Pete Wendling
Pete Wendling (June 6, 1888 – April 7, 1974) was an American composer and pianist, born in New York City to German immigrants. He started his working life as a carpenter, but gained fame during the mid-1910s as a popular music composer, with his name appearing on the "Soup and Fish Rag" in 1913. He worked on such hits as "Yaaka Hula Hickey Dula" (recorded by Al Jolson), "Take Me To The Land Of Jazz", "Take Your Girlie To The Movies", "Felix The Cat", and "Oh What A Pal Is Mary". Wendling was also one of the top pianists of his era, and set a long-standing record when he appeared at the London Hippodrome for eight consecutive weeks. He joined the Rhythmodik Music Roll Company in 1914, and started to record his performances on paper rolls for player pianos. In 1916 he recorded for American Piano Company (Ampico). In 1918, he joined the largest piano roll company, QRS, and rapidly became one of their most popular artists, his distinctive yet always fresh performances constantly topping their best-selling lists. They were still in production as of 2003. He recorded two sides for Okeh Records in 1923, and in 1926, cut another four for Cameo. In 1927, QRS, who were tightening their belt due to declining sales, released Wendling, and he concentrated on his composing career until his retirement in the 1950s. In 1955, he co-wrote "I Wonder", which became a UK chart hit for both Jane Froman and Dickie Valentine. Wendling's last notable work was "Rich in Love" in 1956. Married to Anna, he had no children. A resident of Manhattan, he died in New York City in April 1974, aged 85 after several strokes. |
Birth and Death Data: Born June 6, 1888, Died April 7, 1974
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1915 - 1949
Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, songwriter, arranger, piano, lyricist
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 26-50 of 283 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | BVE-38014 | 10-in. | 4/27/1927 | Red lips, kiss my blues away | Charles Dornberger Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Victor | BVE-38357 | 10-in. | 4/19/1927 | There's something nice about everyone, but there's everything nice about you | Victor Orchestra | Orchestra, with male vocal duet | composer | |
Victor | BVE-38487 | 10-in. | 4/22/1927 | There's something nice about everyone but there's everything nice about you | Johnny Marvin | Male vocal solo, with clarinet, guitar, and ukulele | composer | |
Victor | BVE-38781 | 10-in. | 5/25/1927 | Red lips (Kiss my blues away) | Johnny Marvin ; Aileen Stanley | Female-male vocal duet, with ukulele and orchestra | composer | |
Victor | BVE-41379 | 10-in. | 12/15/1927 | How long has this been going on? | Jack Crawford Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
Victor | BVE-41381 | 10-in. | 12/15/1927 | Nothing to lose | Jack Crawford Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
Victor | BVE-43665 | 10-in. | 4/22/1928 | Forget-me-not | Paul Whiteman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Victor | BVE-50543 | 10-in. | 3/15/1929 | That's what I call sweet music | Eddie Harkness Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Victor | BVE-50575 | 10-in. | 4/1/1929 | That's what I call sweet music | Ted Shapiro Orchestra ; Sophie Tucker | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
Victor | PBVE-50858 | 10-in. | 4/25/1929 | That's what I call sweet music | Herman Kenin Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Victor | BVE-50957 | 10-in. | 3/19/1929 | The bee song | Frank Crumit ; Julia Sanderson | Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra | composer | |
Victor | BRC-53094 | 10-in. | 5/11/1931 | Rock me in a cradle of Kalua | The Southerners | Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Victor | BVE-53593 | 10-in. | 6/28/1929 | Wonderful you | The Silver-Masked Tenor [i.e., Joseph M. White] | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
Victor | BVE-58171 | 10-in. | 1/8/1930 | There's danger in your eyes, cherie! | Clare Hanlon ; Pennsylvanians ; Fred Waring | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Victor | BVE-58622 | 10-in. | 1/24/1930 | There's danger in your eyes, chérie! | James Melton | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
Victor | PBVE-61075 | 10-in. | 3/2/1931 | Thanks to you | Cocoanut Grove Orchestra ; Bing Crosby | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Victor | BVE-62149 | 10-in. | 5/12/1930 | Dream Avenue | Bernie Cummins ; New Yorker Hotel Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Victor | BVE-62272 | 10-in. | 6/11/1930 | Swingin' in a hammock | Leo Reisman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Victor | BVE-62300 | 10-in. | 6/30/1930 | Swingin' in a hammock | Aileen Stanley | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | songwriter | |
Victor | BVE-63166 | 10-in. | 10/22/1930 | Who's calling you sweetheart to-night | Bernie Cummins ; New Yorker Hotel Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | songwriter | |
Victor | BVE-63328 | 10-in. | 8/6/1930 | I'll be blue just thinking of you (from now on) | Aileen Stanley | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | composer | |
Victor | BVE-63602 | 10-in. | 8/28/1930 | I'll be blue, just thinking of you | Burt Lorin ; Nathaniel Shilkret ; Victor Orchestra | Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Victor | BVE-63649 | 10-in. | 9/13/1930 | Just a little dance mam'selle | Don Howard ; Leo Reisman Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Victor | BVE-64372 | 10-in. | 11/24/1930 | Crying myself to sleep! | Bert Lown Hotel Biltmore Orchestra ; Biltmore Trio | Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal trio | composer | |
Victor | BVE-64624 | 10-in. | 11/18/1930 | I'm tickled pink with a blue-eyed baby | Red Nichols and his Big Ten ; Dick Robertson | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Wendling, Pete," accessed November 1, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/106775.
Wendling, Pete. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 1, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/106775.
"Wendling, Pete." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 1 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Wendling, Pete, 1888-1974 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n93012042
Wikidata: Pete Wendling - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q7172330
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/36121606
MusicBrainz: Pete Wendling - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/fd344f6b-9a12-4b75-9b8a-0f0840e49a34
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