"Men Who Make Fortunes in Popular Songs" is a fascinating glimpse of the music industry at the tail end of the ragtime era. These were the early days of my favorite period of American popular music, the 1920s. Young Irving Berlin was only 25 years old--he had 75 more to go. Did he have any inkling what an impact he would have on pop music? Being a song plugger must have been quite a job, making the rounds of vaudeville houses, theaters, and night clubs singing the latest songs both to test their appeal and to push them into the public consciousness.
Link to the book:
Every Week v01n25 (1915-10-18)