Nov. 23, 1889: S.F. Gin Joint Hears Worlds First Jukebox

Posted by Jeffery Brown in Just for Fun Wednesday, November 24, 2010

1889: The first jukebox is installed at the Palais Royale Saloon in San Francisco. It becomes an overnight sensation, and its popularity spreads around the world.

That first jukebox was constructed by the Pacific Phonograph Co. Four stethoscope-like tubes were attached to an Edison Class M electric phonograph fitted inside an oak cabinet. The tubes operated individually, each being activated by the insertion of a coin, meaning that four different listeners could be plugged into the same song simultaneously.

Towels were supplied to patrons so they could wipe off the end of the tube after each listening.

The success of the jukebox eventually spelled the end of the player piano, then the most common way of pounding out popular music to a line of thirsty barflies.

The machine was originally called the nickel-in-the-slot player by Louis Glass, the entrepreneur who installed it at the Palais Royale. (A nickel then had the buying power of $1.20 today.) It came to be known as the jukebox only later, although the origin of the word remains a bit vague. It may derive from juke house, a slang reference to bawdy house, where music was not unknown.

Photo: For a nickel a shot, a thrilled group tunes in on a screechy jukebox of the 1890s.
Bettmann/Corbis

By Tony Long November 23, 2010
Source: Writersalmanac.publicradio.org
http://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2010/11/1123first-jukebox/

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Nov. 23, 1889: S.F. Gin Joint Hears Worlds First Jukebox

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