LP SIGNED by RICHARD HAYMAN & JOHNNY PULEO Harmonica Rascals Ruby AFE-6302 1981

Description

Up for sale is an LP (12 inch vinyl 33 RPM record) whose album jacket bears the signatures of two (2) famous harmonica players (harmonicists):  Richard Hayman and Johnny Puleo.  They were both members of Borrah Minevitch's Harmonica Rascals in the 1930s and 1940s.  One of them (Hayman) went on to become a leading arranger and conductor for pops orchestras.
Richard Hayman (1920 - 2014) joined Borrah Minevitch's Harmonica Rascals as a teenager not only as a player but also as an arranger.  In the 1940s, he became an arranger for the MGM movie studios and later for the Vaughn Monroe Orchestra.  For several decades, Hayman was also the arranger for the Boston Pops Orchestra.  He occasionally conducted that group in Arthur Fiedler's absence.  Hayman was also the pops conductor for the St. Louis Symphony and the Grand Rapids Symphony.  There are a number of articles in the
New Orleans Times Picayune
from the 1980s showing that Hayman was in town to conduct "Superpops" concerts at the Orpheum Theater.
Johnny Puleo (1907 - 1983) was truly a "little guy", standing only 4 foot 6 inches tall.  He was discovered by Borrah Minevitch at a talent show.  He added a comedic touch to the Harmonica Rascals and also excelled at pantomime.  After Minevitch's retirement and death, Puleo formed his own band, The Harmonica Gang, which appeared at top dinner theaters throughout the country, including the one at the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans.   Puleo entertained three different Presidents at the White House and also gave a command performance for the British royal family.
The signatures are autographs,
not inscriptions to any particular person
, and they read:
-At the top of the album cover, across the forehead of the lady:
"Harmonically, Richard Hayman"
-At the bottom of the album front cover, along the neck of the lady:
"Johnny Puleo, (little guy)"
In addition to these autographs, there is other writing on the album jacket.  (See photos # 1 , 2, and 3 of this listing.):
-Above the autograph of Richard Hayman, is written:
5/30/91 OK
Played with NO Symphony
Great 12/18/91 RCD 9-6-94
-Below the autograph of Johnny Puleo, is written:
5/24/86
Good
RD
I don't know who wrote these additional notations on the front cover.  Possibly it was a musician (initials RCD or RD) who was documenting when s/he had played various selections on the LP at public performances and an opinion about the outcomes.  In addition, I don't know exactly when the autographs were collected or whether Hayman and Puleo were together at the time the signed the album jacket.  For Puleo, it would have had to be between 1981 (the album release) and 1983 (Puleo's death).  For Hayman, it could have been any time up until 2014 (his death).
About the LP itself:
Title:
Ruby
Artist:  Richard Hayman & His Orchestra
Record Label:  AFE (Audio Fidelity Records, a Division of Audiofidelity Enterprises, Inc.)
Record Number:  AFE-6302
Side One
:
1.  Magic (J. Farrar) (4:05)
2.  Ruby (H. Rhoemheld - M. Parrish) (3:57)
3.  I'll Never Love This Way Again (W. Jennings - R. Kerr) (3:10)
4.  Olivia (R. Hayman - E. Stratta)  (3:45)
5.  Petite Fleur (S. Bechet) (4:02)
Side Two
1.  42nd Street (H. Warren - A. Dubin)  (2:52)
2.  The Lonely Shepherd (J. Last) (4:10)
3.  Love the World Away (B. Morrison - J. Wilson) (3:21)
4.  The Colors of My Life (C. Coleman - M. Stewart)  (2:44)
5.  Someone Is Wainting (R. Ahlert - E. Stratta)  (2:57)
6.  Lisa (R. Hayman) (3:07)
Produced by Ettore Stratta for Richard Hayman Productions
Provenance:  I obtained this record from the estate of an elderly resident of New Orleans who was a true audiophile and had a very extensive collection of recorded music.  A number of the LPs in his collection were autographed.  Both Richard Hayman and Johnny Puleo had connections to New Orleans (see above).  The signatures look identical to other online examples.  I am quite confident as to their authenticity.
Please see above for detailed description of condition, which is quite nice, and for photos.
Sold as is.
Attention US Buyers:  I will ship by USPS Media Mail or USPS Priority Mail, your choice.  (Note:  If you have a Military Mail address (e.g. APO), I must ask that you choose USPS Priority Mail, as it is my understanding that USPS Media Mail is not reliable to Military Mail addresses.)
Attention International Buyers:  Unfortunately, it appears that international shipping from the US (via the USPS) has become unreliable, because of the pandemic.  Therefore, I have decided to remove the international shipping option.  You are still welcome to bid on this item, but will need to supply a shipping address in the US.  I'm sorry for the inconvenience.  Thank you for your understanding.