Taken out of the context of the existing Coots papers, the coverage of the additions appears incomplete, even scattershot; this is true, however, only of some of the later material. The scattershot quality is balanced by the large quantity of song manuscripts and lyric typescripts, few of which were included in the original collection. It is further offset by the diversity and complexity of the material, which invokes the names of a plethora of well-known show business and creative personalities and publishers, and documents the wide variety of Coots's activities and interests. This material by and large reflects Coots's professional persona; his personal life is not particularly well-represented here.
The CORRESPONDENCE series (1942-1980, undated; bulk 1962-1980) is arranged in chronological order and consists primarily of letters and cards written to Coots by colleagues and other business contacts, as well as by people he met during his professional and personal travels. Aside from business-related correspondence, there are many letters from admirers expressing appreciation for his performances, and from colleagues expressing gratitude for his support and admiration of their own activities. There is little in the way of sustained correspondence between Coots and any one individual, but songwriting collaborators and numerous other well-known figures - Richard Rogers, Anthony Newley, and Arthur Treacher, to name a few - are represented. There is little in the way of outgoing correspondence from Coots himself, but his sense of humor is evident in his exchange with the Superior Songwriters Service of Hollywood, in which he represented himself (under a pseudonym) as an aspiring songwriter in search of assistance and willing to pay for it.
The CREATIVE WORKS series (1939-1971, undated; bulk 1950-1971) consists of four subseries: Song Manuscripts and Lyric Typescripts, Musicals, Published Sheet Music, and Other Creative Writing. The first two of these are further subdivided. A detailed listing of the songs included in this series, ordered alphabetically, can be found in Appendix 1.
The Song Manuscripts and Lyric Typescripts subseries is by far the largest grouping in the collection. The documents in this subseries are of four different types: (1) autograph pencil manuscripts, usually in the form of lead sheets or sketches of songs; (2) transparencies (also known as “onionskins”) intended for limited reproduction - these consist of fair copies of lead sheets, possibly made by Coots himself in some cases, otherwise by professional music copyists; (3) reproductions produced from such transparencies; and (4) lyric typescripts. Few songs in the collection are represented by all four types of documents; in a number of cases, only lyric typescripts - often by lyricists other than Coots himself - are present. Note also that in some cases, one manuscript may designate Coots as the sole composer of a song, while other, presumably later song material will attribute the text to another lyricist. Many of these documents indicate copyright dates, sometimes modified, often shifting as rights were passed from composer to various publishers over time: in many cases, Coots's own publishing entity, Toy Town Tunes, Inc., received the copyright. Other documents contain no attribution, although it seems likely that Coots himself is the composer in the case of manuscripts written in his hand. A small amount of pertinent correspondence is included in this subseries; some of the songs are further complemented by recordings in the Audio Materials series. Besides songs and sketches, there are included a few arrangements or medleys of works by other songwriters, as well as commercial songs or jingles written by Coots for companies such as Chrysler, Seagram's, Singer Sewing Machine, Simmons Cruises, and Old Gold Cigarettes. These commercial attempts were not always successful, as can be seen in the case of Coots's proposed theme song for the 1950s children's television program, Captain Kangaroo; a similar case may be the song “D.J. Ghost,” which represents an attempt by Coots to write rock 'n roll, a style he despised. Coots wrote a few of his songs under various pseudonyms; these are clearly intended as jokes.
This subseries is divided into three headings, with the songs in each division ordered alphabetically by title: General, further subdivided by lyricist(s) and/or cowriter(s); French and British Collaboration; and “Kiddie” Songs.
The French and British Collaboration consists primarily of correspondence and a small amount of song material, and includes an itinerary and travel information for an American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) European tour taken by Coots and his wife, Marjorie. The presence of the travel material among the other documents in the heading and the timing of the tour suggest that French and British contacts for the professional activity documented here might have been made or at least solidified during this tour.
In this collaboration, Coots provided English language lyrics to at least two songs represented by Publications Francis-Day in Paris; he also received French language lyrics to one of his own tunes, “Bonsoir, cherie.” As is sometimes the case with correspondence in this collection, well-known performers - in this case, Frank Sinatra and Connie Francis - are mentioned as possible performers of the material in question.
