp., Educational Audio Visual, and William Fortgang ventures.

Restrictions Restrictions apply to payroll books, personnel sheets, contracts and social security registers in this collection.

Administrative Information Preferred Citation

Musicraft Records, Inc. Records 1937-1960 (MC 021), Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University Libraries. Acquisition Notes Musicraft Records, Inc. records (archives) were given to the Institute of Jazz Studies by Oliver Sabin (former sales manager/director for Musicraft Records). In addition, ledger sheets (recording sheets) are in private ownership.

Detailed Description/Container List This section provides descriptions of the materials found within the collection, which is divided into 15 Subgroups consisting of subsidiaries and predecessors of Musicraft Records, Inc. Many of the financial ledgers are housed separately as oversized items. The other subgroups, which consist of Musicraft's "parent" company, the Jefferson-Travis Corporation, and its subsequent subsidiaries are: Musicraft Distributors, Inc., Musicraft Manufacturing, Musicraft Recording Corporation, Abbey Music, Century Distributors, Emcee Music, Fonda Corporation, Guild Records, Inc., Hamptone Company, Olympic Record Corp., Educational Audio Visual, and William Fortgang ventures. Subgroup 1. MUSICRAFT RECORDS, INC. 1936-1959 ARRANGEMENT: The Musicraft Records, Inc. subgroup is divided into seven series. SERIES 1A: MINUTES, 1942-1948 ARRANGEMENT: Box 1, 8 folders, arranged chronologically. SUMMARY: Board of Directors meeting minutes which include contracts, charter, and by-laws. Also interspersed throughout are various annual reports, usually in the form of letters to the stockholders. The meeting minutes concern financial and stock transfer and document various transition periods and significant events in the life of the company but contain little information regarding the actual business of recording music. It is likely that the minutes existed for the year 1949 but had been removed and used as part of bankruptcy management files. Includes: references to Chelsea Music Corp and Irving Roman (May 8, 1946); Duke Ellington contract and decision to dissolve Abbey Music (both in 1946); and Joint Board of Directors meeting minutes of 1947 (re: company consolidation). Box Folder 1 1 Volume 1: by-laws and Charter, (Musicraft Corporation), 1942-1945 2 Volume 1: (Musicraft Corporation), August 10 1942-March 27, 1947 3 Volume 2, May 1947 4 Volume 2, June-August 1947 5 Volume 3, September-December, 1947

Box 1

Box 1

6 Volume 3, January-March, 1948 7 Volume 4, May-July 1948 8 Volume 4, 1st and 2nd Lien Collateral Trust Indentures, May 1, 1948 SERIES 1B: GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1947-1957 (inclusive) 1949-1959 (bulk) ARRANGEMENT: Box 1, 17 folders, arranged chronologically. SUMMARY: The bulk of the general correspondence includes a variety of topics but primarily concerns the financial problems of the company and resultant bankruptcy proceedings. Other topics include: general music recording and release information such as references to Sarah Vaughan and Delta Rhythm Boys (April 1949); Mary Lou Skidmore, Kentucky Ramblers, and "Hillbilly" music. Folder 9 1947-1948 10 January-February 1949 11 March 1949 12 March 1949 13 April 1949 14 April 1949 15 May 1949 16 June-July 1949 17 August-December 1949 18 January 1950 19 February-March 1950 20 April-August 1950 21 September-December 1950 22 1951 23 1952 24 1953 25 1954-1957 SERIES 1C: CORRESPONDENCE AND DOCUMENTS, 1945-1952 ARRANGEMENT: Boxes 1-2, 18 folders, arranged by subject. SUMMARY: This miscellaneous series consists of additional documents regarding Musicraft's bankruptcy, earlier mergers and consolidation, and specific people and topics. Included are: items documenting use of Musicraft masters; detailed EMI royalty sheets and correspondence concerning Musicraft artists and recordings sales overseas, exchange of stocks, specific info. regarding Herman Krasnow royalties; MacGregor vs. Musicraft lawsuit (1947-1949); Oliver Sabin and the Kayler Company; and documents regarding the "Gwirtz" deal which enabled direct (Musicraft) sales in four major department stores in 1945. Folder 26 Masters/Leasing, 1949-1952

