Dick McDonough

Guitarist, Composer, Teacher

MAN & MUSIC

b. Richard Tobin McDonough, July 30, 1904 - New York City, New York

d. May 25, 1938 - New York City, New York

Dick McDonough’s biography comes from several sources: Time-Life Records 1980 Giants Of Jazz series-The Guitarists with notes written by Marty Grosz, a 1933 Dick McDonough interview conducted by fellow guitarist Frank Victor, and the archives at Georgetown University.

When Eddie Lang died in March of 1933, his mantle as the acknowledged master of the jazz guitar fell on the shoulders of Dick McDonough. In the years that followed, McDonough and his friend Carl Kress so dominated the guitar recording and radio work in New York that newcomers, regardless of talent, sometimes felt they would never see the inside of a studio. Carmen Mastren recalled that when he arrived in the city in 1934, “Dick and Carl Kress had all the work tied up. They were excellent players - and record and band contractors hire the guys over and over that they’re sure of.” (1)

According to bassist Sid Weiss, who played with Mastren at the time, the contractors had good reason to favor McDonough and Kress. “Both had excellent technique and super ears and fingers,” said Weiss, “and most important of all, they were good readers. This enabled them to fit in no matter what an assignment called for.” (1)

Of course, the two guitarists were more than just well-schooled and versatile; each of them was, in his own way, a highly creative musician. While Kress was working out his uniquely rich chordal style of rhythm playing, McDonough, building on Lang’s foundation, developed his influential chord-supported style of soloing, plucking the melody mainly in single notes while strumming three or four-note chords as harmonic underpinning. Together, the two men recorded a series of what Metronome (magazine) characterized as “seemingly impossible” duets, elaborately structured pieces that at first baffled and then, when they were published, inspired a generation of fellow guitarists. It was McDonough who played most of the leads. (1)

He was born Richard Tobin McDonough in New York City on July 30, 1904, and grew up in a large, moderately well-to-do household on Manhattan’s West Side. His mother came from a musical family and was an accomplished pianist. When Dick was in High School, he picked up the mandolin that had been given to his older brother and taught himself to play. By his senior year he had switched to banjo. (1)

“(I) attended and was graduated from St. Joachim’s Parochial School …” (2)

c. September 1909-c. June 1917: attends St. Joachim's Parochial School, NYC. (2)

and Loyola Jesuit High School, right in little old New York.“ (2)

1917, c. September: attends Loyola Jesuit High School (Loyola School), 980 Park Avenue (83rd street & Park Ave), NYC. (2)

“While at High School, I played on everything in sight including the baseball, basketball, football, and hockey teams. I even started to play on the mandolin and banjo. These instruments interested me because of their sparkle.“ (2)

“My playing left wing on the Hockey team influenced my holding of the banjo, strange to say. When I first took hold of a hockey stick I instinctively grasped it with the left hand forward on the lower end of the stick and the right hand at upper end of the club. Got so used to this position that I held the banjo the same way while playing. Which is why I became a left-handed player, although right-handed by birth.” (2)

1921, c. June: graduates from Loyola Jesuit High School (Loyola School), 980 Park Avenue (83rd street & Park Ave), NYC.

He played banjo for four years in the college orchestra at Georgetown University, from which he graduated in 1925. (1)

1921, c. September: attends Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. (age 17). (2)

“Entered Georgetown University at Washington D.C., at the age of 17 and that same year took out a card in the musicians union in Washington, making me eligible to play the weekly dances, for which I had been receiving offers.” (2)

“At the age of 19 I had my own band of seven musicians, all college boys. Since a number of the out-of-town bands played in Washington, I made it a practice to get acquainted with some of the boys and also sit in and play with them. That’s how I got my first break with Whiteman’s Leviathan Orchestra.” (2)

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1923, Summer: joins Paul Whiteman's Leviathan Orchestra during summer vacation (age 19). (2)

“It was during my vacation that I accepted an offer to join the Leviathan Orchestra. Didn’t premiere auspiciously with this bunch. The very first number I played with them resulted in my breaking a string. Being a little nervous anyway, this incident made me more so, and I did want to make good with this reputable outfit. Oh, well something else is always happening to make life interesting. Recall that Merle Johnson was in the orchestra at the time and it gave me a thrill to hear a saxophone played with such tone and skill.” (2)

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1924: Tonsils removed junior year (age 20). (2)

