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Emil Seidel recordings

Pianist and bandleader Emil Seidel was born and raised in Eureka Springs, receiving his first formal musical training at Crescent College. His family moved to Indianapolis in 1908 when he was 12.

Here’s a sampling of Emil’s recorded work. Due to the technology of his era, the sound is tinny and scratchy on all except the first.

I’ve Got My Habits On

Sales of player pianos peaked in the 1920s. Emil Seidel was part of the craze at that time, recording himself playing various tunes onto player piano rolls.

This modern playing of a 1921 Vocalstyle Music Company piano roll is set to a delightful slideshow by Rebecca Becker of the Crescent College History Project. This is as close as it gets to hearing Emil play in person.

Stardust

By happy coincidence, the Emil Seidel Orchestra found themselves backing Hoagy Carmichael on the original recording of his 1927 song “Stardust.” It would become a jazz standard and the most recorded song in mid-20th-century America.

This version, credited to Hoagy Carmichael & His Pals, is instrumental. Lyrics weren’t added until 1929.

Down South

While the Emil Seidel Orchestra did record under their own name, here they are as the Southern Melody Boys on the Silvertone label in 1927. Back then, recording acts commonly recorded under multiple names for marketing or contractual reasons.

Silver Skates

Later, Emil moved to California, serving as a bandleader for film scores and syndicated radio shows. Here’s a clip from a 1943 movie that he did the music for.

The population of Eureka Springs declined dramatically in the first few decades of the 20th century. While the exodus diminished the size of the city, the success of people like Emil Seidel also extended its reach.