Al Piantadosi
Al Piantadosi | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | John Alberto Joseph Piantadosi |
Also known as | Ragtime Al |
Born | New York City, US | August 18, 1882
Died | April 8, 1955 Encino, Los Angeles, US | (aged 72)
Occupation(s) | Composer, pianist |
Al Piantadosi (born John Alberto Joseph Piantadosi;[1] August 18, 1882 in New York City[a] – April 8, 1955 in Encino, California) was an American composer of popular music during the heyday of Tin Pan Alley. He started out as a saloon and vaudeville pianist and rapidly flourished as a songwriter. For about ten years (from 1918 to 1928) he was an independent music publisher.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]
Career
Piantadosi was born August 18, 1882, in the Italian Quarter of Manhattan, New York. Early in his career (circa 1906), Piantadosi gained recognition as "Ragtime Al,"[13] playing piano at Callahan's Dance Hall on Manhattan's at Chatham Square and Doyers Street in Chinatown, where he wrote the briefly popular "My Mariucci Take a Steamboat"[14] with lyricist George Ronklyn (1878–1943), the bouncer at Callahan's known as "Big Jerry."
Piantadosi's compositions include "I'm Awfully Glad I'm Irish" (1910) and "That's How I Need You" (1912). "The Curse of an Aching Heart" (1913) became his most famous tearjerker. He also composed "Mississippi Days" (1916) and "If You Had All the World and Its Gold."[15][16]
War protest and subsequent controversy
His composition, "
Copyright lawsuit
Harry Haas brought a plagiarism suit against Leo Feist, Incorporated, claiming that the melody was from a song he composed in 1914, "You'll Never Know How Much I Really Cared" — Bill Cahalin (né William R. Cahalin; born around 1883), lyricist.[18] The plaintiffs won. And, although credit was never changed, Cahalin won a large settlement.[19] Adolph Deutsch (born 1868), a raincoat maker, was a one-third partner on the song with Haas and Cahalin.
Market successes
Five of his compositions exceeded sales of one million copies.[3]
Industry advocacy
In 1914, Piantadosi became a charter member of the
Music publishing
In 1918, Al Piantadosi and his brother, George, founded Al. Piantadosi & Company, Inc. Personnel that year included:
- Himself, Al Piantadosi, as President
- Herbert Inman Avery (1887–1955), General Manager
- Jack Glogau, Professional Manager
- George Piantadosi, Western Manager at 113 North Dearborn Street, Chicago; in February 1920, he left the firm to work for McCarthy & Fisher, Inc.
By 1920, the firm suffered financial duress, owing $40,708.87 with only $7,521.26 in the till. After reaching an agreement to pay creditors 10% in lieu of filing for protection under bankruptcy, Frank Goodman, an employee, paid it and took over the company.[20][21]
From early 1923 to mid 1924, Piantadosi tried his hand at selling real estate lots in Hollywood.
