The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1899-04-15
SONG WRITING BUSINESS.
LARGE INCOMES MADE BY COM.
PoSERS OF POPULAR. MELODIES.

LARGE INCOMES MADE BY COM.
PosERS OF POPULAR. MELODIES.
Their Publication Has Become an I'm
portant American Industry-Fortune
Awaits Man with q Catchy Air and
Striking Lot Of Words.
ssThe publishing of popular songs"
said song writer to Sun man, sis
an important industry. At least five
big houses are interested heavily in
the popular song business, with Offices
in New York and several other cities,
and they give employment to hun
dreds of persons. There are several
printers who print songs almost exclu
sively; more paper is consumed in a
year in the business than is used by
many newspapers, and many thou
sands of dollars are spent yearly for
advertising. Few good songs come
to-day from England, which once prac-
tically supplied the market, but Amer
loan songs are sold there in large
numbers and thousands of copies go
every year to Germany. ALI this is a
comparatively recent development.
Fifteen years ago there was little
money in the popular song business,
but to-day there is fortune in it for
a man with two or three catchy songs,
q little money and brains.
1.-THE man who wrote the words and
music of Break the N ews to Mother
is credited with having made $40, 900
out of it. He is his own publisher,
and has his headquarters in Western
city and offices in New York and two
other cities. He writes three or four
songs year, publishes half dozen
or so of the songs of other writer's, and
is in receipt of an income that is very
close to $35, 900. Yet hardly six years
ago, when he wrote after the Ball.
he was unknown and poor. He is said
to have offered that song for almost
nothing to several firms and at last
could only get it published by borrow
ing money and printing it himself. It
became very popular, and its success
made its author.
1.-THE oldest firm in the business
started dozen years ago in a little
store in which there was scarcely
standing room for desk and piano.
The father and sons who composed the
firm worked hard for success and got
it, and to-day occupy a three-story
building and do yearly business of
800, 900. Anew years ago two young
men wrote fearful song entitled. MY
Mother Was Lady and published 1t
with gratifying success. They haze
written four songs since then, but the
publishing of other peoples songs
keeps them so busy now that they have
little time to write themselves. Lately
they have removed into new and larger
quarters and apparently are making q
good deal of money. Yet only few
years ago they were unknown men
with few hundred dollars of capital.
''About eighteen years ago the man
who is now perhaps the most popular
song writer in the country had his first
song sung by minstrel company. Its
success encouraged him to stick to the
business, and he has written since that
time nearly hundred songs. After
having made the fortunes of two pub
fishing houses, he became associated
about four years ago with two young
men with enterprise and some capital
and the success of the three partners
isamazing. If the removal from small
offices to large quarters is a sign of
success, then this firm is enjoying it.
One of its rivals is man who writes
as well as publishes. He started out
for himself about the time his 'Rastus
on Parade was written, and has fol-
lowed up that great hit with "A Georgia
Camp Meeting which, arranged as an
instrumental piece, is wonderful sue
cess, and will probably be played for
years. The man whose name has been
mentioned in connection with the man
agement of one of the newer boxers is
in the popular song business. and has
managed to score hit with each of
the six songs he has written. He was
not so we'll known three years ago,
and he had very little money then to
back fighters with, too. To-day it is
different, and his income from songs is
handsome one. The newest firm of
publishers has been in business hardly
year, but it has issued several hits
and will end the year with big profit.
'"The position to-day of the song
writer is far better than it used to be.
There was time when he sold his
songs outright for ten or fifteen dol
lars, and was glad to get that much,
for if they were published on royalty
he seldom saw cent of what was due
to him. Now there are no irresponsi-
BILE publishers, and writer receives
so many cents copy on all copies sold
of his songs. There are, perhaps.
twenty men who make every year at
the present time more than $4,000 by
writing songs, and few of them aver
age $500. It will be seen that the
writing and publishing of popular
songs Il profitable business.
New Largest island.
sgVVilliama I" askad the instructor.