Michael Barnet Brown, better known as Mike Bernard, was born in 1875. By the mid 1890's, he ventured into musical composition, penning about thirty songs by 1925.
His recording career produced only fifteen songs, six are included in this compilation. Early in the century, there were many Ragtime competitions, in which
Bernard performed favorably, becoming known as the "Rag-Time King of the World." He directed the pit orchestra for Tony Pastor's Theater fore six years. George Gershwin
credited Bernard for influencing his piano playing style.
Henry W.Lange, born in 1896, was Paul Whiteman's pianist and composer, and was known as the "Monarch of the Ivories". He wrote "Yes Sir, That's Lazy Bones. Arthur Lange's band recorded the number on
Cameo in 1922, but there doesn't seem to be any other connection between the two.
Frank Westphal was born in 1889, and was married to Sophie Tucker, after becoming her accompanist in 1913. He was active in vaudeville and partnered with the Marx Brothers as part of their act. He was
involved with the Benson Orchestra of Chicago. I have included Roy Bargy and Don Bestor on disc 3, selecting only tracks with the Benson Orchestra with piano solos.
Ray Perkins was born in 1896 in Boston, Mass, and recorded piano rolls ,composed music and was a vocalist, recording for Brunswick and Edison. During the mid to late thirties, on the CBS network, he hosted
"Ray Perkins National Amateur Night."
Constance Mering, born in 1900 was pianist and coach for the Metropolitan Opera Ballet. She studied music at the Universary of California, but by the eary twenties found herself in New York, studying with Frank
La Forge, recording piano rolls for the Mel-O-Dee company, often partnering with Muriel Pollack. Both played for the premiere of Florenz Ziegfeld's show Rio Rita.
The pseudonym of Edgar Fairchild was used by Milton Suskind for popular numbers ,and he used his own name for classical content. Born in 1898, he was playing piano at 7 years of age, and won a scolarship at
the Institute of Musical Art, now known as Juilliard. He partnered with Ralph Rainger and Adam Carroll. Rainger also duetted with Carroll. Ralph wrote and co-wrote songs such as June In January, Easy living,
June in January, and many more. Adam Carroll was a prolific recording artist for the Ampico Piano Roll Company. ~ Mickey Clark
Mike Bernard
BATTLE OF SAN JUAN HILL COL A1266 12/02/12 38466 BERNARD 2:38
EVERYBODY TWO-STEP COL A1266 12/02/12 38467 HERZER 2:58
MAORI COL A1427 05/08/13 38829 TYERS 2:53
1915 RAG COL A1427 06/27/15 38927 TIERNEY 2:40
BLAZE AWAY COL A2577 04/22/18 77780 BERNARD 2:49
THEY WERE ALL OUT OF STEP BUT JIM-MEDLEY COL A2577 04/22/18 77783 BERLIN/ BRYANT-HESS-LESLIE/ BERLIN 2:39
MONASTERY BELLS WALTZ HENRY W.LANGE ED 50898 12/13/21 8315 WENDLING 4:21
YOU TELL 'EM IVORIES FRANK WESTPHAL COL A3800 12/01/22 80700 CONFREY 2:49
COAXING THE PIANO FRANK WESTPHAL COL A3800 12/01/22 80710 CONFREY 2:53
MARCH OF THE MANNIKINS RAY PERKINS- ED 51192 05/31/23 8736 ONIVAS 3:19
PARADE OF THE WOODEN SOLDIERS RAY PERKINS ED 51192 05/31/23 8737 JESSEL-OP.123 3:45
IF YOU KNEW SUSIE CHARLES BOURNE & PHIL ELLIS COL 398-D 05/18/25 140611 DE SYLVA-MEYER 3:00
OH,KAY!-GEMS CONSTANCE MERING & FRANK BANTA COL 50031-D 01/06/27 98308 GERSHWIN OH,KAY 4:33
CONSTANCE MERING & MURIEL POLLACK
IF YOU'RE IN LOVE,YOU'LL WALTZ COL 952-D 03/17/27 143682 TIERNEY-MCCARTHY RIO RITA 3:19
FOLLOWING THE SUN AROUND COL 952-D 03/17/27 143683 TIERNEY-MCCARTHY RIO RITA 3:11
SPRING FEVER COL 1004-D 05/03/27 144080 BLOOM 3:02
DOLL DANCE COL 1004-D 05/03/27 144081 BROWN 2:59
HIGH HAT COL 1447-D 06/12/28 146434 ALTER 3:23
RAG DOLL COL 1447-D 06/12/28 146435 BROWN 3:16
UPS-A-DAISY COL 1633-D 11/05/28 147148 GENSLER-SIMON UPS-A-DAISY 3:25
HOT! COL 1633-D 11/05/28 147149 GENSLER-SIMON UPS-A-DAISY 3:00
OH,KAY-SELECTION FAIRCHILD-RAINGER VIC 20435 12/13/26 37124 GERSHWIN 3:39
QUEEN HIGH-SELECTION FAIRCHILD-RAINGER VIC 20435 12/27/26 37180 DE SYLVA-GENSLER 3:33
TO SPRING FAIRCHILD AND RAINGER BR 3976 06/01/28 27680 GRIEG 3:20 Available Options:
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