“There seems to be a special sort of evil jinx in pursuit of guitar players. At any rate, in my junior year of college I was operated on for the same type of tonsil problem that caused the passing on of Eddie Lang. and believe it or not, I had a very close call myself. But ‘who’s afraid of the big, bad wolf?” (2)

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1925, c. June: graduates from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. (6)

Soon after his graduation, McDonough was playing in New York with Ross Gorman and his Earl Carroll Orchestra, which also numbered Miff Mole and Red Nichols among its members. (1)

“When I graduated from college I came to New York and entered Columbia Law School, my family being set on my being a lawyer. In my spare time, however, and for extra cash, I was working club jobs and that is how I happened to connect with Don Voorhees, then playing at the Earl Carroll Vanities. I also doubled at the Texas Guinan Club, which reminds me of the night I played about 80 Charleston choruses at the club. That was the time that the Charleston was in vogue. I vowed never to play another Charleston beat after that night as long as I lived.” (2)

Don Voorhees and His Earl Carroll Vanities Orchestra, 1926 (7)

With the Gorman band in August of that year, McDonough made the first of his several hundred recordings, exhibiting even at that early stage a deft touch and delicate tremolo on the banjo that were later to distinguish his guitar playing. (1)

1925, August 7 (Fri): Ross Gorman and His Earl Carroll Orchestra, Dick McDonough-banjo, Columbia RECORDING SESSION, NYC. (4)

OH BOY! WHAT A GIRL-Columbia 435-D

1925, c. September: attends Columbia Law School, NYC.

1925, October: R.T. McDonough deposits his transfer from Local 161-710, the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Federation of Musicians to Local 802, A.F. of M., NYC. (20)

“My first broadcast was from the Carroll stage with the WOR house band. Then realizing all at once that music was my field and not law and that a lot of hard work was ahead of me. I decided to study guitar very seriously and legitimately and began study with Foden.” (2)

In October, he began recording on guitar with comic vocalist Cliff Edwards-Ukelele Ike-whose band again included Nichols and Mole, as well as Jimmy Dorsey. (1)

1925, c. October 12 (Mon): Cliff Edwards acc. by His Hot Combination, Dick McDonough-tenor guitar, Pathe RECORDING SESSION, NYC. (4)

Cliff Edwards-vocal, ukelele, Red Nichols-cornet, Miff Mole-trombone, Bobby David-alto sax, Arthur Schutt or Irving Brodsky-piano, Dick McDonough-tenor guitar, Joe Tarto-tuba, Vic Berton-drums.

SAY! WHO IS THAT BABY DOLL?

“After a number of previous attempts without success, I finally got an opportunity to hear Eddie Lang play privately. It was worth waiting for and I assure you that the occasion was a great inspiration for me. I decided then and there that the six-string guitar was the only instrument for me and buckled down to some real work.” (2)

1925, October 29 (Thu): Ross Gorman and His Earl Carroll Orchestra, Eddie Lang-guitar, Dick McDonough-banjo, Columbia RECORDING SESSION, NYC. (4)

I’M SITTING ON TOP OF THE WORLD

By late 1925, Eddie was also recording with Ross Gorman’s respected studio band (with members often drawn from Paul Whiteman’s orchestra), along with other rising instrumental stars like Red Nichols, Miff Mole, and Jimmy Dorsey. On these dates, Lang’s guitar was sometimes featured as a solo instrument only, while a conventional banjo played rhythm in the background. Throughout this period, Eddie demonstrated constant improvement and deepening in his command of the guitar and in his concepts of the harmonic language of jazz. With Mole, Nichols, and Dorsey exploring new ideas alongside him, Lang began to hit his full stride. (14)

NOTE: See Dick McDonough ESSENTIALS for more.

1926, October 15 (Fri): Don Voorhees and His Earl Carroll’s “Vanities” Orchestra, Dick McDonough-banjo, Edison RECORDING SESSION, NYC. (3)

I’D LOVE TO CALL YOU MY SWEETHEART-Edison 51855

NOTE: Dick McDonough single-string banjo chorus.

Dick McDonough, tenor guitar & banjo with Don Voorhees and His Earl Carroll Vanities Orchestra, NYC, 1926. (7)

c. 1926: Richard Tobin McDonough residence, 272 West 90th Street, NYC. (8)

“Before I had a chance to completely abandon the tenor guitar, I made some recordings with Red Nichols on Columbia records. I played some solo parts on After You’ve Gone and Someday Sweetheart.” (2)

1927, January 27 (Thu): The Charleston Chasers, Dick McDonough-banjo, Columbia RECORDING SESSION, NYC. (4)

Red Nichols-trumpet, Miff Mole-trombone, Jimmy Dorsey-clarinet, alto sax, Arthur Schutt-piano, Dick McDonough-banjo, Joe Tarto-tuba, Vic Berton-drums.

