Скачать или смотреть CRAZY BONE RAG (JOHNSON, 1913)

Although much has been made about the success of “Dill Pickles” by Charles L. Johnson, I suspect that during the height of the ragtime era, “Crazy Bone Rag” sold even better. Given the relative paucity of historical sales records, I’m basing this theory on experience as a vintage sheet music collector: without trying, I’ve amassed nearly a dozen copies of “Crazy Bone Rag” in large format and see them all the time in antique stores and lots. ”Dill Pickles” is hardly uncommon, but it seems to turn up as a 1930s Mills Music sheet as much as it does published by Remick with the hot air balloon pickle cover.

As Adam Swanson has noted, Johnny Maddox’s first issued recording was “St. Louis Tickle” backed with “Crazy Bone Rag.” Recorded in May 1950, it was one of the earliest records in the famous Dot Records catalogue. Charles L. Johnson, who died in December 1950, not only was aware of the recording, he was a fan of it. It would later be recorded by Knocky Parker and Frankie Carle.