Keep (it) Swinging: The Paull Sisters

The Paull Sisters - a forgotten vocal duo ( English) De Paull Sisters - een vergeten zangduo ( Nederlands) The Paull Sisters - Stars of Radiolands ( English) De Paull Sisters - Radiosterren ( Nederlands)

THE PAULL SISTERS Edison DISCOGRAPHY
THE PAULL SISTERS Durium DISCOGRAPHY

The untold story of Julia and Ruth Brock
THE PAULL SISTERS - STARS OF RADIOLAND
Hans Koert

A year ago I posted a contribution about the Paull Sisters. I had found its name on a Hit of the week cover released in the fall of 1931 and that was all info I could find. Thanks to Bill Schoerner I received some additional information and a few photos and advertisements in which the two girls were introduced. Bill Schoerner is fascinated by these vocal groups and posted a series of blogs concerning the William Sisters. Within a few months most living relatives of these William Sisters were located and a lot of unknown information could be traced. And now, it seems - history repeats itself ........ A few weeks ago I was contacted by Judye Talbot who happens to be the daughter of Julia. Julia was one of the Paull Sisters, together with her sister Ruth. Julia passed away last August 104 years old. Thanks to Judye I can show you some new photos and news paper clippings from Julia's scrap book and some new information, that was unknown up to now. The first part was titled: A forgotten Vocal Duo - the second part is published now: Stars of Radioland.

Advertisment for Julia and Ruth Paull ( sic)

I'm convinced that the Paull Sisters were involved in more Durium recordings. Mind that the Phil Spitalny band, or the anonymous Durium Orchestras were just studio bands directed by Phil Spitalny or Bert Hirsch.
This small cardboard record made by Durium was released in December 1931. The vocal group, singing Silent Night, could well be The Paull Sisters.
Advertisment for a concert on the 6th of May, 1931.

Phil Spitalny was also a sought after band leader for radio broadcasts like the daily broadcasts ( except in the weekends) titled Tea Dansante for NBC Network. Love to share with you the tune Bottoms Up by Phil Spitalny's Orchestra (September 1929). The title has to do with the prohibition. The bottles with booze were emptied.

What a great (almost forgotten style of) music !!

Around the same period they performed with the Paul Whiteman orchestra, labeled in the advertisement showed as Court Harmonizers, but I didn't found any records or transcriptions made with this famous band.

The Paull Sisters ( 1935) ( photo courtesy: Judye Talbot)
They must have performed on several radio shows with Paul Whiteman, but up to now I didn't found names of shows in which they participated; Paul Whiteman had dozens of radio programs during the 1930s like The Old Gold - Paul Whiteman Hour on CBS Network; programs on NBC Radio Network sponsored by Allied Quality Paints, GM-Pontiac division or Lucky Strike.

Paul Whiteman - NBC Radio artist. ( 1930s)

One of the vocal groups that attended Paul Whiteman were the Brox Sisters

( like on the 10th of December, 1929). Kathlyn, Dagmar and Lorraine Brox started their career in the early 1920s and are to be seen in the 1930 Paul Whiteman feature King of Jazz. I asked Judye if she knew why her mother and aunt named

On the left: Paul Whiteman. On the right: The Paull Sisters.

themselves the Paull Sisters and not the Brock Sisters. I'm not sure why they chose "Paull Sisters" because they were using that name when the sang with Phil Spitalny and that was before Paul Whiteman. I do know that there was early reference the singing as the Brock Sisters, but my mother said there was another singing group at that time known as the Brock Sisters and they didn't want to be confused with them. I'm sure that they used the double "L" in Paul to be sure it was considered a surname. That would have been my mother's flair. Well - Reading her explanation this must have been the vocal group her mother mentioned: Brox Sisters.

Paul Whiteman's Orchestra with the Paull Sisters ( photo courtesy: Judye Talbot)
When the Second World War started Julia and Ruth moved back to Chicago with their mother. In 1946 Julia married with a man who had been a soldier and drove stunt cars with Jimmy Lynch's Death Dodgers, one of the dozens of stunt cars shows, that toured the States in those days.

Jimmy Lynch's Death Dodgers ( late 1940s)
Ruth never married and passed away in 1971 - Julia passed away last August, 2009 - 104 years old.

PAULL SISTERS Edison DISCOGRAPHY

As I don't have the listed records in my collection, the presence of the Paull Sisters on some records need confirmation - I've put a question mark in front of those recordings. Maybe someone can help me to complete this small discography.

THE PAULL SISTERS singing with PHIL SPITALNY's MUSIC: Phil Spitalny dir v. Paull Sisters: Julia and Ruth Brock vo
Recorded New York City, 31st of May, 1929
When My Dreams Come True - 19226 / Baby - Oh Where Can You Be? - 19227
Released as Edison 562605

THE PAULL SISTERS singing with PHIL SPITALNY's MUSIC: Phil Spitalny dir v. Paull Sisters: Julia and Ruth Brock vo
Recorded New York City, 5th of July, 1929
I Want To Meander In The Meadow - N-983
Released as Edison 52622 and Edison 14035

THE PAULL SISTERS singing with PHIL SPITALNY's MUSIC: Phil Spitalny dir v. Paull Sisters: Julia and Ruth Brock vo
Recorded New York City, 19th of July, 1929
Same Old Moon - 19304 (N-1028)
Released as Edison 14050
?So Sentimental - 19305 (N-1029)
Released as Edison 52637 and Edison 14048 and Edison 14035

THE PAULL SISTERS singing with PHIL SPITALNY's MUSIC: Phil Spitalny dir v. Paull Sisters: Julia and Ruth Brock vo
Recorded New York City, 13th of August, 1929
Waiting At The End of the Road - 19343 ( N-1070)
Released as Edison 14058

PHIL SPITALNY's MUSIC: Phil Spitalny dir v. ? Paull Sisters: Julia and Ruth Brock vo
Recorded New York City, 15th of August, 1929
?By The Way - 19343 ( N-1070)
Released as Edison 14062

PHIL SPITALNY's MUSIC: Phil Spitalny dir v. ? Paull Sisters: Julia and Ruth Brock vo
Recorded New York City, 15th of August, 1929
?I May Be Wrong ( But I Think You're Wonderful) - N-1114-A)
Released as Edison 14069

THE PAULL SISTERS singing with PHIL SPITALNY's MUSIC: Phil Spitalny dir v. Paull Sisters: Julia and Ruth Brock vo
Recorded New York City, 25th of September, 1929
Bottoms Up - N-1156-B
Released as Edison 14076

The PAULL SISTERS Durium DISCOGRAPHY

I love to thanks Judye for the stories and photos she sent me and I hope she'll share more remembrances of their musical careers - a story now told for the very first time.

Hans Koert

keepswinging@live.nl

In December 1929 the DURIUM PRODUCTS CORPORATION prepared the start of a new unbreakable record, made of cardboard. The well known weekly issues, called the Hit of the Week, were released in a weekly schedule, which started in February 1930. The Hit of the week blog and the Keepswinging blog will follow the development of these 80 years old records in an unique series of blogs. If you love to be informed about these contributions ask for the newsletter