Talk:Elmo Tanner

Date of birth
The 1979 article about him says he was born on 8 August 1904, but when you check the Social Security Death Index (registered under Elmo Tanner) his birthdate is given as August 11, 1904.

TANNER, ELMO	11 Aug 1904	Dec 1990	86 33710 (Saint Petersburg, Pinellas, FL)

We need to determine which source to go with-since most people born in that timeframe were born at home, many didn't have birth certificates initially. We hope (talk) 01:49, 14 April 2011 (UTC)


 * I'd guess Aug 8 is correct (Tanner evidently thought that was his birthday). I'm just happy for a source other than IMDB.  78.26 (talk) 04:07, 14 April 2011 (UTC)
 * I removed the IMDB ref for his birth date and went with the one he gave in his 1979 interview. We hope (talk) 02:12, 15 April 2011 (UTC)

From FamilySearch.org

William Elmo Tanner born 8 August 1904-Nashville, Davidson County, TN Parents: Felix Elnis Tanner & Willie May Moore We hope (talk) 16:57, 16 April 2011 (UTC)

early life / early recordings
There's some discrepancy in the sources as to whom Tanner first recorded, see:

Bothwell, Dick (4 August 1979). "Good memories and heartaches just whistle past". St. Petersburg Times. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mk1SAAAAIBAJ&sjid=U3wDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2484,2562534&dq=elmo+tanner+whistler&hl=en. Retrieved 13 April 2011.

"Elmo Tanner to appear with Como". St. Petersburg Times: p. 10-D. October 13, 1961. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yF9SAAAAIBAJ&sjid=NXkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3590,1363154&dq=elmo+tanner&hl=en.

I believe the first source is correct. However, the language in the Early Life and Early Career sections needs to be reconciled somehow. I'd love some input as to how to best accomplish this. 78.26 (talk) 19:47, 14 April 2011 (UTC)


 * Agree with you re: the 1979 interview having correct information. For this, Tanner was directly interviewed and provided the answers.  In the 1961 interview, his boss at the radio station was.  Re: the record companies, I believe his first recordings were as you have in the discography-for Paramount.  Running through that, we see in November 1927, he was recording for both companies.  Again, going back to the 1979 story, Tanner was doing the talking and I don't think the man himself would have made a mistake about something that was this important to his career-where he started.


 * Also think working with a record company in those days didn't mean there were the type of "airtight" contracts we have been familiar with for a long time. Looking at the "Heartaches" story, it says they hired Weems and his crew to do the record.  Weems was with Victor from 1923 - 1933; the situation then must have been "we hire you, we pay, we don't call, we don't pay" -not like it is now with people getting paid even when not recording (royalties aside). We also see the record company trying to say who was part of the orchestra when Weems was with Decca and Como was fairly new to the band: "that kid" sounds too much like Crosby--get rid of him.


 * We also need to clarify the Red Network show. I can't find Tanner with a show of his own like Elmo&ArtistNumber=11939 this. He would have been Red Network for Fibber McGee and Molly and Beat the Band.  Weems did the Mutual show you see there and Tanner would have been part of it; he also would have been part of the band when Weems was doing the Jack Benny Show in the early 1930s.  Think too that you need to bring out the fact that Tanner whistled from his throat, as Crosby was also able to. We hope (talk) 03:14, 15 April 2011 (UTC)


 * Many thanks, yet again. Per discussion, I've edited the information about the recordings, and removed the reference to the NBC Red show.  It can be added back in again if further evidence presents itself.  78.26 (talk) 15:31, 15 April 2011 (UTC)


 * And you are correct. In the 1920s (and before) exclusive contracts were the exception, not the norm.  Certaily used for the biggest stars, and for orchestras/bands as a whole, but not for a utility musician such as Elmo.  78.26 (talk) 15:35, 15 April 2011 (UTC)

I've just added how Tanner's whistling talent was discovered by accident by Weems; he was initially hired as a vocalist & ref. Why not include the Fibber McGee & Molly show, as it was very popular and many people heard Tanner perform on it. If you need help with getting the throat information into the article, I'll try to help. We hope (talk) 16:06, 15 April 2011 (UTC)