Performing
He was a piano accompanist for several variety artist, including Anna Chandler.[3][22]
Collaborators
Collaborators throughout his career included
Later life and death
In 1931, with debt of $17,717 and assets of $500, Piantadosi filed for bankruptcy in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.[23]
Piantadosi eventually moved to California, settling in
Selected works
- "My Mariuccia" ("Take a Steamboat") "She's Gone Away"
- "I'm A Yiddish Cowboy" ("Tough Guy Levi")
- Halsey K. Mohr, Al Piantadosi (music)
- Edgar Leslie (words)
- New York: Ted S. Barron (1908)
- OCLC 44598455
- "Good-Bye Mister Caruso"
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- Billy Dunham (words)
- New York: Harry Cooper Music Pub. Co.[c] (1909)
- )
- "Just Like The Rose"
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- Irving Berlin (words)
- New York: Harry Von Tilzer Music Publishing Co. (1909)
- OCLC 270741106
- "Good Luck Mary"
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- Alfred Bryan, Edgar Leslie (words)
- New York: Harry Cooper Music Pub. Co. (1909)
- )
- "Skid-dy-mer-rink-adink-aboomp")
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- Felix F. Feist (1883–1936) (words)
- New York: Leo Feist (1910)
- )
- "Think It Over, Mary"
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- Thomas J. Gray (1888–1924) (words)
- New York: Leo Feist (1910)
- )
- "The Vampire Love Song"
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- Edgar Leslie (words)
- New York: Leo Feist (1910)
- )
- "That Dreamy Italian Waltz"
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- Joseph McCarthy (words)
- New York: Leo Feist (1910)
- OCLC 60749884
- "In All My Dreams, I Dream of You"
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- Joseph McCarthy (words)
- New York: Leo Feist (1910)
- )
- "I'm Awfully Glad I'm Irish"
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- Edgar Leslie (words)
- New York: Leo Feist (1911)
- OCLC 499168758
- "That Italian Serenade"
- Al Piantadosi, Jack Glogau (né Jacob A. Glogau; 1886–1953) (music)
- Joseph McCarthy (words)
- New York: Leo Feist (1911)
- )
- "Somehow I Can't Forget You"
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- Joseph McCarthy (words)
- New York: Leo Feist (1911)
- )
- "I Just Met The Fellow That Married The Girl That I Was Going To Get"
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- Joseph McCarthy (words)
- New York: Leo Feist (1911)
- OCLC 769456197
- "Honey Man"
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- Joseph McCarthy (words)
- New York: Leo Feist (1911)
- )
- "When Broadway Was A Pasture"
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- Joseph McCarthy (words)
- New York: Leo Feist (1911)
- OCLC 53154559
- "That's How I Need You"
- Al Piantadosi (words & music)
- New York: Leo Feist (1912)
- )
- "The Curse of an Aching Heart"
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- Henry Fink (né Henri Finck; 1893–1963) (words)
- Rosenbaum Studios (cover art)[d]
- New York: Leo. Feist Inc. (1913)
- )
- "Any Boy Could Love a Girl Like You"
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- Joe Goodwin (1889–1943), Joseph McCarthy (words)
- New York: Leo. Feist Inc. (1913)
- OCLC 499163608
- "Melinda's Wedding Day"
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- Joe Goodwin (1889–1943), Joseph McCarthy (words)
- New York: Leo. Feist Inc. (1913)
- )
- "Then I'll Stop Loving You"
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- Joe Goodwin (1889–1943), Joseph McCarthy (words)
- New York: Leo. Feist Inc. (1913)
- )
- "At The Yiddish Wedding Jubilee"
- Al Piantadosi, Jack Glogau (né Jacob A. Glogau; 1886–1953) (music)
- Joseph McCarthy (words)
- New York: Leo Feist (1914)
- OCLC 44677723
- "I've Only One Idea About The Girls And That's To Love 'Em"
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- Earl Carroll, Joseph McCarthy (words)
- Rosenbaum Studios (cover art)[d]
- New York: Leo Feist (1914)
- )
- "On The Shores of Italy"
- Jack Glogau (né Jacob A. Glogau; 1886–1953) (music)
- Al Piantadosi (words)
- New York: Leo Feist (1914)
- )
- "I've Loved You Since You Were a Baby" ("And Now I Can't Live Without You")
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- Joseph McCarthy (words)
- New York: Leo Feist (1914)
- )
- "What a Wonderful Mother You'd Be"
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- Joe Goodwin (words)
- Edward H. Pfeiffer (1868–1932) (cover artist)
- New York: Shapiro, Bernstein & Co. (1915)
- OCLC 11381627
- "My Own Venetian Rose"
- Al Piantadosi, Jack Glogau (né Jacob A. Glogau; 1886–1953) (music)
- Joseph McCarthy (words)
- Rosenbaum Studios (cover art)[d]
- New York: Leo Feist (1915)
- )
- "When You're In Love With Someone"
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- Grant Clarke (words)
- New York: Leo Feist (1915)
- Rosenbaum Studios (cover art)[d]
- OCLC 31099312
- Al Piantadosi (words)
- Alfred Bryan (lyrics)
- New York: Leo Feist (1915)
- )
- "How Could Washington Be A Married Man?" ("And Never, Never Tell A Lie?")
