The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-02

Usher accepted the song and rave Dankr
a royalty contract.
@For six long months banks waited for
results. About a dozen copies were sold
banks became discouraged and offered TO
sell his interest in the song for SIS. which
was accepted.
Not long afterward the song beoa me
very popular. The song is a classic In Its
way and is still making money for the
publisher"
How'd You Like to Be the. Iceman,"
which had a big vogue about ten years
ago.. IA another song h a was buneted
about before il found an abiding place
with a publisher. Fred Helf, the oom-
poser, was entirely unknown and had all
he could do to get a hearing for 1t.
AT last l found some publisher ready "a
take il up" said Helf. 1T was Billy Gray
a n writer himself, who discovered
George Cohan and gave him his hrst start
"a a composer. Gray took the SON to
Press Eldridge and Eldridge made the
hit OF his life with it. Then Lew Dock.
stader sang it. and before l knew it found
myself famous.
Il didn't think much OF the song when
l wrote it. 1t was inspired.
Il wrote the song In my room in a notel
in Cincinnati. was there with a fr1enu,
and ever and again we were interrupted
by the appearance of a bellboy with ice
notonous that l casually said to my friend:
How'd you like to be the icemanp' That
same night | wrote the song"
Gus Edwards when he composed !
Can't Tell WhyI Love You, But i Do had
Just 10 cents in his clothes, while his team
mate, Will Cobb, who furnished b lyrics,
had just five cents less. Edwards showed
the song to two publishers before he could
interest Pat Howley and Fred Haviland,
who then composed the firm Of Howiey,
song Howley said that besides giving the
boys royalties he would allow them S2e
in advance. Edwards and Cobb DIVIDED
the s25 and went to the nearest restaurant
n RECALLED their empty stomachs with
Il Can't Tell Why I Love You. but / Do
was a hit from the outset and paved the
way for Edwards, who has since composed
-Tammany," Mamie, Don't You Feel
Ashamie, "If a Girl Like You and Anna
Held's big success. I Can't lake MY Eyes
When Marie Cahill was engaged to APP
pear in the wild Rose a few years ago
she was in need of a good song. She went
to a music publishing house and looked
over a dozen songs before she came across
Nancy Brown
When she saw the copyright date Of the
song she was Surprised. because IL showed
that the song had been published two years
before.
Isn't IL a pity. = she remarked. that this
song hasn't had a chance. I'm going 10 try
my luck with II. and II It goes down IL
go with it"
After Miss CahiI sang the song she re-
ceived a dozen e~ncores.
Harry Won Tilzer might still be singing
coon songs with a cheap burlesque com
pany were it not for a song. His first song
of any account was my Old New Hamp-
shire Home,' which he wrote in conlunc-
ton with Andrew Sterling. Won Tilzer
gave the song to a local publishing firm.
which took it from him partly as a matter
of courtesy. because he was in a position to
advertise their songs.
I'm give you a nice royalty for your
song said the publisher somewhat face
tiously. Now be careful not to lose t.
Won Tilzer took the contract, went ahead
n boosted his song until It became very
popular. He made 81 900 out of it.
The publishers were so delighted that
they were ready 20 sign a contract with
him 10 compose exclusively for the firm.
Won Tilzer said he would agree to this,
provided he was made a partner in the
firm. The proposition was accepted and
in a few years he bought out his partner
and is a successful publisher to-day.
George Evans, the monologue artist who
composed In the Good Old Summer Time,
owes his present reputation to a song he
wrote about ten years ago. He was singing
mother ballads with a minstrel troupe and
received a small salary. He wrote a song
called standing on the Corner and showed
it to the manager. The manag after look
ing over the ong said:
This Ia a coon song and we've got enough
of these songs to stock a dozen minstrel
troupes.'
Evans declared that he did not care, that
he would sing the song and promised to
| accept instant dismissal II he failed to make
a hit with it. He sang the song and
carried the show to success. As a reward
he was promoted to be a real minstrel and
has been writing songs ever since.
~Good-by. Dolly Gray was published by
a firm that was compelled to sell its entire
catalogue at the expiration of six weeks
business career in order to satisfy the owner
of the building, who wanted his rent. Dolly
Gray" was among the lot and the new pro-
prietors Of the song thought so little of il
that they were willing to return the song
' if express charges were paid on the entire
stock of music of the defunct firm.
{ Thu proposition was rejected and the
song reposed on the shelf for six months
before the new publishers had the temerity
TO show the song to singers. The song
caught on Immediately and was the only
song in the lot that became popular