Jim Copp and Ed Brown facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jim Copp
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Jim Copp (right) in his home recording studio
with Ed Brown, holding a copy of Jim Copp Tales |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Andrew James Copp III |
| Also known as | James Copp III |
| Born | 1913 Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Died | April 7, 1999 |
| Genres | Children's music Electronic music Comedy |
| Occupation(s) | musician, producer |
| Instruments | celeste pump organ piano |
| Years active | 1958 to 1971 |
| Labels | Playhouse Records |
| Associated acts | Will Osborne Jerry Lewis |
Jim Copp and Ed Brown were a creative duo who made nine albums of stories and songs for children. They released these records between 1958 and 1971. Andrew James "Jim" Copp III (born December 3, 1913 – died April 7, 1999) wrote all the stories and songs. He also played and recorded all the music. Ed Brown (died 1978) was the artist who designed and drew all the album covers.
Both men used their voices for the many characters in their stories. They often used special tape tricks to change their voices. They were also among the first to use multi-track recording and electronic music for children's records. This means they could record many sounds on top of each other. People have compared Copp and Brown's work to famous storytellers like Lewis Carroll and Dr. Seuss.
Contents
The Story of Jim Copp and Ed Brown
Jim Copp's Early Life and Music
Jim Copp was born in Los Angeles, California. He also lived in Alabama and Washington, D.C.. His father wanted him to become a lawyer. But Jim loved art, playing the piano, and telling stories. When he was only 14, he played a Mozart piano piece with the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra.
He later studied at Stanford University and Harvard University. After college, Jim became a piano comedian in New York City. He was known as "James Copp the III and His Things." He even played at famous clubs with jazz legends like Billie Holiday.
In 1941, Jim Copp made his first album called James Copp 3. It had his piano playing and funny stories. Many of his early stories were silly versions of children's rhymes. For example, he made up new tales about "Mary Had a Little Lamb" and "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star".
Jim's entertainment career stopped when World War II began in 1942. He served in Europe. After the war, he returned to New York. But he got tired of nightclub performing. So, he moved back to Los Angeles. There, he wrote and drew for a newspaper column.
During the 1950s, Jim changed some of his nightclub acts for kids. He recorded them using a wire recorder. He sent these recordings to Capitol Records. The company liked his ideas. However, they wanted Jerry Lewis, a famous actor, to perform them. Jim agreed to let them use one story called "The Noisy Eater." Jerry Lewis recorded it, and it became a popular record in 1955. Capitol Records wanted more of Jim's stories. But Jim decided to make his own records instead. He used his original recordings for his first children's album.
How Copp and Brown Created Magic Together
Jim Copp met the artist Ed Brown at a party in Los Angeles. They became great friends. Ed Brown was a talented designer. Jim shared his idea for a children's album that would combine his music with Ed's art.
For their first record, Jim Copp Tales, Jim played all the instruments and did all the voices. Ed designed the album cover and helped with marketing. The album even had a spinning wheel with Jim's drawings for each story. The record was a big hit! It was played on radio and TV. Big stores like FAO Schwarz wanted to sell it. Jim and Ed traveled all over the U.S. to promote their records.
After their first success, Copp and Brown worked hard every year. They made and released new albums on their own company, Playhouse Records. Jim would write songs and stories at his house. Ed would work on the album covers at his place.
They recorded all the sounds, voices, songs, and stories in small parts. They would often record things many times until they were perfect. Jim recorded instruments in different rooms at his parents' house. Voices were taped in the kitchen. The piano was in the living room. The celeste was in a bedroom. The pump organ was in the bathroom. Even sound effects were recorded in the bathtub!
They used just one microphone and three tape recorders. Jim invented his own way to layer sounds. He would bounce sounds between the tape decks. This allowed them to create many different voices. Sometimes, they had as many as 90 voices on one song!
Their records often had cool designs that kids could interact with. Schoolmates had pictures that moved on the back cover. Gumdrop Follies could fold out into a toy theater with characters from their albums. The "Glup Family" records unfolded into board games that followed the stories. Copp and Brown usually released their records in October. Then, they would tour the country through the holiday season. They even toured to Hawaii and bought a place there for winter trips!
The End of an Era and a New Beginning
Copp and Brown stopped making new records in 1971. This happened after Jim's father passed away. Jim's sister sold the family house where he recorded. Jim moved in with Ed Brown, but Ed's house was not good for recording. Jim lost interest and sold his recording equipment.
Playhouse Records closed when Ed Brown became very sick and died in 1978. Even though the records were no longer sold in stores, Jim Copp continued to sell them by mail in the 1980s.
In the early 1990s, a fan named Ted Leyhe contacted Jim Copp. Ted was a videographer. He helped Jim re-release the albums. In 1993, Ted and Jim put out all the albums on cassette tapes. They also released two CDs with popular songs and skits. These CDs had new songs and notes from Henry Kaiser. Ted Leyhe also made a video about Jim Copp's life.
Jim Copp died in 1999 at age 85. He had problems from emphysema. Ted Leyhe and his wife, Laura, still run Playhouse Records today. They keep all of Copp and Brown's music available. In 2008, Houghton Mifflin published a book called Jim Copp, Will You Tell Me a Story? It had three of Jim's tales and was illustrated by Lindsay DuPont, a big fan.
Discography
As James Copp 3
- "The Birdie"/"Agnes Mouthwash and Friends" (Liberty Music Shops L-323)
- "Peaches and Myrtle"/"The Rapids" (Liberty Music Shops L-324)
- "Portrait of a Monster"/"Mystery of the Revolving Tree Trunk" (Liberty Music Shops L-325)
All three 78s were issued as a 3-disc album around 1941.
Performed by Jerry Lewis
- "The Noisy Eater" (Capitol 3120, 1955)
The Original LPs
As Jim Copp
- Jim Copp Tales (Playhouse 101, 1958)
As Jim Copp and Ed Brown
- Fable Forest (Playhouse 202, 1959)
- Thimble Corner (Playhouse 303, 1960)
- East Of Flumdiddle (Playhouse 404, 1961)
- A Fidgetty Frolic (Playhouse 505, 1962)
- A Journey To San Francisco With The Glups (Playhouse 606, 1963)
- Gumdrop Follies (Playhouse 707, 1965)
- Schoolmates (Playhouse 808, 1968)
- The Sea Of Glup (Playhouse 909, 1971)
All nine of the original LPs were re-released on cassette when the Leyhes took over Playhouse Records in 1993. In the early 2000s, the LPs slowly began to be reissued on compact disc. The complete collection was available by December 2013.
CD Collections
- Agnes Mouthwash And Friends
- Flibbertigibbets On Parade
Books
- Jim Copp, Will You Tell Me a Story? Three Uncommonly Clever Tales. Illustrated by Lindsay duPont. Includes audio CD of original recordings. (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 2008).
Video
- Skylarking: The Life and Times of Jim Copp