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- Joe Goodwin, Ballard Macdonald(words)
- New York: Shapiro, Bernstein & Co. (1916)
- OCLC 21129798
- "Mississippi Days"
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- Ballard Macdonald(words)
- New York: Shapiro, Bernstein and Co.(1916)
- OCLC 20120860
- "On The Same Old Road"
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- John H. Flynn, Allan J. Flynn (words)
- New York: Al Piantadosi & Co., Inc. (1916)
- OCLC 63763380
- "If You Had All The World And Its Gold"
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- Bartley Costello, Harry Edelheit (words)
- New York: Al Piantadosi & Co., Inc. (1916)
- )
- "Baby Shoes"
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- Joe Goodwin (1889–1943), Ed Rose (words)
- New York: Shapiro, Bernstein & Co. (1916)
- William Austin Starmer (cover art)
- )
- Al Piantadosi (words & music)
- New York: A. Piantadosi (1917)
- William Austin Starmer (cover art)
- )
- "Someone Is Waiting For You"
- Al Piantadosi (words & music)
- New York: A. Piantadosi & Co. Inc. (1917)
- OCLC 20120289
- "For France and Liberty"
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- John H. Flynn, Allan J. Flynn (words)
- New York: Al Piantados & Co. (1917)
- )
- "Wild, Wild Women Are Making a Wild Man of Me"
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- Henry Lewis, Al Wilson (words)
- New York: Al. Piantadosi & Co. Inc. (1917)
- )
- Al Piantadosi, Jack Glogau (né Jacob A. Glogau; 1886–1953) (music)
- Addison Burkhardt (words)
- New York: Al. Piantadosi & Co (1918)
- OCLC 20119198
- From the 1918 musical farce Who Stole The Hat
- Conceived and staged by Jack Mason
- "They're The Stars In Our Service Flag"
- Jack Glogau (né Jacob A. Glogau; 1886–1953) (music)
- Jack Mason, Al Piantadosi (words)
- New York: Al. Piantadosi & Co. (1918)
- "My Salvation Army Girl"
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- Jack Mason (words)
- New York: Al. Piantadosi & Co. (1918)
- )
- "Belgium Dry Your Tears"
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- Arthur Freed (words)
- Sachs (cover art)
- New York: Al Piantadosi & Co (1918)
- )
- "I'm Making a Study of Beautiful Girls" ("And I'm Still In My A B C's")
- From Ziegfeld's Follies
- Al Piantadosi, Jack Glogau (né Jacob A. Glogau; 1886–1953) (music)
- Eddie Cantor (words)
- New York: Al Piantadosi & Co (1918)
- (pdf copy at the LOC)
- From
- "What An Army Of Men We'd Have If They Ever Drafted The Girls"
- Jack Glogau (né Jacob A. Glogau; 1886–1953), Al Piantadosi (words & music)
- New York: Al. Piantadosi and Co. Inc. (1918)
- OCLC 853605133
- "The Woman Thou Gavest Me"
- "Rose of the Evening"
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- Nils T. Granlund (words)
- May Singhi Breen (ukulele accompaniment)
- New York: Leo Feist (1920)
- OCLC 26007241
- "Pal of My Cradle Days"
- Al Piantadosi (music)
- Marshall Montgomery (pseudonym of "Marshall Albert Smith) (words)
- May Singhi Breen (arranger of ukulele accompaniment)
- New York: Leo Feist (1925)
- OCLC 18697981
- "Behind These Gray Walls"
- Carson Robison (music)
- Ed. Lovey (pseudonym of Al Piantadosi) (words)
- New York: Shapiro, Bernstein & Co. (1926)
- OCLC 843995559
- "I've Got The Stock Market Blues"
- Al Piantadosi, Jack Glogau (né Jacob A. Glogau; 1886–1953) (words & music)
- Ralph Colicchio (1896–1966)
- © April 10, 1929
- "My Stormy Weather Pal"
- Al Piantadosi (words & music)
- Al Piantadosi (1929)
- "A Whistle Girl At A Whistle Stop"
- Jean Schwartz, Dick Coburn, Al Piantadosi (words & music)
- (1948)
Cover art
- Cover artists
-
(artist unknown)
-
Rosenbaum Studios
-
Rosenbaum Studios
Selected recordings
- Sinatra Swings (Swing Along With Me) (album) (1961) (audio on YouTube)
- Frank Sinatra with the Billy May Orchestra
- Reprise FS 1002
- "Curse of an Aching Heart," arranged by Billy May
- OCLC 476661867
- "Pal of My Cradle Days" (45 rpm single) (1981) (audio on YouTube)
- Ann Breen (vocalist), Homespun Records HS 52
- Re-released 2002 (CD) by Sanctuary Records
- OCLC 68566790
Pseudonyms of Piantadosi
- Ed. Lovey— "Ed." was likely an abbreviation for the given name of his wife, Edna Hannah Robinson (maiden; 1889–1962); "Lovey" was the maiden name of his wife's mother, Bertha (née Lovey; 1858–1936)
- A.P.
