Twelve-year-old Judy Garland made her first studio recordings
for Decca on March 29, 1935, when she and her sisters
cut some tests
for Decca Records. Judy is listed on the Decca test
sheets as "Francis [sic] Garland" - the professional
name she was using at the time.
On 11/27/1935, Judy went back to the Decca Recording
Studios as "Judy Garland" and recorded two
more (ultimately rejected) test recordings: "All's
Well (Down In Coronado By The Sea)" and "No
Other One" with Victor Young conducting (he would
conduct her first commercial recording of "Over
The Rainbow" on July 28, 1939. By this second test
session, at age 13, Judy had already had several milestone
events in her career:
1) She
auditioned for and was signed by MGM Studios on 9/13/1935
(the contract would be drawn up on 9/16/35).
2) She
made her first "official" radio
appearance
(via MGM) on
10/26/1935
singing "Broadway
Rhythm" on
NBC Radio's Shell
Chateau Hour hosted
by Wallace
Beery (Judy
had already
been a part
of various
radio programs
for years,
and she was
well known
especially
in the Los
Angeles area). This
is the earliest
known recording
of a Judy Garland
radio performance. 3)Sadly,
her father passed
away on 11/17/1935
- in her words "the
most terrible thing
that ever happened
to me in my life."
The
first Judy Garland
recordings that
Decca released
to the public ("Stompin'
At The Savoy" & "Swing
Mr. Charlie")
were recorded in
New York City while
Judy was on her
first trip there
for MGM promotional
appearances. She
had just turned
14 when these recordings
were made with
Bob Crosby & His
Orchestra. Crosby's
manager was unhappy
with the band having
to perform with
"this unknown
girl" and
refused to let
Decca list the
Band's name on
the labels!
Although Decca
released these
recordings in
July, 1936, Judy
did not sign
an actual contract
with the company
until August
30, 1937. It
was in August
1937 that Decca
Records president
Jack Kapp saw
a preview of
Judy's first
MGM feature Broadway
Melody of 1938 (1937)
in which she
stole the show
with her hot
swing version
of "Everybody
Sing" and
her first hit
song, the ballad "(Dear
Mr. Gable) You
Made Me Love
You". Kapp
immediately went
to work to sign
Judy to a contract,
at which time
she recorded "Everybody
Sing" and "All
God's Chillun
Got Rhythm."
Judy's
association with Decca lasted through the end of 1947
and produced some of the most popular recordings in pop
music history. Judy recorded a total of 90 recordings
in 30 recording sessions from 1936 through 1947, creating
a body of work that shows her progression from a young "hot" singer
to an exciting and unique artist in full command of her
incredible talents.
Judy's contract was not renewed due to two factors:
Her hectic schedule was such that she did not have
the time or energy to handle the usually late night
recording sessions; and MGM had just entered into the
new "Original Soundtrack" market, so there
was no need for Judy to go into the Decca Studios to
record studio versions of her film songs. Plus, per
Judy's contract with MGM, the studio had first right
of refusal for any of her services outside of the studio.
Judy would not record any "studio" recordings
for any label until after her departure from MGM in 1950.
In 1953, riding the crest of her historic return to
the stage (and the beginning of her legendary "Concert
Years"), Judy recorded four singles for Columbia
Records. These were mildly received. The jukebox market
wasn't yet in full bloom.
In 1955, Judy signed with Capitol Records and produced
some of the greatest studio albums ever recorded. Judy's
association with Capitol lasted from 1955 until 1966.
Garland's
earliest recordings were cut using a huge mechanical
lathe about the size of a small truck. The 78
rpm turntable was powered by the force of gravity;
a flywheel underneath the machine was triggered
by the release of a 250 lb. counterweight, which
had to be hand-cranked back into position after
each take.
Two three-inch thick
wax "pies" were cut simultaneously on twin
turntables. The first was used for playback reference
during the session. The second was either held, if
a take was chosen, or shaved clean, if the take was
rejected. The master take would be designated "A," the
second and third choices "B" or "C".
The choice takes were then shipped to one of Decca's
manufacturing plants where a hard copper/nickel replica "negative" was
made. From this metal master another metal part called
a mother, a playable positive copy of the master,
was produced and eventually stampers and commercial
shellac pressings.
During the 1942-43
recording ban, Decca purchased the World Broadcasting
Company, a radio transcription service which recorded
on 33 rpm acetate lacquers. World began transcribing
Decca's recording sessions onto these 16" lacquer
safeties, called "covers," which replaced
the 78 rpm reference disc. While being good for multiple
playbacks, those World transcriptions were also of
superior fidelity and often preserved numerous takes
other than the master.
On
the left is Judy Garland's first commercially
released record
"Stompin' At The Savoy", released in
July 1936. To the right is Judy's final record
for Decca, "I Wish I Were In Love Again"
released July 19, 1948 (both from the collection
of Eric Hemphill).
In-between the two, Garland amassed an amazing
body of work that is still enjoyed by multitudes
of people around the world. As you'll see in
these pages, not only was Judy Garland one of
the youngest artists signed to a major label,
but she was also a recording artist of the highest
caliber, who grew from a young and enthusiastic "hot" singer
into an artist in full command of her unique talents.
It is our hope that you will enjoy perusing through
these pages by taking a trip back in time when
people bought "albums" to play on their "record
players"!
In the 1930's, record
labels were beginning to assemble several records all
by the same artist, packaged in a book-style jacket
with bound sleeves to hold each record. The term "album" was
coined to describe these sets, a term still used to
this very day.
Decca records would also include what is now referred
to by collectors as an "insert," a brochure
that came with the album set. This insert had a small
biography of the performer being highlighted in the
album, a list of other records by the artist that were
available, and in the case of film soundtracks, a short
plot synopsis.
Eventually, these inserts were phased out, when Decca
began using the otherwise blank inside covers of the
albums to show photos, have liner notes, a performer
biography, and a discography.
Judy Garland 78 albums had inserts until 1946, when the
switch was made to these liner notes.
