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 1-25 of 283 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | B-17330 | 10-in. | 3/17/1916 | Yaaka hula hickey dula | Collins and Harlan | Male vocal duet, with orchestra | composer | |
Victor | C-17430 | 12-in. | 4/4/1916 | Yaaka hula hickey dula | Victor Military Band | Band | composer | |
Victor | B-17812 | 10-in. | 6/7/1916 | Yaaka hula hickey dula | Avon Comedy Four | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | composer | |
Victor | B-18226 | 10-in. | 7/26/1916 | Yaaka hula dickey dula | Quinteto Borinquen | Instrumental quintet | composer | |
Victor | B-18527 | 10-in. | 10/4/1916 | The call of a nation | Victor Military Band | Band | songwriter | |
Victor | B-19246 | 10-in. | 3/7/1917 | Yaaka hula hickey dula | Gus Goldstein | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
Victor | B-21640 | 10-in. | 3/20/1918 | I miss that Mississippi miss that misses me | Collins and Harlan | Male vocal duet, with orchestra | composer | |
Victor | B-22171 | 10-in. | 7/19/1918 | I miss that Mississippi miss that misses me | Sterling Trio | Male vocal trio, with violin duet and orchestra | composer | |
Victor | B-22227 | 10-in. | 9/9/1918 | Oh! How I wish I could sleep until my daddy comes home | Henry Burr | Male vocal solo, with oboe, cello, and orchestra | composer | |
Victor | B-22879 | 10-in. | 5/28/1919 | The music of wedding chimes | Charles Hart ; Shannon Four | Male vocal quartet and soloist, with orchestra | composer | |
Victor | B-22899 | 10-in. | 6/11/1919 | Take me to the land of jazz | Marion Harris | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
Victor | B-23020 | 10-in. | 6/19/1919 | Take your girlie to the movies (If you can't make love at home) | Billy Murray | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
Victor | B-23087 | 10-in. | 7/23/1919 | Oh! What a pal was Mary | Henry Burr | Male vocal solo, with violin and oboe duet and orchestra | composer | |
Victor | B-23299 | 10-in. | 10/15/1919 | Oh what a pal was Mary | Joseph C. Smith's Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
Victor | B-23308 | 10-in. | 10/22/1919 | All the Quakers are shoulder shakers | All Star Trio | Instrumental trio | composer | |
Victor | B-23415 | 10-in. | 10/16/1919 | And he'd say Oo-la-la! Wee-wee | Pietro | Accordion solo | composer | |
Victor | B-23481 | 10-in. | 11/18/1919 | All the Quakers are shoulder shakers (Down in Quakertown) | Esther Walker | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
Victor | B-24108 | 10-in. | 5/12/1920 | What-cha gonna do when there ain't no jazz? | Esther Walker | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
Victor | B-24603 | 10-in. | 9/29/1920 | The race track blues | Esther Walker | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | composer | |
Victor | B-25201 | 10-in. | 4/12/1921 | Monastery bells | Merle Alcock | Female vocal solo, with bells, celeste, chimes, and orchestra | composer | |
Victor | B-26500 | 10-in. | 6/1/1922 | Whenever you're lonesome (Just telephone me) | Billy Murray ; Aileen Stanley | Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra | songwriter | |
Victor | B-26564 | 10-in. | 6/21/1922 | A sleepy little village (Where the Dixie cotton grows) | Billy Murray ; Ed Smalle | Male vocal duet, with orchestra | composer | |
Victor | B-27637 | 10-in. | 3/2/1923 | Maxie Jones (King of the saxophone) | Ross Gorman ; Virginians | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
Victor | BVE-35654 | 10-in. | 6/2/1926 | Blue bonnet, you make me feel blue | Charlie Farrell ; Jim Miller | Male vocal duet, with guitar and mandola (self-accompaniment) | composer | |
Victor | BVE-38010 | 10-in. | 4/25/1927 | Red lips kiss my blues away | Peerless Quartet | Male vocal quartet, with orchestra | composer |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Wendling, Pete," accessed September 2, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/106775.
Wendling, Pete. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved September 2, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/106775.
"Wendling, Pete." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 2 September 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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