Family
Al Piantadosi's nephew, Arthur Piantadosi (1916–1994), was a sound engineer, notably for motion pictures in Hollywood.
Notes
- 1900 US Census(the last name is mangled as Pafafisola but all other demographics are a match) clearly shows that Albert was born in August 1882; so this would be likely be the year of birth, given the birth months and years of his younger siblings
- ^ Ted S. Barron and W. A. Thompson were principals at Barron & Thompson Company of New York; the catalog of Barron & Thompson was acquired in December 1908 by the Shapiro Company
- ^ Harry Cooper Music Publishing Company was incorporated in New York in 1908; the founding directors were Charles Kennedy, Moses Lazarus, and Harry Cooper, all of New York city
- ^ a b c d R.S. (stem rose emblem) — Rosenbaum Studios, Morris Rosenbaum (1886–1957), who formed the studio in the 1910s
References
- ^ "New York City City Marriage Records, 1829–1940," database FamilySearch (John Albert Joseph Piantadosi," (retrieved February 20, 2016); Marriage: John Albert Joseph Piantadosi & Edna Hannah Robinson, April 10, 1916, Manhattan, New York
- ^ ISBN 978-1556110993.
- ^ a b c "No. 22: Al Piantadosi," Billboard, June 11, 1949, pg. 38
- ^ The Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music; Composers and Their Music (Piantadosi is in Vol. 2 of 2), by William H. Rehrig & Paul E. Bierley (eds.), Westerville, Ohio: Integrity Press
(1991);OCLC 24606813
(1996);OCLC 24606813 - ^ ASCAP Biographical Dictionary
3rd ed. (1966);OCLC 10721505
4th ed. (1980);OCLC 7065938 - OCLC 609781
- ISSN 0006-3053
- OCLC 598027
- OCLC 13184437
- OCLC 4933813
- OCLC 897890
- ^ "Albert Piantadosi" (bio), by Perfessor Bill Edwards (aka William G. Motley III; born 1959), (www
.ragpiano .com ) (retrieved February 22, 1016) - ^ "Piantadosi, Al" (obituary), Billboard, April 23, 1955, pg. 60
- ISBN 978-0-340-53486-1.
- ISBN 978-0-486-28127-8.
- ISBN 978-0-7890-0397-3.
- OCLC 123259586
- ISSN 0311-3094
- ^ "Poetics Of The Frugal Housewife: A Modernist Narrative Of The Great War and America," Mark Van Wienen, American Literary History, Vol. 7, No. 1, Spring, 1995, pps. 55–91; (retrieved February 22, 2016, via JSTOR (www
.jstor .org /stable /489798 ) - ^ "Goodman Offer Accepted," New York Clipper, June 9, 1920, pg. 34
- ^ "10% For Piantadosi Creditors," New York Clipper, May 26, 1920, pg. 17
- ^ "Alfred Piantadosi" (biography), Website host: Alfred Music (www
.alfred .com ) (retrieved May 12, 2014) - ^ "Business Records — Bankruptcy Proceedings," The New York Times, October 3, 1931, col. 2