Popular Music Collections
The collection contains photographic materials, articles, programs and ephemera related to Hall's performance career.
Six photographs from the 1950s, representing the Regals as well as the new Orioles group formed in 1955 by the merger of the Regals with the original Orioles, and featuring Al "Diz" Russell who remained with the group until 2016.
This collection documents the music and business careers of the Calloway family, including brothers Reggie, Vincent, and Gregory and their mother Gloria Calloway Larson, primarily during their years of residence in Cincinnati, Ohio. Family members formed and/or managed the groups Sunchild, Midnight Star, Calloway and Sharp, and initiated other business ventures as well as community projects and youth talent shows in Cincinnati. Included are personal papers, correspondence, business and financial records, tour itineraries, fan club mailing lists, publicity materials, press clippings, magazines, scrapbooks, photographs, and time-based media in both published and unpublished audio and video formats.
Periodicals covering popular and rhythm & blues musicians and recordings, but primarily collected for their articles focusing on vocal harmony groups and quartettes of the 1950s-1960s. Also included are articles by Tancredi and airchecks from his internet radio program, "Work With Me Annie."
Materials documenting the period Charles Connor, known as "Little Richard's original drummer," spent on the road with Little Richard, Sam Cooke, Dee Clark, Larry Williams, Chuck Willis, and others. Included are more recent articles, interviews, and audio recordings of Connor and an unpublished book manuscript.
Research on the Motown Record Corp., including photographs, Motown-related videos and television programs, and audio and video interviews with vocalists, instrumentalists, arrangers, songwriters, producers, technical staff, management, and consumers. Interviews include Thomas "Beans" Bowles (saxophonist and first road manager of the Motor Town Revue), Maxwell Powell (image specialist at Motown's Division of Artist Development), Bobby Rogers and Ronald White (vocalists with the Miracles), Sylvia Moy (songwriter), and Michael McLean (audio technician).
The collection consists of articles, clippings, and interviews compiled during research for Seymour's book, Luther: The Life and Longing of Luther Vandross (2004), and subsequent research on topics related to R&B musicians, black music genres, the black gay community and gay musicians. Also included are audiocassettes containing interviews conducted by Seymour with Luther Vandross, various R&B musicians and record company personnel, as well as a large collection of mixtapes and commercial CDs.
The collection consists of interviews conducted by Craig Werner with various musicians, including Bobby Womack, Ruth Donahue, Eddie Thomas, Johnny Meadows, and original members of Creedence Clearwater Revival.
A collection of photographs of rhythm and blues musicians originally donated for use by Dr. Portia K. Maultsby and the Smithsonian Institution for the 1986 symposium and accompanying booklet and exhibition Rhythm and Blues, 1945-1955.
A collection of recorded interviews and transcripts, photographs, press clippings, posters, and research materials related to Detroit techno music. The bulk of the collection materials span the years 2007-2011 and include audio and written interviews with notable Detroit techno artists such as Derrick May, Juan Atkins, Carl Craig, Mike Banks, Anthony Shakir. Also included are video footage from Movement Festival and photographs from Dalphond's dissertation research.
Video documentation of the first decade of the annual DJ competitions in the United Stated and abroad, hosted by DMC (Disco Mix Club) and Technics. Includes World DJ Championships, World Mixing Championships, USA DJ Championship, and American Mixing Championship Finals.
Photographs of Pookie Hudson and the Spaniels, including the Original Spaniels (whose members were from Gary, Indiana), the post-1956 Spaniels, and various later groups performing under the name Spaniels.
Personal papers documenting her journalism career, including recordings of over 100 interviews conducted for her book, Love, Peace, and Soul: Behind the Scenes of America's Favorite Dance Show Soul Train (2013), as well as interviews with many other R&B, jazz, rock and rap musicians.
Articles, magazines, radio programs, and interviews on hip hop music and culture by journalist and "media assassin" Harry Allen. The bulk of the collection documents Allen's visits to Indiana University and work with the Archives of African American Music & Culture.
