1928 Radio Broadcast Recording

This is one of the few surviving radio broadcasts from the 1920s. It was done as one of multiple Edison experiments to transfer a radio broadcast to a record. This particular recording is not too interesting since it's mostly just a musical program, but it is representative of the kind of popular programs in early radio.

[@riverraisin1]

My Grandfather bought a radio in the late 20s on credit (I still have the receipt). I feel like I'm listening to what he listened to back then. Surreal.

[@MrMenefrego1]

May I ask what it cost him?

[@riverraisin1]

@@MrMenefrego1 I would have to find the receipt again, as I have it put away with other family papers, but if memory serves, it was in the $25 range.

[@MrMenefrego1]

@@riverraisin1 Thanks!

[@experimenttryingtouploadst1204]

Thanks, my great grandpa bought one when they moved into the house they build in 1927 - and finally had electricity. :-) I wondered what it might have cost him - it is probably about the same.

[@thetreasurehouse1742]

This recording is fascinating. Before the big names, before the slick productions, we have this sample of how radio was in the 1920s. Thank you for posting it here!!

[@thecw301]

It's nice that the announcer is speaking in a very conversational tone. Not like most of the era.

[@CPorter]

"its not too interesting since it's mostly just a musical program". THIS IS EXTREMELY INTERESTING AND VALUABLE INFORMATION HERE! Many of the artists featured here either barely even recorded, or never recorded at all in the cases of Walter Wooley, Tommy Hudson, and Ray Nichols. Especially for Wooley, this may be the only time we're ever able to hear his voice or his orchestra, even though he had a somewhat popular WAAM and WABC Radio show in the fall of 1928. Same for the announcer's styles of introducing each song and orchestra. The most we have is the from the later 30s and onwards. The only thing we don't get from this, which I would love to know is what station this was from. From looking up names in radio timetables, I'd assume it would be one of the New York or New Jersey stations.

[@Old_Man_Jay]

was recorded in Detroit

[@CPorter]

@@Old_Man_Jay Relay stations could pick up these stations from San Francisco, but WAAM and WABC were New York Based.

[@glennso47]

@@CPorter WABC is still on the air as a news talk station.

[@RatPfink66]

WAAM began in 1922, founded by an electrical dealer in Newark. Late in the '20s it merged with another local station, WODA. In 1934 it became the well known WNEW, which eventually moved to New York.

[@CPorter]

@@RatPfink66 WNEW Was previously assigned to another station before then i'm pretty sure. I've seen it in timetables around 1931 or so I'm sure of it.

[@shannonc.5837]

This is the perfect thing to listen to as I’m fixing the upholstery on my family’s 1928 Model A! :)

[@RatPfink66]

The band is Ray Nichols' Four Towers Orchestra. The Four Towers was a roadhouse in Cedar Grove, NJ. The band often broadcast over station WAAM in nearby Newark. This recording is 30 rpm long play (not 33-1/3!) and was made at Edison Labs for later broadcast over WAAM. As the announcer mentions this was a late night program. Much of the music is slow and melodic. Some numbers are highly arranged in a concert style. Technical quality is not up to Edison's usual excellent standard. Quiet passages don't record well, reminding us that the setup was experimental. The Ray Nichols band only recorded commercially in 1935, for RCA's Bluebird label. This was good commercial dance music, different from the transcription heard here. Some of those selections are on KZbin. Soloists mentioned by name are Franklin Perry, trombone; Tommy Hudson, alto sax; Joe Giovia (sp?), piano; Walter Woolley, vocal. Ray Nichols himself played trumpet.

[@gregorypalmer5403]

Thank you ! What a find ! Great information!

[@Doctor_Robert]

I am astounded at how laid back and... modern sounding the announcer is.

[@judyjones5089]

I have always wanted to hear an older radio broadcast. It's interesting to listen to the DJ style, also noting this must have been acoustic recording, because of the different volume levels throughout the music? It sounds like the orchestra may have been live. Note the tuba note coming in a few seconds before the first song starts. then a dead air interval after the third song. This is all wonderful and would love to hear more broadcasts and commercials from this era, if available. Thanks so much!

[@diegopaleta4437]

Indeed, on those years the orchestra had to play live just like in the earlier recordings.

[@RatPfink66]

It's an orchestra and announcer live in studio. The recording was acoustic but Edison's technique was usually better than this. (They kept recording acoustically until shortly before they left the record business in 1929.) The experimental long play format might have resulted in some loss of technical quality.