27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37

Box 2

Box 2

Union General Corp, 1946-1947 EMI, 1949-1951 EMI, 1951-1952 EMI, 1953-1954 Consolidation of Musicraft Records Loans by Officers for Consolidation, November 1946-January 1947 Exchange of Shares (Atlas and Baird), November 1946/June 1947 Exchange of Shares, June 1947 Private Placement of Shares/Recapitalization, May-September 1947 Contracts: Jack Meyerson, May 1947-January 1949 Herman Krasnow (Lawsuit) including Royalty Sheets, January 1948September 1949 MacGregor vs. Musicraft, 1947-1949 "Gwirtz" Deal, 1945 Kayler Company: Correspondence, 1946-1947 Kayler Company: Correspondence, 1948-1949

38 38 39 40 Folder 1 Kayler Company: Oliver Sabin telegrams, 1947-1948 2 Kayler Company: Invoices, 1947-1949 SERIES 1D: FINANCIAL AND LEGAL, 1946-1959 ARRANGEMENT: Boxes 2,5,6 and 7, 24 folders, arranged by subject. SUMMARY: The financial and legal series documents the financial health of the corporation, specifically the bankruptcy of the company. However, the bulk of this series consists of the general and intercompany ledgers covering the period 1946-1948 and provides some insight into the interconnectedness of the company and its subsidiary operations. Many of the miscellaneous account files were undoubtedly removed from various departments and re-assembled for purposes of establishing a bankruptcy plan of arrangement. Since the bankruptcy, the company did not produce any new recordings, hence most of the corporate/institutional documentation after 1947 was primarily used for tracking indebtedness and, in some cases, royalties. This series also consists of several oversized (OS) items including: Stockbooks (Box 6), published financial reports regarding bankruptcy (Box 5), List of Stockholders (Box 5), and Financial Ledgers (Box 7). Folder 3 Musicraft By-laws 4 Legal Documents and Stock Certificates 5 Agreements/Atlas Corp., 1946 6 Bankruptcy-Plan of Arrangement, 1949-1950 7 Misc. Accounts and Taxes, 1955-1959

Box 2

8 Misc. Taxes, 1947-1948 9 Misc. Financial Documents, May 1947 10 Misc. Financial Documents, 1947-1950 11 Misc. Financial, 1951 12 Accounts payable--Musicraft Records, 1948-1949 13 Accounts payable--deferred accounts, 1948-1949 14 Accounts payable--Musicraft Recording, 1948-1949 15 Accounts receivable, 1948-1949 16 Working papers: financial/bankruptcy, 1947-1951 17 Working papers: Personnel: Union Air/Alamond, Ernest 18 General Ledger: (parts 1, 2 and index), 1946-1947 19 General Ledger: (parts 3-10), 1946-1947 20 General Ledger: (parts 1, 2 and index), 1947-1948 21 General Ledger: (parts 3-11), 1947-1948 22 Intercompany Ledger: (parts 1-2), 1948 23 Intercompany Ledger: (parts 3-11), 1948 24 Checkstubs, 1948-1949 25 Invoice Log, 1948-1949 SERIES 1E: COPYRIGHT CONTRACTS, circa 1945-1949. ARRANGEMENT: Boxes 2-3, 42 folders, arranged alphabetically. SUMMARY: Contracts between copyright owner and Musicraft used as clearances to record songs. Includes royalty agreements, some correspondence, and performance information. More than one contract per folder. Many items do not consist of the actual contracts but of correspondence and memoranda regarding contracts and royalties. (See container list for individual contracts.). Folder 26 A - Includes: ABC Music; Acme Music; Advanced Music; American Academy of Music. 27 A - Includes: American Music; Aladdin Music; American Broadcasting Co.; Ascherbert Hopwood and Crew Ltd.; Associated Music Publishers. 28 B - Includes: Barton; Beverly; Biltmore. 29 B - Includes: Martin Block; Blossom; Bogat; Boosley and Hawkes. 30 B - Includes: Bourne; Braum. 31 B - Bregman, Vocco, and Conn. 32 B - Includes: BMI; Broadway; Burke and Van Heusen. 33 C - Includes: Capitol Songs; Castle Music. 34 C - Chappell and Co, Inc., 1946-1948 35 C - Includes: Charling and Chelsea. 36 C - Includes: Choice; John Church; Freddie Clark, and Crawford.