Collection documenting the AAAMC's 2014 panel discussion and exhibit, Hot Buttered Soul: The Role of Foodways & Musicmaking in Building and Sustaining African American Communities, which explored the intersections between sacred and secular music genres and traditional foodways as signifiers of African American life and culture. Featured panelists include Psyche Williams-Forson, Tyron Cooper, Alisha Lola Jones, and Mellonee Burnim. Includes audio, video, image, and research files.
Materials documenting Gales Webb's career as an award-winning producer and host of "Sunday Afternoon Gospel Music Program" on 96.3 WHUR in Washington, DC. Includes interviews and production materials used in the public radio series Remembering Slavery and Jazz Singers, the television documentary Melodies from Heaven, the video for the Smithsonian Institution's exhibit Beyond Category: The Music of Duke Ellington, and her materials related to SC 39: Black Radio: Telling it Like it Was (a radio series also produced by Gales Webb).
Collection consists of casting, production, and promotional materials used by James Spooner in the production of his film White Lies, Black Sheep and materials associated with the film Afro-Punk including interview footage, promotional materials, film festival awards, and periodicals in which the film and/or Spooner was highlighted.
The Jared Nickerson Collection consists of one series relating to the press materials, magazines, newspaper clippings, and business transactions of the Black Rock Coalition (BRC) from 1987-1997.
A collection of photographs of rhythm and blues musicians originally donated for use by Dr. Portia K. Maultsby and the Smithsonian Institution for the 1986 symposium and accompanying booklet and exhibition Rhythm and Blues, 1945-1955.
The collection consists of materials collected by Jackson during research for his book A House On Fire: The Rise and Fall of Philadelphia Soul. Includes audiocassettes of interviews conducted by Jackson primarily by telephone, interview transcripts, related articles, and book drafts.
More than 300 record albums from the late 1950s through the early 1980s by various blues, gospel, jazz, rhythm and blues, rock, funk, and disco artists; a video taped performance of Johnny Griffith and jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell; personal recordings and a musical score by Griffith; and a taped interview with Griffith and an interview transcript.
Original video masters for thirteen Johnny Otis Show television programs, taped in a Los Angeles studio by Griffiths circa 1975 and featuring such guest artists as Delmar "Mighty Mouth" Evans, Marie Adams & the Three Tons of Joy, Joe Turner, Shuggie Otis, Pee Wee Crayton, and Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson. Also included are five hours of unedited footage from Johnny Otis's Oldies But Goodies musical revue, a live show in L.A. that featured popular artists of the rock & roll era lip-synching to their hit recordings. Taped by Griffith from 1975-1977, over 100 songs are performed by artists such as Emma James, Richard Berry, the Penguins, the Coasters, Shirley & Lee, Ted Taylor, Bobby Day, and the Medallions.
Approximately 800 radio aircheck tapes of radio programs of black popular music (live and prerecorded), hosted by Johnny Otis, and featuring live interviews with blues and rhythm & blues artists from the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. Artists interviewed include Little Esther Phillips, Al Frazier, Mary Wells, Zola Taylor, the Coasters, Horace Silver, the Robins, Etta James, Big Jay McNeely, Bobby Day, Bumps Blackwell, Pee Wee Crayton, Jimmy McCracklin, and Joe Liggins. Also included are photographs, memorabilia, books, and compact discs.
Collection consists primarily of interview transcripts, program transcripts, and artist publicity materials used in the production of the Westwood One Radio programs Special Edition, That's Country Music, Rock Chronicles, My Top Ten, and History of Rock 'n Roll. It also contains materials from various specials including programs on Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, and the Rolling Stones.
The collection consists primarily of audio tapes of two radio programs produced by Bailey Broadcasting Services: The Hip Hop Countdown & Report (1991-1998) and RadioScope: The Entertainment Magazine of the Air (1990-1996). Press releases for RadioScope broadcasts are also included.
Scrapbook, press materials, and recordings documenting Tillery's career as lead singer for the Los Angeles rock band The Loading Zone, as well as her work with the Cultural Heritage Choir and other groups.