[@EricMcDowellegm]

This is an amazing piece of history. LOVE your channel!

[@musicurio]

This sounds to me like a slow speed (ca 33 r.p.m) 12 inch Edison vertically cut radio transcription disc - i.e. a programme on a disc intended to be played OVER the wireless, rather than a recording OF a broadcast. The photo of a laboratory model player (C250 or C19, we cannot tell) would not be able to play such a disc unless considerably modified - so I don't think this is what we were listening to. Whatever it is it is fascinating. More info appreciated. Thanks.

[@sreardonatpfg]

4:42 "In any bouquet of flowers there is always surpasses all the others in beauty and loveliness. Perhaps the flower is the memory of a perfect day, a magic weekend, or more to the point, the memory of a girl; and in this case it's the memory of a girl called Chiquita."

[@ArchernAce]

Oh how I love this. Time machine!!

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

is there a version that is not excessively filtered? :( The audio is almost completely compromised of filter artifacts.

[@robertbrown-qf8xy]

Another gem! Thanks.

[@glennso47]

The dj reminds me of the djs that used to be on WGN Chicago such as Franklin McCormick, etc

[@DeltaFRFX]

I like how the radio host doesn't ramble, and gets right to the music. Fast forward about 100 years and radio hosts talk forever, making you wanna change the channel. That's why the radio industry is dying.

[@AirchexxClassicRadio]

That's one person's opinion. It's not the talking that killed radio, it's what was said, or rather, the lack of anything funny or interesting. Radio has been reduced to liners recorded hours or days before the broadcast even happens. And it's done in a very generic way, with little emphasis on localit. I'm referring to the 2023 art of 'music' radio. You're likely listening to one of the half dozen or so giant broadcast entities which own 2/3rds of the stations in a city and fighting bankruptcy... thus why all the decent talent has been fired to reduce payroll. I'm not a good person to reply to this comment though, because I've been working in radio for 42 years. I guess I know too much LOL.

[@stephanieeargle3865]

Would love to have a CD of 1920s music ❤

[@allancerf1232]

The1920sChannel - I find it pretty interesting! Thanks.

[@MatthewDLDavidson]

This is a fascinating document. Do we know what station this was broadcast from? Thanks for posting.

[@RatPfink66]

It was made for WAAM, Newark, NJ. Ray Nichols' orchestra regularly played over the station.

[@romyr1621]

Does anyone know what the copyright laws are on these old radio broadcasts are like? I would like to use some of the audio of the broadcaster talking and possibly some of the music but want to avoid copyright material if possible.. thanks!

[@CPorter]

If it isn't for profit, you should be fine. Fair Use.

[@samcoombes8773]

@@CPorter What about for use in a short film project? The film will be submitted to festivals. Do you know where I can find more information regarding the ownership of this recording?

[@libertycabbagemusic]

Considering how many big name musical artists have their material uploaded by random people who are not them, their representatives, or the copyright holders of that material, it's hard to know who KZbin will go after. I've even seen a few movies uploaded on KZbin (that were probably not in the public domain. My guess is that this broadcast would be covered under educational uses and thus not subject to copyright law.

[@mikemccool7575]

You’re fine they’re all dead

[@mr50sagain]

I'm a phonograph and radio collector...please tell me the source for this wonderful photograph...please...thank you!

[@The1920sChannel]

I reverse image searched the thumbnail photo and the original source is in the University of Michigan's collection, though I had found the photo elsewhere before. The library's copy has much better quality and provides more context to the photo as well. It was taken in 1921 at station WWJ in Detroit. Here's a link (hopefully KZbin won't block it): quod.lib.umich.edu/b/bhl/x-bl020140/bl020140?chaperone=S-BHL-X-BL020140+BL020140;size=50;view=entry

[@mr50sagain]

@@The1920sChannel Got it!...You and your channel are awesome!!!

[@debbutcher9087]

@@The1920sChannel : I agree your channel is awesome. Being the historian that I am it fascinates me. Thank you.

[@user-zr2js5vs8b]

Sattiles am radio FM from the future ❤ NASA BBC good news ❤ music 🎶🛸

[@tedrobinson372]

In 1928, the use of an Edison C-250 phonograph as depicted for music playback for broadcast was well out of date.

[@Stopovergarding]

Should be talking programs, Not the music