New Revised & Expanded Edition

Paramount’s Rise and Fall

The Roots and History
of Paramount Records

By Alex van der Tuuk

"Invaluable... It's exciting to have this essential book available again"
  — Samuel Charters, author of The Country Blues

"An absorbing account" — Paul Oliver, author of Blues Fell this Morning

"A superbly written and beautifully produced book" — Mark Berresford, Vintage Jazz Mart

6" x 9" quality paperback
282 pages, 149 illustrations


ISBN # 978-0-9852004-2-8

Library of Congress Control
# 2012948828

$55 Elsewhere —
With Airmail Shipping . . . .

How did a chair manufacturer come to dominate the new "race record" field in the 1920s? The fascinating story unfolds in this newly revised and expanded edition of Alex van der Tuuk's classic history of Paramount records. You will find two new sections and many additional illustrations, along with substantial updates to the original text — all in an affordable, high-quality paperback edition.

Paramount introduced Ma Rainey, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Charley Patton, Skip James, and other blues greats to the world — but there's much more to the story than those legendary jazz and blues records. Alex van der Tuuk reveals the full history of the people and companies behind the label in a highly readable book that blends music, business, and local history in a unique way.

Even if you're fortunate enough to own a first edition (already a collectors' item!), we think you'll enjoy this new expanded version just as much. And if you missed the original, here's a new opportunity to get acquainted with one of the landmark works in recorded-sound history.

CONTENTS:

• Forewords by Samuel Charters, Bob Koester, Gayle Dean Wardlow, and Janet L. Erickson
  
• Preface and Acknowledgements
  
• Introduction: Grafton Revisited
  (New illustrated history of the studio and pressing-plant site)
  
• Chapter 1: The Wisconsin Chair Company
  
• Chapter 2: Another Sideline—Phonographs
  and Records
  
• Chapter 3: Jazz, Blues and Vaudeville
  
• Chapter 4: "Agents Wanted": Selling a Record
  
• Chapter 5: "Special Agent Blues"
  
• Chapter 6: Grafton Recordings
  
• Chapter 7: Rebuilding a Company
  
• Chapter 8: Paramount's Swan Song
  (New chapter on post-NYRL attempts to revive Paramount, with an examination of current ownership of Paramount masters and trademarks)
  
• Selected References
  
• Title and Subject Indexes