I have often wondered about the personnel of the Spencer and Golden trio, and many collectors I know have the same feelings about this unconfirmed subject. To many, it would seem impossible to really know who of Len Spencer and Billy Golden's friends were in this ever-changing group. I'm not entirely sure what the original personnel of this group was, but it was certainly started in 1896 by Billy Golden, as he can be heard on Berliner discs from 1896 announcing himself as, "...by Billy Golden of the Golden Trio." one of these announcements can be heard here(music starts at 0:30!).(who's that piano player! My god!)
The main reason why this group hasn't really been considered too often to collectors it because of how few records they made under this name. This group was essentially a smaller installment of "Len Spencer's Minstrels", and from many sections I have read before about Spencer's minstrels, it would seem that this group would perform at the shows, such as many of the ones mentioned in the 1899 issues of The Phonoscope, such as this one:
The main reason why this group hasn't really been considered too often to collectors it because of how few records they made under this name. This group was essentially a smaller installment of "Len Spencer's Minstrels", and from many sections I have read before about Spencer's minstrels, it would seem that this group would perform at the shows, such as many of the ones mentioned in the 1899 issues of The Phonoscope, such as this one:
That not only proves their usual mix of the "Spencer trio"(which usually was Spencer, Billy Golden, and Roger Harding), but also that Vess Ossman was also involved in these performances. Was he in blackface? I haven't the least idea. Since this was a minstrel troupe, it's likely that this would be so.
His handsome pale face done up with Burnt cork? Sure!(that's Ossman in 1898)
Spencer probably first devised this trio not long after Billy Golden started his "Golden Trio" in 1896. I do not really know who was in the "Golden Trio", but I could assume that this involved Billy Golden, Len Spencer, and maybe Billy Williams. Another question I have is, how did Spencer come across Billy Williams? hey certainly met in 1894, as that was when you could see Williams' name mentioned on the official personnel for "The Imperial Minstrels". Williams was an Aussie who came to the U.S. in the early-1890's and became a minstrel and general Vaudeville comic, and somehow, he got tangled up in the mix of "'Phone artists"(as George Gaskin once called it) around 1894. He probably first met Billy Golden, then came Len Spencer. It can be compared to how George W. Johnson got involved with this whole community.
I have never heard the Golden trio, but I sure as heck have heard the Spencer trio. Here are a few example of them(all on Columbia's not surprisingly)
from 1898: http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/mp3s/8000/8392/cusb-cyl8392d.mp3(no Len Spencer here for some reason) So the personnel on this odd minstrel obscurity is Steve Porter(who you hear in the announcement), Roger Harding, and Billy Golden, with their piano man Fred Hylands behind them in brief aid for their singing. Did you hear it? When Golden began his LOUD monologue, you can hear that horn with full effect! Just listen closely to Golden's spiel, it's too much for the long thin horn, which you can clearly hear on this cylinder, more than usual. One more thing about this fascinating minstrel cylinder is that the song at the end given the title "Who Built the Ark" is actually a variant on the popular black gospel song "Who Broke the Lock" (which later was revived by "Red" Allen). I would have a link here to the group Sam Cousins and Demoss version of this record, but it was taken off the Internet years ago, so I cannot share it here, but I will share the other one they made here. (better than all the white Rag-Time recorded in its day, period.)
Now back to the next example of the Spencer trio:
Now this is an interesting one. I hear more than three people here. I hear Len Spencer, Harry Spencer, George Gaskin, Pete LaMaire, and of course, their ivory man Freddy Hylands. Now this one seems that it was recorded in 1901(not 1900 dammit!). You may be able to notice that on the first song they sing, Hylands is making it Ragged all around! Also at the "Who Built the Ark"("Who broke the Lock") tune at the end!
It's records like this that I really ponder on Hylands' playing style and might with the Rag-Time. Why? Well, he's playing the most non-white type of music on this one, and really plays it with perfect and lazy rhythm, which is exactly what's needed for his style. Really take a close listen to his time choice at the end.
Hylands had the means and background of a black pianist, but he was too much of a redheaded wasp to truly get it right.
Now these Spencer trio records are fascinating records of 1890's minstrelsy, almost just a fascinating as the "Imperial Minstrels' records from the same time frame. It would be great though if we actually knew why Spencer constantly changed the personnel of this group, it may have been under his own opinions, or it was just an everyday thing where which ever of his friends in his minstrels showed up would be part of it. The second hypothesis is a little bit more likely though.
Now, to somewhat of stay on the same subject, I would like to go back to the record that I first put the link to on the post. I didn't really realize how much of a "Rag" the piano accompaniment sounded like. I haven't really spoken of the few Berliner's from 1896 that pre-date the 1897 beginning date for Rag-Time to some music historians. That Jan. 1896 record of "Roll On De Ground" by Golden is one of these records. They are really amazing in a multitude of ways, they represent vocal stylings and piano stylings you wouldn't think of hearing on such an early record. The fact that I have heard these two seemingly odd instances on Berliner's makes it even more weird. This is because the pianist at Berliner was Fred Gaisberg in 1894 to 1897. Another one of these records is this one here, by George Gaskin, also from 1896.
Really take a listen to the last chorus.
It's syncopated just enough to where you can notice it.
Not only does the pianist syncopate slightly, so does Gaskin. How queer is that? Gaskin is the last one I would think of who would do such a thing to any lyrics, and it was recorded in 1896. John Reed-Torres pointed out this observation to me a few months ago, and I quickly took his work for it, and how it's true.
Now to refer once again back to that first record link on this post, other that that record being itself and amazing example of early Billy Golden, and what a "Rag" would have sounded like back in 1896, it is an interesting one to compare with the later versions of the tune, also by Golden.
Here is his 1903 Victor(with what sounds like Fred Hylands):
Here's his 1898 Columbia with Fred Hylands(in full Rag-Time):
Interesting comparisons no doubt. It's like comparing Golden's numerous versions of "Turkey in the Straw" with the piano accompaniment.
Well, Sorry about so much of the rather racist material this evening, I just had a curious spark for the Spencer trio and things related, and they all just happen to be on the subject of music and sketches that are not very socially acceptable nowadays.
With all of this possibly controversial material, I hope you enjoyed this!
