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 76-100 of 283 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | BS-87231 | 10-in. | 1/2/1935 | I believe in miracles | Hal Davis Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Victor | BS-92533 | 10-in. | 6/27/1935 | Murder in the moonlight (It's love in the first degree) | Four Towers Orchestra ; Billie Hibberd ; Ray Nichols | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | composer | |
Victor | BS-92774 | 10-in. | 7/26/1935 | Nothing lives longer than love | Enric Madriguera Orchestra ; Tony Sacco | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Victor | BS-98428 | 10-in. | 12/14/1935 | Quicker than you can say Jack Robinson | Guy Lombardo ; Royal Canadians | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio | songwriter | |
Victor | BS-98440 | 10-in. | 12/20/1935 | Quicker than you can say Jack Robinson | Dolly Dawn and her Dawn Patrol | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | songwriter | |
Victor | BS-100360 | 10-in. | 4/9/1936 | I'm a fool for loving you | Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
Victor | BS-07423 | 10-in. | 3/1/1937 | Red lips | Bill Boyd ; Cowboy Ramblers | String band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Victor | BS-07771 | 10-in. | 4/12/1937 | Yaaka hula hickey dula | The Riversiders | Male vocal quartet, with steel guitar and piano | composer | |
Victor | BS-07782 | 10-in. | 4/12/1937 | Oh! What a pal was Mary | The Riversiders | Male vocal quartet, with steel guitar and piano | composer | |
Victor | PBS-019301 | 10-in. | 6/1/1938 | Don't wake up my heart | Elmer Feldkamp ; Freddy Martin Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | songwriter | |
Victor | BS-023506 | 10-in. | 5/28/1938 | Don't wake up my heart | Benny Goodman Orchestra ; Martha Tilton | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | songwriter | |
Victor | BS-046842 | 10-in. | 2/6/1940 | Take your girlie to the movies | Blue Barron ; Ronny Snyder | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Victor | PBS-049977 | 10-in. | 8/5/1940 | There's danger in your eyes, chérie! | Lou Bring ; Dorothy Lamour | Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band | composer | |
Victor | BS-068491 | 10-in. | 12/17/1941 | On the street of regret | Tommy Ryan ; Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and talk | composer | |
Victor | BS-068676 | 10-in. | 12/18/1941 | On the Street of Regret | Vaughn Monroe's Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | composer | |
Victor | D9VB-2176 | 10-in. | 8/16/1949 | The Story of Annie Laurie | Ella Logan | Female vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | songwriter | |
Victor | BVE-Test-467 | 10-in. | 1/30/1931 | Crying myself to sleep | Sylvia Froos | Female vocal solo, with piano | composer | |
Victor | BVE-Test-1033 | 10-in. | 12/15/1930 | Crying myself to sleep | Charles ("Chic") Farmer | Male vocal solo, with piano | composer | |
Victor | [Trial 1918-08-02-03] | Not documented | 8/2/1918 | I miss that Mississippi miss that misses me | Watson Sisters | Female vocal duet, with piano | composer | |
Columbia | 46337 | 10-in. | 1/12/1916 | Yaaka, hoola, hickey, doola | Al Jolson | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
Columbia | 46829 | 10-in. | 6/13/1916 | Yaaka hula hickey dula | Samuel Jospe ; Howard Kopp | Piano and drums duet | composer | |
Columbia | 47190 | 10-in. | 11/24/1916 | Call of a nation | Saxo Sextette | Saxophone sextet | composer | |
Columbia | 77136 | 10-in. | 6/12/1917 | You're Mamma's baby | Nannette Flack | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
Columbia | 77322 | 10-in. | 9/10/1917 | Waterson hits | Prince's Band | Band | composer | |
Columbia | 77333 | 10-in. | 9/13/1917 | I'm crazy over every girl in France | Avon Comedy Four | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | 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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