Whether you're in a country and western style establishment or a great 50's diner, the atmosphere is not complete without a jukebox. They are displayed with pride in homes, clubs and restaurants. The jukeboxes of today have really come a long way from the original idea, including the Crosley jukebox. From coin operated music boxes and player pianos, many places earned a great deal of money from happy people that were willing to pay for a tune. From fairgrounds to dance halls, they were very popular. These items were the ones that led the way and carved a niche for jukeboxes.
Immediately before jukeboxes, there were the coin operated phonographs. These were popular in many different places, and the public loved them. However, people were only able to listen to one record at a time, which lasted for around 2 minutes. In the 1930's, jukeboxes were being developed, and this is where the basic idea for the Crosley jukebox came from. Powel Crosley wanted to purchase a receiver radio for his son's birthday, and was shocked at the high price tag for it. Deciding he could build his own, he successfully completed it for around $35. From there, the Crosley company went on to produce many different items for mass marketing, including record boxes, telephones and many other things.
The term 'jukebox' actually came to the United States in the early 1900's, and comes from the African word 'jook,' which means to dance. The first actual jukebox was manufactured in 1927 by the Automatic Music Instrument Company. This made it possible for clubs and other places to draw in customers with the ability to entertain at any time without having to hire a band or orchestra. They were also able to choose from multiple songs, which was a new concept.
After the depression, the sales of jukeboxes increased by many times as people were able to get them for homes. This includes the Crosley jukebox which is now quite a collector's item from those days. In fact, jukeboxes are one of the most popular things to collect, and the older they are, the better. From the much replicated bubbler model to the more plain wooden jukeboxes, they are much loved. Today, jukeboxes are made so that they play compact discs, however, the older ones are a true piece of art. The older jukeboxes are very reminiscent of rock and roll music, drive-in hamburger joints and fast cars. The allure of these functional pieces of art may explain why collecting them is such a popular hobby of many people today.
Posted by Author LaZinnia Manley on December 5, 2007 at 8:40 pm
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