SOMEDAY SWEETHEART

NOTE: McDonough has put a mute on the banjo for his sixteen-bar solo.

Red Nichols Five Pennies, 1927, with Jimmy Dorsey, Unk, Vic Berton, Fred Morrow(?), Dick McDonough, Red Nichols, Miff Mole (7)

“It was while accompanying Smith on the vocals that I realized the importance and possibilities of good guitar accompaniments, so I decided right then and there that I must include the specialty of accompanying singers in my daily practice. I did this for about another year … ” (2)

“About this time I found myself working at the Embassy Club. Lasted there about a year during which time I made up my mind to discard the banjo and tenor guitar entirely and work exclusively on the six-string instrument. After the termination of this engagement I joined Smith Ballew and his outfit.” (2)

c. January 1927-c. January 1928 plays @ the Embassy Club, 695 Fifth Avenue, NYC. (2)

1927, February 28 (Mon): Don Voorhees and His Earl Carroll’s “Vanities” Orchestra, Dick McDonough-tenor guitar, Columbia RECORDING SESSION, NYC. (4)

PARDON THE GLOVE

1927, September 10 (Sat): Don Voorhees and His Orchestra, Dick McDonough-six-string guitar, Columbia RECORDING SESSION, NYC (4)

BABY’S BLUE

NOTE: Dick McDonough’s first six-string guitar feature.

Moreover, ever since attending the New York debut of classical guitarist Andreas Segovia in 1928, McDonough had become increasingly interested in developing the possibilities of the instrument. (1)

1928, January 8 (Sunday): Town Hall, NYC

1928, January 22 (Sunday): Guild Theatre, NYC

1928, January 29 (Sunday): Gallo Theatre, NYC

1928, February 4 (Saturday): Town Hall, NYC

1928, February 15 (Wednesday): Town Hall, NYC

Andres Segovia 1928, NYC Concerts (16)

Lew Green takes Dick McDonough and Enric Madriguera to one of the NYC Segovia Concerts. (15)

NOTE: Enric Madriguera acted as translator as Segovia couldn’t speak English. (15)

New York Times Reviews

Jan 8: This was an unusually significant appearance, and the first of concerts that Mr. Segovia will give here. His reception should have gratified him. A New York audience has seldom been quicker or warmer with its approval. (NYT Jan 9)

Jan 22: The theatre was packed. The concert gave exceptional pleasure to the audience. (NYT Jan 23)

Jan 29: Again the theatre was packed, and again Mr. Segovia, with an art personal and incomparable, exerted his sway. (NYT Jan 30)

Feb 4: Mr. Segovia was enthusiastically received and gave several encores. (NYT Feb 5)

Feb 15: As usual, the auditorium was crowded, and Mr. Segovia played with his wonted mastery of poetry and conception. He was applauded to the echo and in response to the desire of the audience extended his program. (NYT Feb 14)

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For the next ten years McDonough was seldom far from a New York recording or broadcasting studio. For most of this period he remained profitably freelance, playing guitar exclusively and trading gigs now and then with Lang or Kress when one of the other was busy elsewhere. (1)

“… and then I joined Don Voorhees with the 9:15 review at the George M. Cohan theatre, and an all-star orchestra, which formed the nucleus of Don Voorhees’ great radio band. Worked with this outfit for another two and a half years at NBC, WABC and WOR, after which I did some free lancing.” (2)

1930, February 11 (Tue)-February 17 (Mon): Nine-Fifteen Review, George M. Cohan Theatre, NYC. (5)

Don Voorhees-music director, orchestra including Dick McDonough-banjo, guitar.

“Was featured guitarist on the Royal Gelatin and the Three Bakers’ hour with Billy Artz for one year.” (2)

1932: Joseph B. McDonough (father) dies. (12)

1932: Dick McDonough starts playing an Epiphone De Luxe guitar.

