George W. Johnson (singer)
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George Washington Johnson was an American singer and pioneer sound recording artist. He is known for being the first African American recording star of the phonograph. His most popular songs were "The
Johnson in 1898
Phonograph cylinder
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Phonograph cylinders are the earliest commercial medium for recording and reproducing sound. Known simply as records in their heyday, a name since passed to their disc-shaped successors, these hollow
An Edison Gold Mould cylinder record, taken out of its storage tube (left), from c. 1900s
Edison wax cylinder phonograph c. 1899
Two Edison cylinder records (left and right) and their cylindrical cardboard boxes (center)
Brown wax cylinders showing various shades (and mold damage)