Anyone watch this last night? This particular episode gave a detailed inside look at Tin Pan Alley. Some fantastic interviews with the likes of Hoagy Carmichael, Irvin Caesar etc. Plus some footage of old Minstrel shows including Bing Crosby all blacked up and performing as Uncle Remus. Highlight though, had to be Irvin Berlin playing Alexander's Ragtime Band and speaking about "God Bless America".
Some great acknowledgements about how black music formed the basis of a lot of the stuff but was simply hijacked by white music writers and publishers. It seems payola was also rife in the sheet music business back in the 20s.
It's a great series and well worth searching out for anyone interested in American music, how it all developed and who the real 'movers and shakers' were. It's not ALL about the US scene, as you'd expect, but there's some great interviews with people who are no longer with us.
https://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2008/may/01/popandrock
Regards,
Dave