Box 3

37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 Folder 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

C - Includes: Crestview; Criterion; Crystal. D-E - Includes: Dorsey Bros.; Eagle; Edwards; Paul Elliot; Emcee. F - Famous Music Corp. F - Includes: Farrow; Feist. F - Includes: Fischer; Carl Fischers; Forster; Fowler; Sam Fox; Frontier. G - Includes: General; Gershwin Publishing; Global; Bill Gooden. G - Includes: Handy Bros.; Phil Hanna and Al Jacobs. H - Harms, Inc. H - T. B. Harms Co. H - Includes: Harrison; Hometown. I - Includes: Irving Berlin and International. J - Includes: J.A.Y.; Jefferson. L - Includes: LaSalle; Laurel; Lincoln; Lombardo. L - Leeds Music Co. Ma - Includes: Manor; Edward Marks; Peter Maurice; Mayfair. Me-Miller - Includes: Melrose; Miller; Bob Miller, Inc. Mi - Mills Music. Mo - Includes: Modern Jazz Pub.; Mood Music; Phil Moore; Edwin Morris. Mu - Includes: Charles Murray and Burt Milton; Music Makers; Music Workshop; Mutual Music Society. N-O - Includes: National; New World; Fred Noble; Normandy; Oxford. P - Includes: Paramount; Paull-Pioneer; Peer Intl; Porgy Music Co.; Post Music. R - Robbins Music. R - Includes: Alfred Reiter; Regent; Remick Music. R - Includes: Republic; Ricordi and Co.; J.J. Robbins and Sons; Carson J. Robinson; E.Rossi; Ruval. Sa-Se - Includes: Schnitzer; Santly-Joy; Saunders; G. Schriner; Seneca; Sesac. Sh - Shipiro, Bernstein, and Co. Si-Sp - Includes: Sinatra Songs; Sophisticate; Southern Music; Spier; Spitzer. St-Sw - Includes: Stanwood; Starlight; Stevens; Sun; Swing and Tempo. T - Includes: Billy Taylor; Tempo; Treadwell and Valentine; Triangle Music Corp. U-V - Includes: United; Val Music; Rudy Vallee Music Pub.; Viking; Vitak Elsnic Co. W - Includes: Harry Warren; Harold West; Charlie Wick; Clarence

Box 3

Williams; Williamson Music; Winfield; M. Witmark and Sons; Words and Music Inc.; World Music. SERIES 1F: ARTIST CONTRACTS, circa 1938-1949. ARRANGEMENT: Box 3, 23 folders, arranged alphabetically. SUMMARY: Contracts between performer and Musicraft as agreements to record songs. Includes some financial information (advances and royalties), title of song to be performed and recorded, and occasional correspondence with American Federation of Musicians. Some correspondence with agents and documentation of termination of contracts. Includes extensive documentation of negotiations for Duke Ellington contract in 1946 and proceedings concerning his alleged breach of contract in 1947, as well as a Carnegie Hall Concert program for January 4, 1946 performance. Also items regarding the Old Harp Singers of Nashville Tennessee with George Jackson. Several contracts have been combined into one folder. Unfortunately some original artist folders were empty. In these cases an "m" in parentheses has been annotated next to the artist name to specify that a contract was "missing" at time of processing, or more specifically, was not in the folder. There are approximately 13 missing contracts. Folder 22 A - Includes: Jacques Abram; Kurt Appelbaum. 23 B - Includes: Bauman, Mordy (m); Brito, Phil; Brooks, Russ (M); Burke, Joseph; Buffalo Philharmonic Society. 24 C - Includes: Cantor, Eddie (m); Carpenter, Thelma; Carson, Mindy; Castle, Lee (m); Chittison, Herman; Clark, Adele; Cross, Milton; Cross, Rex (m). 25 D - Includes: Delmar, Kenny (m); Denny, Dave; Duncan, Todd. 26 E-F - Includes: Ellington, Mercer (m); Elliot, Baron (m); Fields, Shep; Fontaine Sisters (m). 27 Duke Ellington/ Irving Felt Confidential, Concert Program--Carnegie Hall, January 4, 1946 28 Duke Ellington--Contract Drafts and Negotiations, January-February, 1946 29 Duke Ellington--Preliminary Papers (contract negotiations and drafts), March 1946 30 Duke Ellington/Irving Felt Confidential, Contracts w/ copy of Ellington Assignment to Musicraft, March-May 1946 31 Duke Ellington--Final Original Contract, May 8, 1946 32 Duke Ellington/ Irving Felt Confidential Intermediate papers. 33 Duke Ellington/ EMI, August 1946 34 Ellington--Correspondence Re: Alleged Breach of Contract, February 1947 35 G-H - Includes: Gibson, Harry; Gillespie, Dizzy; Girard, Adele (m);