SOURCE: 1932 Epiphone Catalog

c. 1932: featured guitarist on Billy Jones & Ernie Hare, NBC Radio program. (2)

“Then I made my first Brunswick recording with the Boswell Sisters and the Dorsey Brothers’ Orchestra, playing some solo parts including a number called Old Yazoo.” (2)

1932, June 29 (Wed): The Boswell Sisters, Dick McDonough-six-string guitar, Brunswick RECORDING SESSION, NYC. (4)

OLD YAZOO

932, December 7: The Boswell Sisters, Dick McDonough-guitar, Brunswick RECORDING SESSION, NYC. (4)

CRAZY PEOPLE

“Later on with some misgivings, I took the place (if anyone can), left vacant by the untimely death of the dean of modern guitarists, Eddie Lang, with Joe Venuti’s Blue Four.” (2)

1932 Epiphone Catalog, Dick McDonough playing an Epiphone De Luxe

….. what follows are excerpts from the 1933 The Metronome article by Frank Victor regarding Dick McDonough.

In Dick’s estimation Carl Kress is the greatest guitarist in point of originality before the public today. (2)

He (Dick) takes pride in stating that he has never missed a broadcast or a record date. The policeman seem to be his best friends, every time he is in a traffic jam or any sort they always pull him out of it. (2)

His main interest is the guitar … The daily routine usually consists of a morning rehearsal, in the afternoon a record date, a broadcast or you may find him giving a lesson. Practices one hour daily at home, consisting of scales, technique, and fast chords. Likes to adopt a piano style on the guitar. He puts his chords in interesting inversions. Uses a Barre System almost exclusively with the possible exception of one or two chords in which the application of the thumb is absolutely necessary. (2)

1933, May 8 (Mon): Joe Venuti and His Orchestra, Dick McDonough-guitar, Columbia RECORDING SESSION, NYC. (17)

Joe Venuti-violin, Jimmy Dorsey-cornet, clarinet, alto sax, Adrian Rollini-bass sax, vibraphone, Phil Wall-piano, Dick McDonough-guitar, unknown vocalist.

HIAWATHA’S LULLABY

Joe Venuti leads his first small group jazz session since his partner passed away on March 26th. Other than the unknown vocalist, all the members of the February 28 Venuti/Lang Blue Five session return with McDonough replacing Lang. (2023mp) Pianist Wall recalled that the session (along with VIBRAPHONIA) was made in the old Columbia studios. (18)

HIAWATHA’S LULLABY starts things off with a romantic intro by Venuti along with Jimmy Dorsey’s clarinet. Rollini then bridges the melody for McDonough, whose delicate touch is just right for this forgotten Walter Donaldson tune. The identity of the vocalist is still uncertain; it’s handled with authority and backed by some nice cornet obligato from Dorsey. After the vocal, Venuti returns before Dorsey completes his hat-trick by picking up the alto. Pianist Phil Wall makes himself known for the final chorus while McDonough turns in some crisp breaks before the rest of the ensemble rides it out. (17 SW)

1933, c. Fall/Winter: living with family in Sunny Ridge, Harrison, NY, near Westchester Country Club. (4)

30 miles north of NYC.

1933, October 2 (Mon): Joe Venuti and His Blue Six, Dick McDonough-guitar, Columbia RECORDING SESSION, NYC. (17)

Joe Venuti-violin, Benny Goodman-clarinet, Bud Freeman-tenor sax, Adrian Rollini-bass sax, Joe Sullivan-piano, Dick McDonough-guitar, Neil Marshall-drums, John Hammond-producer.

IN DE RUFF

By 1933, the American market for hot music was drying up, so John Hammond, a dedicated promoter of jazz, arranged for American players to record for the receptive English (British- 2023mp) market. Joe Venuti’s Blue Six had a unique instrumentation: violin, three reeds, and a rhythm of piano, guitar, drums and bass sax, the latter functioning as a rhythm instrument and sometimes as a member of the reed section. Venuti was in charge, but Hammond imposed his favorites, Chicagoans Bud Freeman, Benny Goodman and Joe Sullivan, on the maestro. Hammond wanted Venuti to use string bass, claiming that the bass sax, like the tuba, was passe, but Venuti held out for his pal, Rollini. It’s a good thing he did, for Rollini’s bass sax work proved to be crucial to the success of the date. And once again, filling the guitar chair was McDonough.

IN DE RUFF is King Oliver’s famous DIPPERMOUTH BLUES, hardly disguised and retitled, presumably so that Venuti could collect composer royalties, a not uncommon practice.

The performances are of high order. Joe’s opening blues choruses reveal a European romanticism as if he were strolling tables in a Viennese café. Benny Goodman’s clarinet and especially Joe Sullivan’s piano take us back to Chicago’s South Side where Jimmie Noone and Earl Hines held forth. McDonough’s guitar choruses depart from the Lang influence. The first relies on glissed thirds that give the acoustic guitar a “sostenuto” quality, akin to that produced by a bottleneck blues player. His record chorus is similar, in its percussive chord passages, to the sort favored by his duet partner, Carl Kress.

