CARNES, Josef R.
Source: Lafayette Journal-Courier Fri 29 Jan 1960 p 9
Mellott (by Ruby Helgers) – Josef R. Carnes, composer and song writer of Hillsboro, has received much praise for the Alaska March, one of his most recent works. Complimentary copies of this march prepared by Carnes in band arrangement were sent to leading colleges and university in the US and to the Army, Navy and Marine bands. Many favorable comments and requests for additional copies have been sent the composer who works form a wheelchair in his home. Among requests were notes form the Agriculture & Mechanical College at College Station, Tex; University of Wyoming at Laramie; Xavier at Cincinnati; IU School of Music, Bloomington for the Marching Hundred organization; Cornell at Ithaca, NY and Washington State University at Pullman. A request for copies of the march also came form Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo where Prof. Glen Henderson who once taught Carnes organ, piano, harmony and music theory, teaches. Among the military bands using the march are the 72nd Army band of Rt. MacArthur, Calif; 62nd Army band of Fort Bliss, Tex and 158th Army battalion at Ft. Knox, Ky. Carnes recently composed a chorus number, Arise Ye Men of God on the request of Rev. Ben C. Stevenson former NY Metropolitan singer known as the singing marine on the late Major Bowes program. Rev. Stevenson who is a special representative of the department of men’s works at the United Christian Missionary Society asked Carnes to compose the music for the international convention of the United Christian Missionary society of the Disciples of Christ at Denver, Colo. The number was sung by a 1,000 man chorus under the direction of Rev. Stevenson. He has recorded a religious song, Highway to Heaven, written by Carnes. Carnes a native of Danville, ill is a veteran of WWI. He has been confined to a wheelchair for 26 years. He is a former concert organist and pianist. Carnes plays and composes form a special combination cot and wheelchair which he moves from his bed to his organ-piano.
Source: Lafayette Journal – Courier Wed 1 March 1961 p 25
Mellott – Josef R. Carnes, an outstanding Indiana musician and music composer has received word that he has again received honors, this time from the Indiana House of Representatives. He has received a copy of the House Resolution No 15, bearing the House of Representatives seal and the word, “Adopted.” The resolution reads: “Mr. Speaker: I offer the following resolution and move its adoption whereas Josef R. Carnes of Hillsboro has composed and published a new song entitles, Indiana, whereas the composer of the song Indiana has contributed to the culture of our great state and helped to spread its fame throughout the civilized world, now therefore be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the General Assembly of the state of Indiana, that we commend, Josef R. Carnes for this service to our state in composing the song, Indiana. That we recommend to the various school boards of this state that they encourage the singing of this song in the schools under their supervision. That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Josef R. Carnes by the Principal Clerk of the house: Wisher Myers, Representative Attest – Frances Gaylord, Principal clerk. Mr. Carnes is a veteran of WWI and has been a wheel chair invalid for 27 years. He was recently discharged from the Veterans Hospital at Indianapolis where he was a patient about two weeks. His health is declining and he has now lost his eyesight. He has been a member of the ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers). He is a former concert organist and pianist, having played at Chicago and other Midwest cities.
Source: Lafayette Journal-Courier Sat 12 Dec 1964 p 33
By Ruby Dell Helgers - Josef R. Carnes, Fountain County resident who is an outstanding composer publisher of song and instrumental music has completed an instrumental Christman number, Silent night chime arrangement. Carnes, a veteran of WWI, has been confined to a wheelchair for over 30 years and is becoming totally blind. With the aid of his nurse of 21 years, Mrs. Mae Waggoner, he is still able to compose and arrange. His compositions range from Christmas carols to popular numbers. Most recently he has been composing and arranging march numbers, especially for bands. Some of his best marches are The Alaska March, Nebraska March, Sefco March (Southeast Fountain County School Corporation), Esprit de Corps, Honor Above All, Marching in Kentucky and Speedway March. Carnes entered the armed forces at an early age. After receiving a medical discharge he entered vocational training in the US Government School of Music in Chicago. He graduated with honors in 1924, majoring in pipe organ, piano, harmony, theory and arranging. For several years Carnes demonstrated pipe organs. He was also a concert organist and pianist in theatres and churches in Chicago. For two years he played the organ at the Strand Theatre in Crawfordsville. He is a member of ASCAP (American Society of Composters, Authors & Publishers) since 1950. Carnes’ music has been sent to more than 37 foreign countries. He makes no charge for his music. He does this in memory of a distinguished musician who assisted him in professional training without charge. He lives on a government pension for total physical disability. He enjoys playing for visitors on his piano and does so from his special cot which operates in the same manner as a wheelchair. Carnes was born March 8, 1903 in Danville, Ill. He has resided in Hillsboro for over 30 years.
Source: Star-Gazette (Elmira, NY) Fri 4 Feb 1955 p 3 (photo saved)
Source: Lafayette Journal-Courier 12 Jan 1963 Sat p 26
Song of Life – In 1919, Josef R. Carnes was stricken with a mysterious disease which has crippled him. In 1933 doctors, although unable to explain his illness gave him three weeks to live. He credits music for the life he has lived since then at his home in Hillsboro, Ind. Propped up on a wheeled cot, he spends hours at the piano. He is author of 300 copyrighted songs, mostly religious with titles like, Jesus at my Side, My Supplication, Ring Out, Church Bells, Ring out, and Christ was Born in Bethlehem. But he also writes popular type songs. One of the best known has a title which tells his story, I feel like Living!