Greco, Buddy (The Three Sharps); Gross, Walter; Hogan, Louanne (m). 36 J-K - Includes: Jackson, George (Old Harp Singers); Jenaro, Mario; Kroll, William (m); Kallen, Kitty; Kapp, Paul (Delta Rhythm Boys); Kaufman, Louis (m); Krasnow, Herman and Eisenberg, Philip (a.k.a. Peter Steele). 37 L - Includes: Laderoute, Joseph (m); Lavalle, Paule; Ledbetter, Huddie (m); Liss, Ronnie; Lowenthal, Eugene. 38 M - Includes: McRae, Gordon; Marlowe, Sylvia; Marsala, Joe (m); Marsh, Audrey; Moore, Phil; Morand, Jose; Murray, Arthur. 39 N-O-P - Includes: Newell, Ace; Novak, Frank (restricted); King Odom Quartet; Polka Dots. 40 R - Includes: Rogers, Billie. 41 S - Includes: Sandburg, Carl; Schenker, Irving; Segovia Andres (m); Shepard, Riley; Shoobe, Louis; Sherock, Shortie; Stuff Smith and Trio; Spaeth, Sigmund; Stokes, Leonard; Strong, Bob. 42 T - Torme, Mel. 43 T-U-V - Includes: Vaughan, Sarah; Valdes, Miguelito; Von Zell, Harry. 44 W-Z - Includes: Walters, Teddy; Wei, Chung Lo; Weinrich, Carl; Wilcher, Jack; Wilson, Teddy. SERIES 1G: RECORDING LEDGER, 1936-1946. ARRANGEMENT: OS Box 10, 2 copies, arranged by matrix number. SUMMARY: Two large negative photocopies of Musicraft's recording ledger. Information includes matrix number, release number, song title, song composer, performer/artist information with some sideman info., where recorded, date of recording, and pressing plant identification. Also includes some miscellaneous notes. Subgroup 2. Musicraft Distributors, Inc. 1946-1950 SERIES 2A. MINUTES, 1946-1949. ARRANGEMENT: Box 3, 3 folders, arranged chronologically. SUMMARY: Minutes of the Board of Directors of Musicraft Distributors and Hilton Distributing Corp., the predecessor, wholly-owned subsidiaries of Musicraft Records, Inc. Box Folder 3 45 Hilton Distributing Corp.: Bylaws and Incorporation Documents, February-March 1946 46 Minutes, February-June 1946 47 Minutes, May-September 1947; January 1948; July 1949 SERIES 2B . FINANCIAL/LEGAL, 1946-1950. ARRANGEMENT: Box 3, 3 folders, arranged chronologically. SUMMARY: This set of items includes balance sheets (1947-1948), miscellaneous financial and account information, and some RESTRICTED payroll/personnel

sheets, for 1946-1949. Box 3

Folder 48 49 50

Balance Sheets, 1947-1948 Payroll Sheets--RESTRICTED, 1946-1948 Financial/Misc. Accounts, 1948-1950

Subgroup 3. Musicraft Manufacturing Company, 1945-1949 MINUTES AND FINANCIAL, 1945-1949. ARRANGEMENT: Boxes 3, 5 and 6, 5 folders, arranged chronologically. SUMMARY: Includes Board of Directors minutes with bylaws, certificate of incorporation, and meetings of stockholders from September 1945 to February 1949 and one general ledger (1945-1949). Some oversized (OS) material includes: three RESTRICTED payroll books, 1945-1949 (Box 5) and an unidentified general ledger, 1945-1946 which could belong to Musicraft Manufacturing (Box 6). Box 3

