Sidney Townes

Singing and piano accompaniment.

Sidney Townes was on early for his manner of work, but pulled himself up on personality and managed to command attention. Townes has a grand chance in vaudeville, and if he makes some changes in his working material he will vastly improve it. The boy has a slashing appearance, taking an audience on sight; he wears simple clothes well; he has a mellow voice for songs of the light comedy ballad strain. When he sang a hitherto unheard version of "Peaches Down In Georgia," he hit a high peak. But after that be began to drift and wander and lose his friends. First he let loose a song plugger in a bog, a middle-aged gent who looked like Bryan with a haircut, who, for no known reason, sang two lengthy choruses from a box, while Townes held his hands in bis pockets on the stage and looked lost. Why, the man couldn't sing with half the voice of Townes himself; he was in a box where he could hardly be seen. What did he add to the joy of nations? And what was Townes for while this unknown mediocrity was trying to sell sheet music? After that Townes told some riddles which he might better have left In the dressing room, and "by the time he came to his closing song he had lost bis house almost completely, having let lit a piano accompanist to click off a few ordinary, choruses while he left the stage for no excusable purpose. Townes fights himself, and he nearly licked himself here. He should. see Jack Norworth and learn something of value. The shabby assistance from piano solos and box-singers is a nuisance, not a help. A bright story doesn't hurt, but this boy should stay largely on the main line, dishing up a consistent and continuous routine of pleasant songs, varying as they run along, and with his personality and voice he would be next to closing in another season.

Variety, 54:13 (05/23/1919)