Popular Culture Review 30.1
“ the gladness in circulation by being glad yourself through and through .” As syncopation and ragtime ’ s energy infused romantic , sentimental , and comic songs , it seemed to modernize traditional musical genres . Not surprisingly , rhythm became an instrument in the direct appeal as singers moved with the music and tried to appear more involved in it . According to singer Adele Rowland , the way to put a song over in vaudeville was by using “ a direct appeal ... the slightest assumption of insincerity or affectation is fatal .” Any artist who , when singing , would “ clinch her heart , shut her eyes , or otherwise prove herself devoid of real feeling ... would exit from vaudeville .” The increased focus on the star performer was the essence of the thing to Nora Bayes : “ you have to make them [ the audience ] forget themselves . If you can set them to thinking about your blues instead of their own , they are taken completely out of themselves ... [ then ] you are really entertaining them ,” she explained . 28
In singing , as in other vaudeville acts , direct appeal brought the issue of performer personality to the fore and entertainers had to make themselves seem likeable or appealing . Nora Bayes , for example , employed subtle devices to sell herself to audiences , even though a reviewer in Variety dismissed it all as “ simplicity itself ,” for no matter what she sang “ it is the individuality of the entertainer herself that carries her offering ." Caroline Caffin was more astute and saw the craft in the performance . She dissected Bayes ’ method , observing her efforts to disarm the audience by acknowledging it when she came on stage , with a sideways glance , followed by “ a dimpled smile ” and then a shy downward look , “ as though she would hate to think you might not like her .” Then , reassured by the applause , the performer faced the audience and offered “ a curving smile ” pursued by a sudden upward glance “ to see if you caught the curving smile which followed your
226