Re: [ARSCLIST] 78s relatively inexpensive? I disagree (was Victor film)

["Steven C. Barr" <stevenc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Art Shifrin" <goldens2@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> > "Steven C. Barr" wrote:
> > Well, with 78's, the record companies were under NO obligation to pay
the
> > artists anything more that the fee they got for participating etc.....
>
> This is NOT universally correct.  Well represented artists received
> royalites.
Not so much well-represnted, as those who sold well enough they could
threaten
the record firm with leaving, or at least recording for other firms. These
artists were usually put on exclusive contracts (which were heavily promoted
as such) which often included royalties...they include Caruso, Armstrong and
a few others. In fact, the idea of artists recording for one label wasn't
standard until the mid-thirties, when younger record buyers wanted not only
a song but a given version of it, making it advisable to have artists under
contract!
...stevenc