As language was not an issue in the U.K., the British collaboration involves representation by Robbins Music Corporation, Ltd. of London in the attempted recording and release of a few of the songs included in the General song heading; later correspondence documenting the continued relationship between Coots and Robbins Music Corporation can be found in the Correspondence series. The correspondence reflects the difficulty at that point in time - the so-called “British Invasion” of the U.S. by groups like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones - of selling the older style of popular song exemplified by Coots's writing, likely a contributing factor to Coots's negative attitude towards the rock 'n roll genre (interestingly, one of the A&R men who was to be shown Coots's songs was George Martin, whose later production of the Beatles had a profound influence on their style).
The “Kiddie” Songs heading includes not only manuscripts and typescripts, but a few pieces as well of published sheet music, a songbook, and a large number of American and Canadian copyright assignments and other documentation of copyright status.
The Musicals subseries is divided into the headings “If I Were Queen” and “Pardon My Glove.” The former represents Coots's collaboration with poet Ogden Nash on a musical (book by Polan Banks and William Gaxton) that never quite came to pass. Included are two versions of a synopsis, a story treatment, and song materials, including pencil manuscripts of some of the lyrics. An open-reel demo tape of some of the songs is included in the Audio Materials series. The latter musical was a collaboration between Coots, Edward Eager, and Jerry Leng on a musical version of the Lynn Root and Harry Clark play, The Milky Way. Included are song materials and Leng's contract with Coots and Eager, but nothing in the way of a script or synopsis. Note that a number of the songs and sketches included in the Song Manuscripts and Lyric Typescripts subseries appear to have been written in connection with possible musicals, but none as well fleshed-out as these two.
The Published Sheet Music subseries consists of publications of a number of Coots's songs, as well as a handful of arrangements of his songs for groups such as dance bands and barbershop quartets. More complete information on these publications can be found in Appendix 3.
The Other Creative Writing subseries consists largely of story typescripts written under pseudonyms such as J. Haybeus Corpus, R.U. Withit, Rieger Mortiss, and Harlequin Fandancer. In a more serious vein is a typescript of a children's story and a TV script idea intended for Sid Caesar.
The RIGHTS ASSIGNMENTS AND RELEASES series (1944-1974; bulk 1961-1974) is quite incomplete. It is ordered chronologically and includes documents assigning rights to only five of Coots's songs: “His Hand Is on Your Shoulder,” “It's Too Early to Tell, “ “Stay Home, Little Girl,” “Whistlin' Jim,” and “You Happened to Me.” The series also includes a 1944 Certificate of Copyright Registration for renewal of “Where Are the Girlies of My Childhood Days” (original copyright, 1917). Other documents include a few releases for the use of Coots's songs and/or performances in various media projects; an agreement “divorcing” three of Coots's co-written songs from their lyrics; and a renewal agreement continuing the assignment of a portion of Coots's royalties on certain songs in payment of a promissory note, signed off on by Coots's wife and four children.
The PERSONAL APPEARANCES series (1931-1972; bulk 1956-1967) consists of contracts, travel itineraries, and documentation of a few non-contract appearances; all are ordered chronologically. The contracts are primarily between Coots's agent, W. Colton Leigh, Inc. and various organizations (businesses, clubs, schools, and so forth) for Coots's lecture-recital appearances around the U.S. Related correspondence and contract renewals with Coots's agent are included, as is correspondence from employing organizations and individual audience members, generally expressing appreciation for Coots's performances. News items reporting on some of these performances can also be found in the Newspaper Clippings series. Documentation of payment for these appearances, as well as some of the travel expenses incurred and their reimbursement, can be found in the Financial Records series.
The travel itineraries document the road trips Coots took in connection with these contracted personal appearances. A few other (non-contract) appearances are documented by a passenger list and daily programs from a cruise on which Coots was one of the entertainers; a press release indicating Coots's participation in an event designed to encourage polio immunization of pre-schoolers; a program from a Muscular Dystrophy Association fundraiser that included a Salute to ASCAP in which Coots participated along with Cy Coleman, Johnny Mercer, and Jule Styne, among others; and other materials that reflect performances by Coots.
The FINANCIAL RECORDS series (1926-1975; bulk 1957-1975) consists of general records, performance and royalty records from the Association of Songwriters, Composers, and Publishers (ASCAP), royalty records from individual publishers, and appearance fees and expenses. All are ordered chronologically. General records are few in number and consist primarily of items such as loan documents, rental agreements, proposals for business investments, a receipt for the purchase of a piano, and a 1926 stock certificate from the Wrigley Pharmaceutical Company, together with its conveying correspondence.