Folder 51 52 53 54 55

Minutes: Volume 1 By-laws, Certificate of Inc., 1945 Minutes: Volume 1, September 24, 1945-November 1946 Minutes, December 1946 Minutes, May 5, 1947-Feb 3, 1949 General Ledger, 1948-1949

Subgroup 4. Travis Corporation/ Musicraft Recording Corporation, 1937-1949 SERIES 4A. MINUTES AND FINANCIAL, 1946-1947. ARRANGEMENT: Box 3, 3 folders, arranged chronologically. SUMMARY: Includes Board of Directors meeting minutes for November 1946 and March 14-May 15, 1947 as well as financial ledger for April-May 1946. Box Folder 3 56 Minutes, November 1946 57 Minutes, March 14-May 15, 1947 58 General Ledger, April-May 1946 SERIES 4B. JEFFERSON-TRAVIS RADIO MANUFACTURING CORPORATION RECORDS, 1937-1949. ARRANGEMENT: Box 4, 14 folders, arranged chronologically. SUMMARY: Primarily includes Board of Director's meeting minutes from June 1937-October 1946, which represents the earliest documentation of Musicraft Records, Inc. Includes ballots and stock information with financial balance sheets (December 1946); history of Guild Records by Boni Fox in the minutes (January 11, 1946); war production reports in minutes; description of tape recorder prototype in annual meeting of stockholders report (October 21, 1946); details of

Fonda Corporation (1941, April and October 1945). Also includes a RESTRICTED social security register from 1948-1949. Box 4

Folder 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Minutes, June 1937-July 1939 Minutes, August-December 1939 Minutes, 1940 Minutes, 1941 Minutes, 1942 Minutes, 1943 Minutes, May-June 1944, January-February 1945 Minutes, March-April 1945 Minutes, May-September 1945 Minutes, October-November 1945 Minutes, December 1945-January 1946 Minutes, February-September 1946 Minutes, October 1946 Social Security Register--RESTRICTED, 1948-1949

Subgroup 5. Abbey Music Corporation,, 1945-1946 MINUTES AND STOCKS, September 1945-May 1946. ARRANGEMENT: Box 4, 1 folder, arranged chronologically. SUMMARY: Minutes of a music publishing subsidiary which basically held no assets nor conducted any business. Box 4

Folder 15

Minutes and Stocks, September 1945-May 1946

Subgroup 6. Century Distributors, Inc., 1944-1945 MINUTES AND INCORPORATION DOCUMENTS, 1944-1945. ARRANGEMENT: Box 4, 2 folders, arranged chronologically. SUMMARY: Various documents which include Albert Marx December 1944 and November 1944 royalty details. Consolidated with Musicraft in December of 1945. Includes November 1944 royalty payment schedule listing AFM, Huddie "Leadbellie" (sic) Ledbetter, Phil Brito, Mabel Lunn (?), Charles Drew, and Irving Berlin. Box 4

Folder 16 17

Incorporation Documents and By-laws, 1944-1945 Minutes, 1944-1945

Subgroup 7. Emcee Music, Inc., 1948-1949 SERIES 7A. MINUTES AND DOCUMENTS, January 1948.

Box 4 Box 4

Folder 18 Minutes and Documents, January 1948 SERIES 7B. ROYALTIES AND SALES, 1949. Folder 19 Royalties/Sales, 1949

Subgroup 8. Fonda Corporation, 1939-1945 SERIES 8A. MINUTES, 1939-1945. ARRANGEMENT: Box 4, 8 folders, arranged chronologically. SUMMARY: Board of Directors meeting minutes which include by-laws and certificate of incorporation. Documents financial and business transactions as well as general details regarding the production and development of tape recorders. Includes: minutes with four special reports documenting the activities of ". . . present management as distinguished from management of Vogel Fonda regarding 'the Fonda Recorder'" (April 1942); letters to stockholders like an annual report (January 1943); negotiations with Jefferson Travis (January 1943); discussion of the boom in business resulting from war demand for radio equipment for military requirements (1943-1944); needs for invention and development of sound recording machines for peacetime market (November 1944); engineering department development of model AV-2 recorder (February 1945). Does not include research and development files. Box Folder 4 20 By-laws and Certificate of Incorporation, 1939 21 Minutes, 1939 22 Minutes, 1940 23 Minutes, 1941 24 Minutes, 1942-1943 25 Minutes, 1944 26 Minutes, January-February 1945 27 Minutes, March 1945 SERIES 8B. DOCUMENTS, 1940-1945. ARRANGEMENT: Box 4, 2 folders, arranged by subject. SUMMARY: Includes Standard Aircraft Products, Inc. stock certificates circa 1941 and documents regarding the merger with Jefferson Travis Radio Manufacturing Corporation (May 1945). Box Folder 4 28 Standard Aircraft Products, Inc.: Stock Certificates, etc., 1940-1941 29 Documents re: merger with Jefferson Travis, May 1945 Subgroup 9. Guild Records, Inc, 1944-1947 ARRANGEMENT: Box 4, 5 folders, arranged logically. SUMMARY: Consists of Certificate of Incorporation, by-laws, and a full run

