Eugene Earle Collection, 1939-1980s
Title:
Eugene Earle Collection, 1939-1980s
Eugene Earle was born in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, in 1926. In addition to amassing a large collection of country and western, blues, and jazz sound recordings, he also became a discographer and a founder and president of the John Edwards Memorial Foundation (JEMF). Earle is also responsible for rediscovering and recording a number of country musicians, including Doc Watson, Jimmie Tarlton, and the Carolina Tarheels. The collection consists of recordings, films, images, and papers collected by Eugene Earle. The recordings consists of commercial and non-commercial transcription discs, audiocassettes, and open reel recordings documenting a wide array of radio programs and performers of blues, country music,jazz, old-time music, popular music, swing, and other types of music from 1939through the early 1980s. One series of the collection is government-sponsored Army V-Discs and Navy V-Discs from World War II. These discs were issued, October1943-May 1949, and feature material from a variety of sources, including special recording sessions, radio broadcasts, broadcast rehearsals, film soundtracks, and issued and un-issued commercial recordings. Along with the Armed Forces Radio Service, the V-Disc group was a morale-building unit that addressed the need for current music by the troops overseas. As V-Discs were produced exclusively for use by military personnel and the many artists who volunteered to perform on the recordings were adamant about the discs not being commercially sold or used, many of the V-Disc metal pressing parts were destroyed by the United States Army.Consequently, the V-Discs that survived document performances by artists unavailable on any other recordings. Other transcription discs are of the which aired on WSM radio in Nashville, Tenn.,1971-1974, and showcased some of the leading country music performers of the day;the ; and various government-sponsored radio shows, such as and Another series is comprised of open reel recordings, some documenting live performances of old time, country, and bluegrass musicians. They also include several private interviews with musicians. Other open reel recordings are dubbed copies of rare 78 rpm recordings, unreleased test recordings of early country and blues musicians, and transcription discs. There are also posters, audiocassettes, films, printed music,images, serials, papers relating to Earle's discographical and collecting activities, and promotional materials. Posters include full-sheet posters,half-sheet posters, and lobby cards for commercial feature-length motion pictures featuring country and western recording stars from the 1930s to the 1960s. Audiocassettes include commercial and non-commercial recordings of many early country, jazz, and Hawaiian musicians. Films consist of 16mm reels of early country and western artists and other topics. Printed music includes a number of song folios and sheet music, largely focused on Hawaiian and early country and western music,with a significant number of pre-1930 song sheets. Images consist of photographs,collectors' cards, and other images of country and western musicians and related subjects. Serials consist of journals and other publications pertaining to individual musicians, early radio stations, record collecting in general, fan clubs,and other topics. Papers relating to Earle's discographical and collecting activities include discographical research, tape logs, correspondence with record companies and other collectors, materials related to the John Edwards Memorial Foundation, record label catalogs, and extensive documentation of Earle's own vast record and research collection. Promotional materials include small flyers, picture cards, and other materials for commercial feature-length motion pictures featuring country and western recording stars from the 1930s to the 1960s. Performers significant in the collection appear as subject headings below. Ralph Emery Show, Lawrence Welk Show Country Roads, Navy Hoedown, Sounds of Solid Country, The Veterans Administration Presents Here's to Veterans, The United States Army Presents Country Express, The United States Air Force Presents Country Music Time, Country Cookin'.
ArchivalResource:
40.0 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 17,000 items)
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