Family & Social Life

Pete Daily's Dixieland Band. side 1: Sensation; side 2: Original Dixieland One-Step (Capitol 15432), from the album, Pete Daily's Dixieland Band (Capitol CC-183).
78 rpm.

This album cover was painted by American artist William George (b. 1930). George is an American illustrator and painter who studied under Norman Rockwell. George’s work has been featured on album covers, paperback crime and western covers, and magazine covers.

Mary Martin. side 1: But Not For Me; side 2: Glad To Be Unhsappy (Columbia 4564-M), from the album, Mary Martin Sings For You (Columbia MM-843).
78 rpm.

The cover art for this album was made by Alex Steinweiss. Alexander “Alex” Steinweiss (1917-2011) was an American artist and graphic designer. He was the first art director of Columbia Records, expanding the use of album covers and cover art. Steinweiss created album cover art from 1938 to 1973.

Charlie Christian with the Minton's House Band. side 1: Charlie's Choice [part 3]; side 2: Stompin' at the Savoy [part 1] (Vox 16067), from the album, Charlie Christian Memorial (Vox VSP 302).
78 rpm. Tracks for this album were recorded in 1941 and issued by Vox in 1947.

This album features artwork by American painter, printmaker, and teacher, Daniel (Dan) Shapiro (1920-1982). He created the artwork for several albums including recordings by Louis Armstrong, Alex Wilder, Charlie Christian, Marlene Dietrich, Edith Piaf, and Richard Dyer Bennett. Shapiro’s works were first exhibited at the Cooper Union Art School in 1940 and 1941. He had much success with his solo shows in the 1960s at the University of California at San Francisco, Cellini Gallery, San Francisco Museum of Art, and Rice University in Houston.

Eddie Condon and his Orchestra. side 1: Just You, Just Me; side 2: Atlanta Blues (Decca 23720),from the album, Jazz Concert at Eddie Condon's (Decca A-490).
78 rpm.

The cover art for this album was made by Canadian-American commercial artist, fashion illustrator and graphic artist Jean Baird Buckley (1916-2015). Baird was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada and as a child moved with her family to Brooklyn, New York. Baird graduated from Girls High School in Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn, majoring in art. Subsequently, she attended Pratt Institute for two years. Baird began her career as a staff artist for Montgomery Ward, and afterwards worked as a fashion illustrator for several New York department stores. She worked as a graphic designer for Hearst Publications and then as an art director for Abbot Kimble Agency. Before her marriage to Frank Buckley in 1948, Baird designed album covers for Decca Records. Later in her career Baird Buckley studied at the Art Students League in New York and as a thriving artist her work was featured in over 10 public exhibitions. For 20 years Baird Buckley was an instructor in tonal drawing and oil painting at the Somerset Art Association in Bernardsville, New Jersey.

McCravy Brothers. side 1: Jacob's Ladder; side 2: Dip Me in the Golden Sea (Davis DA-20-1/2), from the album, Religious Songs by the McCravy Brothers (Davis DA-20).
78 rpm. Side 1 was recorded in 1930 and initially released on Crown 3078. Side 2 was recorded in 1931 and initially released on Crown 3205.

Crown Records was a budget label started by the Plaza Music Company after its merger with the American Record Corporation (ARC) in 1930. Crown oversaw the Homestead Records mail order label from ARC. Crown and its subsidiaries were active until 1933.