Guido Deiro - "Sharpshooters' March" (1911)

Sharpshooters' March
Composed by Richard Eilenberg
Performed by Guido Deiro
Recorded January 1911
Columbia A984
Count Guido Pietro Deiro (1886 - 1950) was a famous vaudeville star, international recording artist, composer and teacher. He was the first piano-accordionist to appear on big-time vaudeville, records, radio and the screen. Guido usually performed under the stage-name "Deiro". Guido and his younger brother Pietro Deiro (known as "Pietro") were among the highest paid musicians on the vaudeville circuit, and they both did much to introduce and popularize the piano accordion in the early 20th century.
Sharpshooter's March, an all-time favorite of accordionists for many years has often been attributed to Guido Deiro, but according to Deiro in a 1948 article he claims that he first heard it in Germany in 1907 played on a hand organ. Deiro was so impressed that he asked the organist to play it again several times. The organist didn't know the name of the piece but knew it was an Italian march. When Deiro was unable to find the European publisher of this music, he arranged his own version from memory. When he returned to the United States he performed it in his vaudeville act with great success and since it was a military march he named it "Bersaglieri" or "Sharpshooters." In 1910, Columbia Record Company requested that he record "Sharpshooters' March" which resulted in this recording. The label credits the composer as Richard Eilenberg. Later he recorded it for Edison Recording Company and it was titled "Italian Army March" by Deiro. Later publications of Sharpshooters subtitled it "Curro Cuchares March" and listed the composer as G Metallo. Deiro never claimed to be the composer but he was responsible for introducing it and making it popular with the American public.

[@gdelo9051]

Sharpshooters' March was composed by Gerardo Metallo. Italian-born Uruguayan pianist and composer
(14 Feb.1871 - 14 Jul.1946

[@Dachshund]

I actually have a copy of that record at my house. Guido was one of the greats.

[@gerometorribio2127]

I learned this piece as a boy nearly 60 years ago. In my mind I am playing along with the master!

[@airmuseum]

Mae West married Count Guido Deiro, a Vaudeville headliner, after meeting him during a performance at Detroit's National Theater in 1913. They divorced in 1920. The story of their torrid romance, marriage and intertwined personal and professional careers can be read in the illustrated bio-novel "Mae West and the Count - Love and Loss on the Vaudeville Stage."

[@IvanSCF]

Germans recorded "Curro cúchares" by Gerardo Metallo in Feb. 1907 - which matches Deiro's memories (he heard the composition the same year, in Germany). It's quite funny that just because the organist who played it to Deiro forgot march's title and its country of origin (Spain), it eventually turned out to be even Eilenberg's composition (he certainly has nothing to do with it, his Bersaglieri March is completely different). Cheers.

[@RolandThewes]

wow very good from Australia

[@Rbigraff]

I played song for a school talent show many years ago. It was well received.

[@marcomiglietti6860]

Orgoglio piemontese ❤️

[@canigolo]

Inimitabile, magnifico talento!

[@RolandThewes]

he is good

[@johnferguson8993]

Wonderful !