Joe rides the last three ensemble choruses over a succession of riffs swung by the reeds, harbingers of the riff-infested Swing Era just around the corner. The last chorus, an all-out melee, ends in the sort of half-time used to great advantage by the top vaudeville dancers. (17 MOG)

JOHN HAMMOND: The Venuti’s were pretty good, But Eddie Lang the fabulous guitar with whom Joe had such a symbiotic relationship, had died earlier in the year, and Dick McDonough, while good, just couldn’t take up the slack. Further, Joe decided to use Adrian Rollini and his bass sax instead of Artie Bernstein (on upright bass, 2023mp), so the bass line left something to be desired. (19)

“Am now looking forward to the time when a team of guitarists, such as Carl Kress and myself, can find a spot on the air to replace a few of the many piano teams. There are great possibilities in guitar teams, and I predict they will be coming along in the near future.” (2)

Early in 1934 he and Kress recorded the first two of their intricate guitar duets … (1)

1934, January 31 (Wed): Carl Kress-guitar, Dick McDonough-guitar, Brunswick RECORDING SESSION, NYC. (4)

STAGE FRIGHT

DANZON

1936, January 29 (Wed): Dick McDonough marries Dorothy Weeghman. (7)

Civil ceremony, 3am, Armonk, NY (3am), same day Catholic ceremony @ St. Patrick’s Cathedral, NYC.

Dick McDonough: 31 yrs old (Catholic).
Dorothy: 23 yrs old (not Catholic), adopted daughter of Chicago baseball magnate, Charles Weeghman.

Dick McDonough, Carl Kress, Imperial Theatre, May 24, 1936, NYC. (21)

McDonough is playing an Epiphone De Luxe, Kress a Gibson L-12.

c. 1937: Dick McDonough starts playing a Gibson L-5 guitar.

c. 1937: Birth of daughter, Joan (Barbara Joan) McDonough. (7)

Although McDonough recorded a few dozen sides in the mid-‘30s with some of his usual musical cronies under the title of Dick McDonough and His Orchestra, the life of a band guitarist-featuring long trips, many one-night stands and few solos-did not appeal to him, and he could make more money as a studio freelancer. (1)

c. 1937: Carl Kress and His Orchestra, Carl Kress-guitar, Dick McDonough-guitar, World Transcription Service RECORDING SESSION, NYC. (10)

STRUT MISS LIZZIE

In 1937, he and Kress teamed up for three more brilliant duets. (1)

1937, February 16 (Tue): Carl Kress-guitar, Dick McDonough-guitar, Brunswick RECORDING SESSION, NYC. (4)

CHICKEN A LA SWING

1937, February 16 (Tue): Dick McDonough-Carl Kress Orchestra, Dick McDonough-guitar, Carl Kress-guitar, ARC RECORDING SESSION, NYC. (4)

ALL GOD’S CHILLUN’ GOT RHYTHM

1937, March 31 (Wed): A Jam Session At Victor, Dick McDonough-guitar, Victor RECORDING SESSION, NYC. (4)

Bunny Berigan-trumpet, Tommy Dorsey-trombone, Fats Waller-piano, Dick McDonough-guitar, George Wettling-drums.

BLUES

KDKA, Pittsburgh, PA newspaper ad

c. April 1937

Steinie Bottle Boys Swing Club, NBC Blue Network RADIO BROADCAST AIRCHECK. (9)

LEW GREEN: (The band included) Jimmy Lytell-clarinet, Johnny Gart-trumpet, Charles Magnante-accordion, Charlie Barber-trombone, Dick McDonough-guitar (1936-37), Tony Mottola-guitar (1937-38), Lew Green-Epiphone Electar, Chauncey Morehouse-drums.

Lew Green (musical director, guitarist, producer) initially hired Carmen Mastren to fill the guitar chair.

LEW GREEN: We broadcast three times weekly.

CARMEN MASTREN: You (Lew Green) gave me the Steinie Bottle Boys show, remember, then I went with Tommy (Dorsey) (June 1936), he wouldn’t let me off fifteen minutes early (to do the radio show), I called Dick (McDonough).

LEW GREEN: Dick (McDonough) did it. I had to let Dick go, Dick was impossible (he was drinking too much), greatest guy in the world. I canned Dick, that’s when I found Tony Mottola.

