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Lost Sounds

Blacks and the Birth of the Recording Industry, 1890-1919

Tim Brooks author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:University of Illinois Press

Published:8th Jul '05

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Lost Sounds cover

This book explores the vital contributions of African Americans to the early recording industry, highlighting their roles leading up to the Jazz Age in Lost Sounds.

In Lost Sounds, Tim Brooks delves into the pivotal role of African Americans in the early recording industry, showcasing their significant contributions during the first three decades of sound recording in the United States. This comprehensive examination highlights the unexpected influence black artists had in the period leading up to the Jazz Age, revealing a rich tapestry of black music and culture that they helped preserve. The book uncovers the struggles and triumphs of these artists, providing a nuanced understanding of their impact on American music history.

Drawing from over thirty years of research, Brooks profiles key figures in the industry, including George W. Johnson, Bert Williams, and Noble Sissle, among others. He meticulously assesses their careers, recordings, and the challenges they faced in a racially charged environment. By bringing these stories to light, Lost Sounds not only honors these pioneers but also illustrates the broader societal forces that shaped their experiences and allowed for greater representation in mainstream entertainment.

Additionally, the book features a selected discography of CD reissues and an appendix by Dick Spottswood, which expands on early recordings by black artists in the Caribbean and South America. Lost Sounds serves as both a historical account and a celebration of the first African-American recording stars, detailing their remarkable journeys against overwhelming odds.

Winner of an  ASCAP Deems Taylor Award, 2005.  Winner of the ARSC Award for Best Research in General History of Recorded Sound, 2005.  Winner of the Irving Lowens Award, given by the Society for American Music for the best work published in 2004 in the field of American music. Tim Brooks received the Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC) Lifetime Achievement Award, 2004.

"An act of cultural reclamation--the great lost heroes of black performance."--New York Times
"Brooks brings both passion and compassion to the story of the black pioneers who worked as performers and entrepreneurs in the nascent U.S. recording industry."--Business History Review
"The authors are ardent scholars . . . the thorough bibliography demonstrates the scope and intensity of the research. This is a welcome contribution to the literature on the African American story, primarily in music but in other disciplines as well."--Choice
"Lost Sounds is a thrilling book; it is rare to encounter a work of this length that supplies so much new information, causing us to reevaluate and reinterpret our understanding of American music and social history."--Current Musicology
"A monumental achievement in research and sheds light on overlooked aspects of turn-of-the-century popular culture."--Technology and Culture
"Tim Brooks has drawn on a staggering array of primary sources to create this wonderful compendium of information. Lost Sounds makes a significant contribution to the field."--Norm Cohen, author of Traditional Anglo-American Folk Music: An Annotated Discography of Published Recordings
"Brooks has uncovered a wealth of fascinating detail about the record business, its artists, and the range of music they recorded 100 years ago. This engaging work of thorough scholarship is essential reading for anyone interested in the birth of commercial recording and African American music in the early part of the 20th century."--Samuel Brylawski, Head, Recorded Sound Section, Library of Congress

  • Winner of <DIV>Winner of an ASCAP Deems Taylor Award, 2005.  Winner of the ARSC Award for Best Research in General History of Recorded Sound, 2005.  Winner of the Irving Lowens Award, given by the Society for American Music for the best work publishe 2004

ISBN: 9780252073076

Dimensions: 254mm x 178mm x 44mm

Weight: 1107g

656 pages