Wendell Hall

Wendell Wood Hall ( born August 23, 1886 in St. George, Kansas, † April 2, 1969 in Alabama) was an American folk, old-time and novelty musician who recorded his greatest successes in the 1920s could. He is considered the inventor of the banjolele, which outwardly differs only in size from the banjo. His nickname was "The red -headed music maker ".

Life

Born in Kansas, Wendell Hall began his career as a musician already in high school. In 1922 he was engaged at Foster Music in Chicago as a composer and began hanging out with the vaudeville by the United States, during which learned Hall, a large number to play instruments such as guitar, xylophone, banjo or banjolele, a mix of banjo and Ukele that Hall himself had designed. However, his favorite instrument, the ukulele, he learned relatively late.

Career

In 1923, he got a recording contract with RCA Victor. His first song, It Is not Gonna Rain No Mo ', was published in the same year. In the previous November, he had already recorded some demo versions of the title. The record sold over two million copies, making it the first million -seller of country music. The title is based on an old folk song, to the Hall wrote a new text. 1924 Hall took over the radio show Everyday Hour on WEAF in New York City. The first broadcast was launched on November 4, 1924 with guests like Carson Robison, Art Gillham and Will Rogers. Hall had become within two years to become a successful musician and one of the first radio presenters in the world.

1925 Hall published his book Ukulele Methods in Foster Music and married live on radio. In addition, Hall appeared in several short films and continued to publish with Columbia Records and Brunswick Records plates known title of Hall, for example, Big Rock Candy Mountain, It Looks Like Rain and Who Said I Was A Bum? . End of the 1920s, Hall began working with his friend and country musician Carson Robison. From this connection emerged among other hits Whistling The Blues Away, Oh Susanna and Camptown Races. The mid- 1920s under Hall took several world tours that took him to Asia and Europe. Since 1929, Hall took on more radio shows and composed songs like Underneath The Mellow Moon and Carolina Rose. In the 1930s, the popularity Halls declined perceptibly, and he focused from now on composing jingles. In 1950 he published another book, Famous Collection For The ukulele.

Wendell Hall died on April 2, 1969, at the age of 83 years.

Discography

Halls plates at Columbia were republished in retrospect at Banner Records.