HONEYSUCKLE ROSE/I’M GLAD FOR YOUR SAKE (BUT I’M SORRY FOR MINE)/HONEYSUCKLE ROSE

Fats Waller-piano, vocal, Jimmy Lytell-clarinet, Dick McDonough-guitar, Unk-bass, Chauncey Morehouse-drums.

Check out Fats Waller bringing in McDonough for his guitar solo with … "Turn it loose, c'mon Dick!"

1937, April 7 (Wed): Carl Kress-guitar, Dick McDonough-guitar, Brunswick RECORDING SESSION, NYC. (4)

HEAT WAVE

1937, June 12: Carl Kress-guitar, Dick McDonough-guitar, Saturday Night Swing Club, CBS RADIO BROADCAST, NYC. (25)

I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW

Dick McDonough & Carl Kress - CBS Radio Broadcast, c. 1937-38. (22)

Carl Kress, Dick McDonough, 1937 photo shoot. (23)

McDonough was at that time at the height of his powers, but those powers would soon rapidly decline. Drinking had already caused him to miss occasional dates, and before long, Carmen Mastren recalled, “the word got around in New York, and he found out nobody was calling him.” Mastren, whose first recording session had been arranged by McDonough, found his friend a steady radio job, but McDonough held it only briefly. (1)

In May of 1938, while on another radio date, he collapsed in the NBC studio with a ruptured ulcer. He died during an emergency operation. (1)

May 25, 1938: LEW GREEN: “Dick McDonough died sitting on a stool during the Joe Cook (radio) show.” (15)

Dick McDonough c. 1938. (24)

1938, May 27: RICHARD T. M'DONOUGH; Alumnus of Georgetown Was Composer and Guitarist. (12)

Richard Tobin McDonough, a featured radio guitarist, who had been heard on numerous Columbia and National Broadcasting programs, died on Wednesday (May 25) at the Leroy Sanitarium (40 East 61st Street, NYC) after an operation. He lived at 324 East Forty-first Street. His age was 34.

BURIAL: Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Hawthorne, Westchester County, New York, USA. (11)

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That November Carl Kress recorded a delicate three-part guitar solo called Afterthoughts in McDonough’s memory. (1)

1938, November 28 (Mon): Carl Kress-guitar, Decca RECORDING SESSION, NYC. (4)

AFTERTHOUGHTS (IN THREE MOVEMENTS)-PT 1, 2,3

Carl Kress - In a Recital of Original Guitar Solos - Decca Album No. 114

CITATIONS

Giants Of Jazz-The Guitarists-Dick McDonough, biography by Marty Grosz, Time-Life Records, 1980.
Who’s Who Among Guitarists, Paging Dick McDonough by Frank Victor, The Metronome, November 1933.
pinterest.com
Jazz Records 1897-1942, 4th Revised and Enlarged Edition, Brian Rust, Arlington House Publishers, 1978.
playbill.com
Georgetown University Archives.
VenutiLang Archives.
Local 802 A.F. of M. Official Journal Associated Musicians of Greater New York, May 1926.
Lew Green Jr. Archives.
Jazz Archives (LP), JA-32.
findagrave.com
New York Times, May 27, 1938.
Ancestry.com
Jazz Masters Of The Twenties by Richard Hadlock, Collier Books, 1965.
1979 Backyard Tape w/Lew Green Sr. & Carmen Mastren recorded @ the home of Lew Green Jr., Darien CT.
setlist.fm/setlists
The Classic Columbia and OKeh Joe Venuti and Eddie Lang Sessions, Mosaic Records MD8-213, 2002 – with excerpted notes from the collection by Marty Grosz (MOG), Dick Sudhalter (RMS), Scott Wenzel (SW), Mike Peters (MP).
Richard DuPage, Stringing The Blues, Columbia Records, 1962.
John Hammond On Record, An Autobiography, John Hammond with Irving Townsend, Summit Books, 1977.
Local 802 A.F. of M. Official Journal Associated Musicians of Greater New York, November 1925.
Swing Era New York, The Jazz Photographs of Charles Peterson, Temple University Press, 1994.
Progressions 100 Years Of Jazz Guitar, Columbia Legacy C4K 86462, 2005.
Charles Peterson.
NA
Saturday Night Swing Club, Memphis Archives MA 7002, 1994.

Note: In the New Edition of the Encyclopedia of Jazz (Leonard Feather, Bonanza Books, 1960), Dick McDonough does not have an entry of his own; he is mentioned in Carl Kress’s profile.