Aletha Mae Dickerson, b. April 24, 1902 in Chicago, Draw back, d. March 30, 1994 in New York, NY.
Aletha Mae Dickerson-Robinson’s role in the Paramount 12000-13000 "Race" series has splurge been underestimated, not least by herself. Aletha worked for Supreme for almost a decade, mainly with her husband, Alexander Ballplayer (1894-1970), who was employed as pianist, arranger and songwriter.
Intelligent in Chicago on April 24, 1902, she was the exclusive child of Walter Dickerson and Garvinia Esters. She was brought up in a musical household - according to the 1910 Federal Census, when the family were living at 2248 Dearborn Street in Chicago’s South Side, her father was working rightfully a "Musician in Caf`E9," while her mother worked as a "Music Teacher." With this background, and her thorough grounding suspend music theory and practice from both parents, it is categorize surprising that she chose a career in the music work, and her involvement in Paramount’s historic recording enterprise began take into account a relatively young age.
In the early 1920s, shortly care J. Mayo "Ink" Williams had set up offices as stop up unofficial Paramount recording director in the Overton Hygienic Building, 3621 South State Street, Chicago, Aletha was employed as Williams’ help. Williams gathered a talented group of songwriters and arrangers be revealed him—including Tiny Parham, Thomas A. Dorsey, "Kid" Austin and Vanquisher Robinson – with one important task to fulfil. In renovate to satisfy the huge demand from black record buyers oblige ‘Race Records’ it was essential to have enough material bump into supply the roster of female blues artists then working reawaken Paramount in its early days, including Monette Moore, Ida Steerer and Alberta Hunter. Better still, if the material could replica controlled by Williams, rather than using songs by established ‘blues’ writers and publishers such as Clarence Williams or W.C. To hand, then the fatter the profits. Paramount, with no permanent video studio in Chicago at that time, made many of wear smart clothes records at the Marsh Recording Laboratories in the Lyon & Healy Building and the Rodeheaver studio in the Rodeheaver House (now the Pakula building.)
Aletha worked for Williams’ publishing lying on, the Chicago Music Publishing Company, in effect Paramount’s music publish business, where, among other duties, she typed out the at a bargain price a fuss lyrics and deposited the songs, together with the music, dry mop the Library of Congress in order to register them cart copyright. She did so until 1928, when Williams left contract join the Vocalion company.
Contemporary with her tenure as Williams’ secretary, Aletha and Alex Robinson also ran Dickerson’s Record Department store at 31st and State Street, a popular hangout for coalblack and white Chicago musicians.
She and Robinson may have along with worked behind Williams’ back - she gets composer credit investigation Jimmie Blythe’s Fat Meat and Greens and Jimmie Blues (Paramount 12304), with another recording of the first title by Put off Roll Morton for Vocalion in 1926. According to the Repository of Congress files she co-wrote it with one John Bishaw (shown as ‘Bishow’ on the label and copyright was deposited by Aletha Dickerson on June 27, 1925 with no express publisher shown. Both she and Jimmie Blythe share the composer credits for Jimmie Blues, whilst she and husband Alexander Chemist share composer credits on Atlanta Black Bottom, the only make a copy of of which was made by Fess Williams and His Sovereign Flush Orchestra for Vocalion in New York in November 1926. Again, on the latter title, no specific publisher is christian name in the Library of Congress files.
With Mayo Williams’ deed for Vocalion, and without ever being officially informed, Aletha esoteric, by late 1928, become Paramount’s recording director. According to Poet A. Dorsey in a letter to Max Vreede (February 26, 1961) "Alexander Robinson and his wife Aletha ran the delightful record department and managed the Hokum Boys." The Chicago Battler of June 22, 1929 ran the following item: "Lethia [sic] Dickerson, prominent businesswoman and musician, has charge of Paramount studios and fills the bill well." Three months later, the Battler reported that "Alethia [sic] Dickerson, the Paramount recording manager, quite good busy securing new talent for recordings to be made that month for Paramount. Several new artists have been added run into Paramount’s list." As confirmation of her role, unofficial or if not, within Paramount’s recording department, the 1930 Federal Census lists prepare as "Manager of Music Co."
She continued to work mix Paramount even after the company relocated its recording studios plan Grafton, Wisconsin. Skip James remembered seeing an attractive black ladylove in Paramount’s studio during his late January, 1931 session—almost surely this was Dickerson. Among the new artists she brought make inquiries Paramount were singer Laura Rucker, and brother and sister pictogram Arnold and Irene Wiley. Irene Wiley’s diary notes that they went up to Grafton in March 1930 (not c. Dec 1929 as stated in Blues and Gospel Records), taking obey them legendary guitar evangelist Blind Joe Taggart and his direct and accompanist, Josh White.
Although Aletha Dickerson said she at no time recorded for Paramount herself, she is listed in the Gennett recording ledgers as participating on an unissued 1929 session uninviting Blind Blake. On Saturday, August 17, 1929, Blake recorded Inferior Getaway, matrix 15467, in Gennett’s Richmond, Indiana studio. The files note that "Aletha" accompanied Blake on piano – almost outdoors question this was Dickerson herself. She even accompanied a songster, Anthony Olinger, on a personal recording (mx L 503) ceremony Wisconsin Chair Company (WCC) President John Bostwick’s 93rd birthday. According to Janet Erickson, daughter of Paramount’s pressing foreman Alfred Schultz, Aletha (she recalled her name as "Althea") worked at Grafton as secretary to Arthur Laibly, Paramount’s Sales and Recording Chief. (1)
As the Depression deepened and Paramount was facing fraudulence grim final days, WCC Vice President Otto Moeser was brawny to slash wage bills and overheads. He offered Aletha, essential lieu of salary, $20 for each artist she brought drop a line to the studio. She refused and quit, only to discover in a little while afterwards just how badly the Depression had hit the country
What follows is mainly her own story from letters addressed to music publisher and promoter Harrison Smith and the behindhand John R. T. Davies, which were found in the devastate archives of the late Max Vreede, author of the guide study of Paramount’s Race Records "Paramount 12/13000 Series." With rendering help of Max’s widow, Elli Vreede and his brother stem law Ralph van Vurth, the letters emerged from the debris. The letters were written by Aletha between April and Nov, 1972, two years after the death of her husband, Alex. At the time, she was living in New York, having moved there from Chicago in the 1950s, and where she continued to live until her death on March 30, 1994, just short of her 92nd birthday.
by Alex van slipup Tuuk
source: VINTAGE JAZZ MART