Performance and royalty records from ASCAP are divided into domestic records and foreign records. The former consist of (mostly quarterly) domestic performance records, copies of checks/check stubs documenting the amount paid to Coots in royalties as a result of performances and broadcasts of his songs, and a small amount of related correspondence from ASCAP; also included is an IRS Form 1099 from ASCAP for the year 1936. The latter consist of (mostly semiannual) check stubs documenting the amount of foreign royalties paid to Coots, including information on the countries and years involved. The individual publishers' records consist primarily of royalty statements for the years 1971-1972 only, from music publishers such as Leo Feist, Inc., Bourne Company, and Robbins Music Corporation.
Appearance fees and expenses consist of check stubs or duplicates of checks/stubs, plus invoices detailing expenses incurred that were charged against or credited to Coots's personal appearance fees, along with related correspondence.
The NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS series (1924-1979; bulk 1960-1975) consist of clippings relating to Coots, “Famous Flops,” other show business clippings, and non-show business clippings. Clippings relating to Coots include notices and descriptions of his activities, mostly professional but including notices of his marriage to Marjorie. Later clippings provide additional evidence of Coots's negative attitude towards rock 'n roll. One telling quote from a 1963 article: “[Coots's] publishers say his work is 'too good - the kids won't buy it'.”
“Famous Flops” - so-labeled by Coots himself - are all clippings of articles about the 1965 Broadway musical Kelly, which cost $650,000 to mount and survived for only one performance. Judging from the manner in which this material was received, Coots may have intended to add documentation of other failed productions but never did so. Other show business clippings include news items and features about, and obituaries of, Coots's colleagues, collaborators, and other show business people, including such figures as Haven Gillespie, Dorothy Fields, Groucho Marx, Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, Noel Coward, Sammy Cahn, and even Ludwig van Beethoven. Notices and reviews of Broadway shows are also included.
The non-show business clippings provide context to the collection through their documentation of Coots's non-professional interest in such activities and subjects as horse racing, opera, European travel, personal financial planning, successful women (novelist George Eliot, jockey Barbara Jo Rubin), boxing, and politics.
The CERTIFICATES, AWARDS, AND OTHER MEMORABILIA series (1922-1975; bulk 1960-1975) consists of both professional and personal material. Professional material includes Coots's certificate of election to membership in ASCAP in 1922 and a subsequent 1972 certificate celebrating his 50th anniversary in that organization. There is also documentation of his activity as a member and president of the American Arbitration Association. Also included are memorabilia such as a gold-plated portable typewriter presented to Coots by Tin Pan Alley T.V., a program that last aired in 1950; and an autographed copy of Henry Kane's How to Write a Song (1962), which includes a chapter on Coots. Documentation of the earlier portion of Coots's career includes an Imperial Theatre (Shubert Theatre Corporation) program booklet from 1930, a copy of Guy Magley's Down Memory Lane (undated) that includes extracts of vaudeville programs from 1914-1926, and a copy of music publisher Bourne, Inc.'s 1919-1956 catalog, which includes a number of Coots's songs.
Personal material includes travel-related memorabilia and souvenirs, genealogical information, programs of concerts unrelated to Coots's professional activities, and certificates documenting Coots's membership in organizations such as the Westchester Country Club and The Old Grand-Dad Club.
The PHOTOGRAPHS (1937-1975, undated) include portraits of Coots and photographs taken with professional colleagues; personal and family pictures; vacation photographs; and a few striking photographs not directly related to Coots. One photograph of particular interest is a panorama shot taken at the 1940 New York World's Fair and entitled “'Cavalcade of American Musicians' sponsored by ASCAP.”
The AUDIO MATERIALS (1950-1972; bulk 1950-1957) series is divided by format into two subseries, Disc Recordings and Open Reel Tape Recordings. The Disc Recordings are further subdivided into Demo Recordings and Commercial Releases. The Demo Recordings heading presents realization of a number of Coots's songs, as well as of two of the French songs for which he was to provide English lyrics. The Commercial Releases heading consists of a long-play album (And Then I Wrote...) of Coots's songs strung together with autobiographical commentary; and a number of rare 45 and 78 RPM recordings of his songs, a few of which are of foreign provenance. Except in the case of the album, Coots's songs generally appear on only one side of a disc; songs written by others are often on the other side. More complete information on these recordings can be found in Appendix 1.
The Open Reel Tape Recordings subseries consists of demo recordings of Coots's songs, of radio interviews of Coots by Jim McClain (“Dr. IQ”), of a performance by Coots at a Songwriters' Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, and of a tribute to Coots at the ceremony in which he was himself inducted in 1972.