Hawkins, Barbara. Ever hear a catchy song title, “Wiggle-It? You have, but probably not under that title. It was copyrighted by its composer, Josef R. Carnes of Hillsboro on Oct 27, 1945. And according to Carnes, it’s being used by big bands all the time without credit. “I’ve had so many of them stolen,” says the ASCAP member who has been writing marches, religious songs and sparkling melodies for 40 years. The first religious song he wrote, “My Supplication,” was recorded without his knowledge and without his name on it, he says, explaining, “But the music is there, note by note. I cherished it. And he cherishes the tribute of a man who has written over 5000 numbers, who said, “For beauty and simplicity it (My Supplication) is unexcelled. “This pill has an extra taste of gall, because Carnes, ill for years as a result of WWI service has been blind since the summer of 1960. His sight disappeared while he was arranging one of his best numbers, Nebraska March. Carnes remembers so clearly that his nurse-housekeeper, Mrs. Lillie Mae Waggoner who has been with him 19 years, found 33 mistakes in that score.
The adjustment he has made to his blindness (described as retina vericose) included first of all, the determination to continue composing. To do this, his roll-away bed is pushed over to the piano, he scoots around and finds the keyboard and within the first few bars, is off in a world of music which he may have inherited, in part, from an uncle, W. Wesley Wells, composer of My Faith in Thee. He might have been an electrical engineer – that was his wish. But, his mother insisted that he follow music and he did, after a medical discharge in 1919. Carnes credits two early teachers with his success. He studied under Prof. Glen Henderson at Western Michigan University then in the post-WWI training program, was transferred to the US Government Veterans’ School of Music in Chicago where he met Carl Dies. Although he was ill, Carnes was studying 16-20 hours a day. It was Dies (the arranger of such songs as Sylvia, The Lords Prayer, Brahm’s Lullaby who took a personal interest in Carnes, brushed away his usual $40 an hour fees for the young musician and gave him a boost with his music. While in Chicago, Carnes received his doctorate. Carnes started composing when he was 19, 40 years ago and was a concer pianist and organist for many seasons. At one time he taught private pupils. What are some of the popular numbers he has written? Maybe you’ve heard some of thes: Love is What the Whole World Needs, Remember Me at Close of Day, I Wished I had a Pal, Look Out My Dear and I love to hear This Pretty Melody.
He has branched into the religious field, too. Three of these are: Lord I adore Thee (1953), The Highway to Heaven is Open, (1955) and My Supplication (1961). Rejoice, one of his latest, is the theme song of the Christian Record Benevolence Association, an organization for the blind in Lincoln, Neb.
Because of the association’s policy of giving away “keepsake” recordings, Rejoice probably will be a record breaker. This sacred song and all his others (marches, waltzes) he published himself, using a Chicago printer whom he has found reliable. He writes his own lyrics, “There’s a lot of difference between writing lyrics and poetry,” and designs his own title pages, more and more often now with the help of Mrs. Wagoner. He says, “I have to work through my nurse’s eyes and hands!”
This dependence upon her has been intensified by the fact that he’s diabetic and has had two strokes. Carnes knows that his health is precarious, plans form day to day. With the gift of a braille typewriter a couple of months ago, he’s continuing his composing, admitting that, “I’ve been bedfast 30 years and it moves at a snail’s pace.” The typewriter, an exciting gift for a blind person, was given to him by the Christian Record Benevolence Association. The group, of course, benefits form his music. One of his contribution was a chime effect for Silent Night, arranged specifically for the blind. Hearing it played on his 7-year-old piano, you would swear that you were listening to chimes.
His marches are spirited, robust, foot-tapping. One he wrote for Alaska and the state’s first governor, William Egan named it the Alaska March. He also wrote, Forget-me-nothonoring Alaska’s flower. The title page of Carnes’ Esprit de Corps march is autographed by William McMains official organist of the Democratic and Republican conventions in 1952-56. McMains has been to Hillsboro and talked shop with the composer.
Perhaps Carnes’ most pleasant and rewarding relationship is with the US Marine Band (dubbed The Presiden’ts Own) which would like to have some more Carnes’ Marches. Honor Above All, a Carnes’ march was dedicated to Capt. Dale Harpham assistant director of the band, Carnes arranges all his marches for full band and the recordings sound magnificent when played by the Marine musicians. Carnes has tapes, can hear his music, becomes engrossed, explaining, “This is a quick step march, 180 steps to the minute, listens again then adds, “Whenever the Marine band plays my numbers, they’re always up at the beginning of the program.”
Another march tentatively titled Sefco March has been written for the future Southeast Fountain consolidated school. And, characteristic of Carnes, the march is completely different. There no “where have I heard this before,” thought when you hear a Carnes march. Every one is entirely different. “You have to keep out of a rut,” the composer says.
Although Carnes is comping under severe handicaps, he’ll keep on writing songs like Indiana which was the subject of a resolution passed by the House of Rep in 1961. Carnes, is fast, often writes one in two to ten minutes. Yet, sometimes a tune can nag for months. At the moment, he’s writing on eight numbers. Each with a distinct theme, unlike anything he has written before.
