Choral Music

Mark Cabaniss always wanted to be in the music business. As a music student graduate and composer he was given that chance while teaching college, when Brentwood Music had an opening. The Nashville-based company’s founder, Jim Van Hook, took Mark under his wing and provided him with guidance that would help lead Mark, first to Hal Leonard to re-create their gospel department and then to Shawnee Press as President. Mark’s love for the industry is apparent in everything he does and his passion for history has been a key element in a number of former Shawnee Press leaders being included in the NAMM Oral History program.

Vernon Drane played several musical instruments growing up in Tennessee including the trumpet and saxophone. He later studied instrument repair and spent several years working with the Amro Music Company in Memphis. Vernon is also a baritone singer who has performed in two church choirs for over 60 years and can be heard on several pop recordings that took part in the early days of rock and roll. Being a friend of Sun Records founder, Sam Phillips, Vernon found himself making extra money writing lead sheets for various bands that came to record, one of which was the Bill Justice band. Vernon recorded several songs with them in 1957 including the multi-million seller, “Raunchy”.
 

Walter Ehret was the music arrangers’ equivalent to Mel Blanc – the man with a thousand voices. Walter was the man with a thousand pseudonyms. Under his various names, he arranged for most of the major publishers over a career that spanned over 50 years. His work was mostly centered around choral music. He had a strong interest in bringing to light lost works and works of composers who had gone largely unnoticed. He was a pioneer in music publishing and a man with great talent.  His NAMM Oral History was completed on June 9, 2007.  Mr.

Jerry Jackman is proud of the strong ties he has developed by providing choral and orchestral music to the LDS church in his native Utah. As a music publisher, Jerry has focused his efforts on the needs of the Mormon Church and Choirs. When Jerry began working in the music industry in the early 1970s he had both a publishing company and an engraving company, which he later sold. During the time of the engraving company he represented the transition between plate engraving and the use of the new music typewriter. The process was difficult in the early days and required time, talent and great patience with the workflow process. Jerry also took part in the next technological change in print music with the introduction of the computer and music software program.

Bob Kranendonk sang for the choral group, the Pennsylvanians led by Fred Waring. Bob’s father also sang for the group and in fact together both men had a hit and appeared on the cover of the sheet music for the song “The Happy Wanderer.” When not touring or recording with the group, Bob worked in Fred’s music publishing company, Shawnee Press (named after the town in PA it was formed). Bob contributed some 40 years to the company, which included working with Ernie Farmer and Hawley Ades, both of whom were also interviewed for the NAMM Oral History program. Bob added great insight to the Shawnee Press story for our archives.

Bob McGrath, next to Elmo and Big Bird, may be the most familiar face on Sesame Street. Without question, he is one of the leaders in the promotion of music education and in recent years has played a key role in the expansion of NAMM programs around the country with the goal of promoting music makers. In the heyday of choral music on television during the 1950s, Bob’s tenor could be heard on the Fred Waring broadcasts and on the programs of choral director icons such as Mitch Miller and Robert Shaw. After a popular solo career in Japan, Bob returned to the states and landed a job for a newly formed children’s television network, the program was called Sesame Street.

 Ruth Sibley wrote a song called “So Long Sweetheart” when she was a teenager.  The song was about lovers split by war.  Members of her musically inclined family thought the song was quite promising.  Ruth decided to walk the song over to Fred Waring’s home, whom she had met once through her bandleader father.  Mr. Waring, the king of choral music and leader of the Pennsylvania Vocal Group, liked the song and later had his group perform it several times.  The song led to several jobs for Ruth over the years with Mr. Waring, including one with his music publishing company, Shawnee Press. 

Virginia Waring began her musical career as a concert pianist. In fact, it was while performing a duet piano performance on the Fred Waring Radio Program that she first met her future husband. Fred Waring had a remarkable music career that covered radio, television, recordings, and music publishing. Virginia played a key role in the print company, Shawnee Press as president before selling the business after her husband’s death. Her NAMM Oral History interview was completed on February 1, 2006.