The collection of music industry professional Logan H. Westbrooks contains professional and personal papers, photographs, sound recordings, video recordings, digital files, posters, books, memorabilia, artifacts and other material documenting his life and work from the 1930s through the 2010s. Professional papers pertain to his employment at Capitol Records, Mercury Records, CBS Records, CBS International, Soul Train Records, Source Records, and his management firm Ascent Music Inc. Personal papers pertain to his upbringing in Memphis, TN, the Church of God in Christ, lectures at California State University and Indiana University, philanthropic activities, and civic service. Topics include African American music industry executives; record labels; recording industry in United States, Africa, and Jamaica; African American musicians; black churches; rhythm and blues, soul, jazz, and funk music; radio and African American disc jockeys.
Music promoter Mark del Costello has assembled archival footage of black performers, as well as souvenir programs, posters, and photographs related to shows he has produced.
The collection consists primarily of materials collected during research for Mahon's book Right to Rock: The Black Rock Coalition and the Cultural Politics of Race (Duke University Press, 2004). Includes photographs, promotional postcards and fliers, posters, newspaper clippings, concert programs, and ephemera. Audiovisual media includes commercial CDs and audiocassettes, and videocassettes with television and live performance clips.
A collection of 26 photos copied from the personal collection of Michael Graham for use by Portia K. Maultsby and the Smithsonian Institution for the 1986 symposium and accompanying booklet and exhibition, Rhythm and Blues, 1945-1955.
A collection of Michael Jackson commemorative publications assembled by staff.
Collection includes audiocassette recordings of interviews about Ray Charles for Lydon's book Ray Charles : Man and Music (2004), a radio series about Ray Charles based on Lydon's book, complete or partial transcripts for many of the interviews organized loosely into book chapters, interviews with and about other African American musicians, class lectures given by Lydon at Indiana University and related publicity materials, and original music performed by Lydon.
The Michael McAlpin Collection consists primarily of print materials used in the production of the PBS television documentary Record Row: the Cradle of Rhythm and Blues. Included are production materials and interview transcripts created during Dr. Portia Maultsby's collaboration on the project as AAAMC director as well as VHS tapes of the rough cut, final broadcast version, and local coverage of the documentary.
The Michael Nixon collection is comprised of papers relating to his entertainment company, various collected magazines with subjects pertaining to hip hop, RnB, and black culture. The collection also has photographs depicting his life and career as a management executive.
A collection of commercial compact discs, audio cassettes, videotapes, LPs, and books on rap music and hip hop culture. Also included is a copy of White's MA thesis, "The High Fidelity Turntable System and the Creation of Hip Hop Music" (Univ. of Washington, 1996), supplemented by video footage of DJs demonstrating turntable techniques.
The complete catalog of Mr. R&B Records, a reissue label based in Sweden, including nearly 200 LPs of blues, rhythm and blues, jazz, and gospel music from the 1930s through the 1960s.
Magazines and articles collected by Murray Forman during research for his book, The 'Hood Comes First: Race, Space, and Place in Rap and Hip-Hop (Wesleyan University, 2002).
The collection consists primarily of materials collected during research for Nelson George's book Where Did Our Love Go?: The Rise and Fall of the Motown Sound (St. Martin's Press, 1985). This includes interviews (audiocassettes and transcripts), photographs, newspaper clippings, magazines, photocopies of legal documents, manuscripts, and correspondence.
This collection includes press clippings, publicity materials, photographs, programs, CDs, and audio and video documenting Patrice Rushen's lectures and performance at Indiana University in April 1997.
Selection of DVDs documenting the Indianapolis television series "Hit Makers Showcase," a local talent show produced by Middlebrook that aired from 1983-1989. Also includes a DVD with a performance by the Indianapolis group The PHDs, and the CD Old School Songs of Love by Middlebrook.
Personal papers, audio and video recordings, posters, costumes and memorabilia documenting the career of the country soul singer-songwriter.
The Phyl Garland Collection consists primarily of personal papers, including original typescripts for Garland's columns in Ebony and Stereo Review, and related research and photographs. Also included are 41 original audiocassette recordings of interviews conducted by Garland (except as noted) primarily with various African American musicians, artists, and filmmakers. Topics include African American composers and musicians as well as various genres of music including, but not limited to, jazz, R&B, soul, rock, classical, and blues. Record company publicity materials include publicity photos and press releases for over 900 artists.
