[1] Berlin had been Ted Snyder's staff lyricist since 1909.
Waterson, Berlin & Snyder went bankrupt in 1929; and, as part of the bankruptcy sale, Jack Mills, of Mills Music, Inc., purchased its catalog for $5000.
[3] It was rare for black composers to be involved in Tin Pan Alley, which, for Mills Music, represented a business opportunity.
Through subsidiaries (such as Milsons, Exclusive, Grand, and American Academy of Music), Mills marketed Duke Ellington to different audiences.
This strategy helped elevate Mills as major player in the music publishing business.