Root & Cady

{{Short description|Music publishing firm}} {{Infobox publisher | name = Root & Cady | image = | caption = | parent = | status = Defunct | traded_as = | predecessor = | founded = 1858 | founder = Ebenezer Towner Root and Chauncey Marvin Cady | successor = | country = United States | headquarters = Chicago | distribution = | keypeople = | publications = Sheet music | topics = | genre = | imprints = | revenue = | owner = | numemployees = | website = }}

'''Root & Cady''' was a Chicago-based music publishing firm, founded in 1858. It became the most successful music publisher of the American Civil War and published many of the most popular songs during that war.<ref name="Cornelius19">Cornelius, pg. 18</ref> The firm's founders were Ebenezer Towner Root (1822–1896) and Chauncey Marvin Cady (1824 - 1889).

The company's publishings include ''The Silver Lute'', the first music book printed in Chicago. It was eventually used in the city's public school system.<ref name="Cornelius19"/>

Root & Cady dominated Chicago's music publishing industry until the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 destroyed $125,000 of the firm's inventory,<ref>Sanjek, pg. 356</ref> leading to its bankruptcy within a year.<ref name="Cornelius19"/><ref name="Carder">Carder, pg. 86</ref> In 1875, the former members of Root & Cady formed a new firm: The Root & Sons Music Company. The members were (i) George F. Root (1820–1895), (ii) Frederick Woodman Root (1846–1918), George's son, (iii) Ebenezer Towner Root (1822–1896) — George's brother — (iv) William Lewis (1837–{{space|1}}), (v) William A. Root — George's brother — and (vi) Charles C. Curtiss (1847–1928),<ref name="Presto-Times">''Presto-Times,'' April 7, 1928</ref> who served as manager.<ref name="Daily Inter Ocean">''Daily Inter Ocean,'' June 26, 1875</ref>

== See also == * Fanny Crosby (1820–1915), songwriter * William Lewis & Son Co., offshoot of The Root & Sons Music Company

==References== * {{cite book|title=Music of the Civil War Era|first=Steven|last=Cornelius|year=2004|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=0-313-32081-0}} * {{cite book|title=American Popular Music and Its Business: the first four hundred years|url=https://archive.org/details/americanpopularm00san_hz5|url-access=registration|first=Russell|last=Sanjek|year=1988|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=0-19-504310-3}} * {{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KzE7Q9SZGPcC&pg=PA86 |title=George F. Root, Civil War Songwriter: A Biography|first=Polly H.|last=Carder|year=2008|publisher=McFarland & Company|isbn=9780786483174 |oclc=182656620}} * ''Root and Cady — Re-Association of the Members of That Famous House,'' ''Daily Inter Ocean'' (Chicago), Vol. IV, Issue 80, pg. 12, June 26, 1875 * ''[http://presto.arcade-museum.com/PRESTO-1928-2175/PRESTO-1928-2175-11.pdf Charles C. Curtiss, Manager of the Fine Arts Building, Dies],'' ''Presto-Times,'' April 7, 1928, pg. 11

==Notes== {{reflist}}

== External links ==

* [https://mms.newberry.org/xml/xml_files/Epstein.xml The Dena Epstein Root & Cady Research Papers] at [https://www.newberry.org Newberry Library]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Root and Cady}} Category:Music publishing companies of the United States Category:Publishing companies established in 1858 Category:1858 establishments in Illinois Category:Defunct companies based in Chicago Category:History of Chicago