This collection consists of documentation and one-on-one interviews from the AAAMC's two-day conference on Black rock hosted on the Indiana University-Bloomington campus on November 13-14, 2009. The conference and related activities were open to local and regional musicians, scholars, students, and brought together Black rock musicians from different generations and regions with music critics and scholars to discuss the socio-political history, musical developments, and the future of Black rock.
A collection of SOUL and Soul Illustrated magazines published in Los Angeles from 1966-1982.
Materials compiled during the production of the Rhythm & Blues Foundation's Let the Good Times Roll, a series of hour-long radio programs hosted by Jerry "The Iceman" Butler and distributed by National Public Radio. Included are photographs, transcripts of interviews with various musicians featured on the shows, publicity materials, and a complete set of the radio programs on compact disc.
The collection consists of research materials, including press releases, newspaper and magazine clippings, and interviews related to Sarig's book Third Coast: OutKast, Timbaland, and How Hip-Hop Became a Southern Thing (Da Capo Press, 2007). The collection documents Southern hip hop ranging from Houston to Miami to Virginia Beach, and focuses on key artists in each state.
This collection consists primarily of interviews conducted by AAAMC assistant director Stephanie Shonekan and director Portia K. Maultsby for the exhibit, Something in the Water : The Sweet Flavor of Dayton Funk, hosted by the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center in Wilberforce, Ohio. The exhibit was organized by NAAMCC curator Michael Sampson and Portia K. Maultsby with consultation by Ricky Vincent and was on display from October 3, 1998 through February through February 1999.
The collection consists primarily of interviews conducted by AAAMC Project Manager Jason Housley for the 2005-2006 Indiana Historical Society Exhibit, "Soul and Funk: The Naptown Sound," as well as related production materials and photographs.
Selection of 45rpm singles issued in the 1960s-1980s on record labels owned by Stan Lewis in Shreveport, Louisiana. Includes rhythm and blues, blues, and gospel music on Jewel Records and Stan's Record Division subsidiary labels Ronn Records, Paula Records, Susie Q Records, and Head.
Collection of recorded performances and interviews with blues musicians conducted from 1995-1998 in Bloomington, Indianapolis, and Chicago that were utilized in Oehler's dissertation, "Aesthetics and Meaning in Professional Blues Performances: An Ethnographic Examination of an African American Music in intercultural Context" (Indiana University, 2001). Also included are several tapes recorded in Ghana in 1995 that document Ghanaian performing arts.
Draper's collection documents the career of an African American music executive and covers his tenures at RCA Records and Warner Bros. Records.
Books and videos documenting black music in Los Angeles.
Over 200 radio programs on black popular music from the 1970s and 1980s produced by Karen Shearer Productions for Westwood One. The programs include narration, interviews and recordings by artists such as the O'Jays, Tina Turner, Bobby Bland, Curtis Mayfield, Natalie Cole, B. B. King, Little Richard, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Earth, Wind & Fire, Kool & the Gang, War, Patti LaBelle, the Staple Singers, the Spinners, Isaac Hayes, Diana Ross, the Jacksons, Peabo Bryson, the Commodores, Ashford & Simpson, Larry Graham, Isley Brothers, Barry White, George Benson, Aretha Franklin, the Pointer Sisters, Patrice Rushen, the Dells, Al Green, the Chi-Lites, Parliament-Funkadelic, Deniece Williams, the Ohio Players, Jerry Butler, Johnnie Taylor, the Four Tops, Teddy Pendergrass, Herbie Hancock, Booker T. and the MGs, Quincy Jones, the Temptations, Donna Summer, Zapp, and Luther Vandross. Transcriptions are available for some interviews and programs. This collection is jointly held with the Archives of Traditional Music at Indiana University.
Personal papers related primarily to Black radio, including press clippings, published and unpublished articles, and other research materials used by Barlow for his monograph Voice Over: The Making of Black Radio (Temple University Press, 1999). Also included are Barlow's interviews with various blues artists and some recorded performances, collected during the course of research for his book "Looking Up at Down": The Emergence of Blues Culture (Temple University Press, 1989).
This collection documents the activities of Dr. Winona Fletcher as Producing Director of the Indiana University Afro-American Arts Institute's 1986 revival of the Federal Theatre Project's 1939 production Prelude to Swing, entitled Prelude to Swing +50.