Box 4

of minutes from 1944-1947. Also included are two general ledgers for 1944 and 1946. See Musicraft Records, Inc. Recording Ledgers for Guild-related recording sessions. Folder 30 Documents: Incorporation, by-laws, 1944 31 Minutes, 1944-1946 32 Minutes, 1947 32 General Ledger, 1944 (and 1948?) 33 General Ledger, 1946

Subgroup 10. Hamptone Company, undated ARRANGEMENT: Box 4, 1 folder. Box Folder 4 35 Planning Documents, undated Subgroup 11. Olympic Record Corporation, 1945-1949 ARRANGEMENT: Box 4, 2 folders. SUMMARY: Board of Directors meeting minutes (1945-1949) with Articles of Incorporation and by-laws (1945). Operated Los Angeles record pressing plant. Box Folder 4 36 Articles and by-laws, 1945 37 Minutes, 1945-1949 Subgroup 12. Oversized ARRANGEMENT: Boxes 5-7 and 8-10, arranged by subject. SUMMARY: Includes any oversize items not physically stored with respective series. See above series descriptions for further information. Box 5 Musicraft Records, Inc.: List of Stockholders, 1948 Jefferson-Travis: List of Stockholders, 1946 Musicraft Manufacturing(?): 3 Payroll Books, --RESTRICTED 1945-1949 Box 6 Musicraft Records, Inc.: published financial reports and miscellany re: consolidation and bankruptcy, 1947-1949 Musicraft and Various Subsidiaries: Stockbooks. General Ledger, (Musicraft Manufacturing???) 1945-1946 Box 7 Musicraft and subsidiaries: Miscellaneous Oversized Financial Ledgers. Box 10 Musicraft Records Inc.: Recording Ledger, 1936-1946, 2 copies; Recording

Session Sheets-Gordon McRae, 1945-1946. 1936-1946 Subgroup 13. Educational Audio Video. ARRANGEMENT: Arranged by subject, then chronologically. SUMMARY: Contains purchase orders and correspondence with institutions ordering audio visual teaching materials in various subject areas. Also includes product catalogs. Box 8 Educational Audio Visual: Orders, Correspondence, and Receipts, 1960s Subgroup 14. William Fortgang Ventures. ARRANGEMENT: Arranged by subject, then chronologically. SUMMARY: Folder of various financial documents, invoices, tax forms, receipts, and correspondence regarding business ventures and professional career of William Fortgang, former Treasurer of Musicraft Records, Inc. during the bankruptcy period. Box 9 William Fortgang Ventures: Files and financial Subgroup 15. Musicraft Record Collection Series 15A. Open-Reel Tapes ARRANGEMENT: 3 linear feet, 30 tapes, arranged by assigned number. SUMMARY: Consists of thirty open-reel 7 inch and 10 inch tapes (1/4" width) which are, most likely, copies of various Musicraft disks (released records). Possibly copied in 1969 as preservation or "safety" copies which include Carl Sandburg, Dizzy Gillespie, Teddy Wilson, and Sarah Vaughan. Series 15B. Record Disks ARRANGEMENT: 15 linear feet. SUMMARY: Consists of record albums, acetates (test pressings) and 78 rpm disks. Extensive library of various Musicraft, Guild, and Masterpiece releases. Artists include: Phil Brito, Georgie Auld, Duke Ellington, Mel Torme, Leadbelly, Art Van Damme, Dick Brown, Harry Gibson, Mercer Ellington, Esmereldy, Gordon McRae, and Polka music.