Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-05-19
Bands Near
Billion Dollar
Mark--Maybe
Everything Else ls-Why
Skip Musicians?
BY DAMON RUNYON

- country is reaching the pro-
portions of a billion-dollar in
dustry. Well, maybe not quite
that much but everybody makes
a billion almost the common
denominator nowadays, so see
no reason for discriminating
against the musicians.
There must be hundreds of
bands in the United States, and
by bands mean the kind that
play in theaters and cafes and
dance halls rather than the old
fashioned com-pah-oom-pah type
that head parades, although
there are many of them, too,
especially since the new army
got under way.
OF the 100000 members of
the American Federation of
Musicians it is estimated that
nearly so per cent are bandmen.
AS l usually get into trouble
with my figures / must tell you
that this estimate comes from
Ed Fishman." a large and jovial
gentleman who has charge OF
the band department of the
William Morris Theatrical
Agency, which books a large
number of bands.
He ought to know whereof
he speaks.
THE band craze has reached
Il a point where movie
house with a punk picture and
a top name band. meaning a
widely known and popular band,
will often gross more money
than an establishment with an
extra fine picture but no band.
The movie makers have taken
a tip from the audience reaction
TO bands by putting the bands in
many of their pictures.
There are perhaps 50 bands
that are considered solid draw
ing cards no matter where they
play. Some of them have fan
tastic earning power.
One is said 10 do well over
81 100000 a year for the gentle
man whose name is attached to
the organization and who of
course gets the lions share of
the proceeds and is perhaps the
main reason for the draw.
4 BAND Is known by the
"A name and individuality of
its leader. He may not be a
great musician. but any or all
of the IA or Is men who play
in his band could leave him over
night and he could come up with
new delegation the next day
and still have band of the same
fame and drawing power as the
original, as long as he himself
remained famous and a draw.
The average standard band
will make at least S125,000
year, out of which the leader
pays the salaries of his men.
some of whom get as high as
$500 a week.
The big name bands average
from $4,000 to $12. 500 per week
playing movie houses on fat
basis though some gamble with
the theater operators aQd may
take out up to $4,000 for a
single week.
I IKE all attractions in the
~ field of public entertain
ment, bands have their ups and
downs. Some are sensations and
then suddenly die out.
Others go on for years and
years. Several of the solid
draws among the bands Of today
are real old timers-for example.
Duke Ellington. who recently
celebrated his twentieth ami
versary in that field.
The East is the greatest band
region, with New York City the
best band town. Chicago is sec
ond. 1t was only within the past
two years that the Pacific Coast
became really band conscious.
and for time names that had
become little passe TO the East
were fresh and hot out there.
The California air brought 'em
back to life.
THE army and navy is picking
Il off a lot of the younger
musicians day by day, but that
gives employment to the older
men. Among the we'll known
musicians in the navy is Eddie
Peabody, great banjo player and
master Of ceremonies. and while
Eddie did not have a band in
civil life. 1 believe he has or
ganized one at the Great Lakes
Station.
Sleepy Hall is a welt known
bandSman who is also in the
navy. If enough of the leaders
and musicians who are in, or
going in, the service ever got
together on one post a sensa-
tional organization might result.
There have been many differ
ent eraS of musical craze in this
country. but the current band
craze is probably the most ter
rifle of all
II is the era OF Swing"
which succeeded "jazz," which
"Tagtime."