The Jay Anania Collection includes two audio recordings of music and interviews from South Carolinian blues musicians Arthur Jackson - better known as Peg Leg Sam - and Henry Johnson. Subjects include medicine shows, freight trains, and playing guitar. Anania made the recordings while an undergraduate student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in collaboration with Bruce Bastin.
Bruce Bastin collection, 1899-2001
Bruce Bastin is a folklorist, author and the managing director of Interstate Music. He has written multiple books on Piedmont blues music. His collection consists of production masters from Interstate Music, reference sound recordings, and sound recordings related to his book on popular American music. Researchers may be interested in the audio recordings of John Lee Hooker (FS-201), Mississippi John Hurt (FS-216), and Reverend Gary Davis (FT-641).
Roy Book Binder and Larry Johnson Recording, 1971
This collection consists of one audio recording featuring Roy Book Binder and Larry Johnson, both of whom are east coast blues singers. Book Binder was heavily influenced by Reverend Gary Davis and Pink Anderson, iconic Piedmont blues musicians. Johnson, a renowned fingerpicking guitarist, found inspiration in the music of Blind Boy Fuller and Reverend Gary Davis. This recording includes songs such as “Weeping Willow Blues,” “Bad Dream Blues,” and “Delia,” among others.
Phil Blank Journals, 2008-2012
This is a small collection consisting of journal entries by local musician and librarian Phil Blank. The fourth folder in the collection contains images of blues musicians.
Cecelia Conway collection, 1974 March 22
This collection contains recordings of Dump Fairo and Jasper “Jack” Minor, bluesmen from Orange County, N.C. The men sing and discuss early musical experiences.
Charlotte Folk Music Society Collection, 1982-1986
The Charlotte Folk Music Society Collection contains audio recordings of radio series created and compiled by radio host Tom Hanchett. Specifically, the collection contains recordings of “The Blues Show,” a radio program that introduced listeners to blues music through subjects such as the Piedmont blues, Blind Boy Fuller, and Reverend Gary Davis.
Elizabeth Cotten Folklife section collection, 1978
This collection contains a documentary recording of the Piedmont stage at the North Carolina Folklife Festival, including footage of iconic fingerpicking guitarist and blueswoman Elizabeth Cotten.
Kenny Dalsheimer Collection, 1997-1999
This collection contains transcripts and videotapes made by documentarian Kenny Dalsheimer from his research for the film Shine On: Richard Trice and the Bull City Blues. Richard Trice is a blues musician from Durham, N.C. The videotapes include interviews, trips to where he lived, worked, and performed as well as footage of a performance.
Timothy Duffy Collection, 1969-2018
Timothy Duffy is the founder of Music Maker Foundation (MMF), an organization that supports traditional southern music and the people who create it. This collection contains materials pertaining to MMF, such as artist files, CD liner proofs, correspondence, photographs, posters, audiovisual materials, as well as his student papers. The collection also includes audiovisual items including sound recordings of blues artists such as Etta Baker, James “Guitar Slim” Stephens, Guitar Gabriel, and Taj Mahal, among others.
Joe Halby collection on Thomas Burt, 1986-1987
Joe Halby compiled photographs, audiocassettes, and accompanying documentation regarding the performances of Thomas Burt in Durham, N.C. between 1986 and 1987.
Glenn Hinson Collection, 1977-2004
This collection contains photographs, recordings, and promotional posters compiled by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill anthropology professor Glenn Hinson. Researchers may be particularly interested in the audio recordings of local bluesmen Thomas Burt (FT-2844) and James “Guitar Slim” Stephens (FT-6200).
Kip Lornell Collection, 1932-1976
This collection contains field tapes, including interviews and performances, primarily of blues musicians from North Carolina, recorded by Kip Lornell while he was a graduate student at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Many of the recordings have been digitized, and are available to listen to online.
Peter B. Lowry Collection, 1969-1987
This is a large collection of field recordings, studio recordings, interviews and related materials mostly pertaining to the Piedmont blues compiled by folklorist, record producer, and ethnomusicologist Peter B. Lowry. Field recordings include medicine shows and harmonica music. Notable Piedmont blues musicians featured in the collection include Pink Anderson (FT-16689), Floyd "Dipper" Council (FT-16615), Honeyboy Edwards (FT-16809), Peg Leg Sam (FT-16616), Homesick James (FT-16805), Eddie Kirkland (FT-16628), Robert Jr. Lockwood (FT-16775), Dink Roberts (FT-16799), Guitar Shorty (FT-16701), Richard Trice (FT-16648), and Willie Trice (FT-16797).
Susan Massengale Collection, 1987-1995
The Susan Massengale Collection contains videotapes and documentation from productions affiliated with Susan Massengale, who produced and directed documentaries. Researchers may find the materials pertaining to blues music in the Carolinas of particular interest.
Brownie McGhee archive collection, 1987
This collection contains one audio recording of Brownie McGhee, a Durham, N.C.-based guitarist and singer.
North Carolina Folklore Broadcast Collection, 1976
The North Carolina Folklore Broadcast Collection consists of mostly audio recordings from 1976, created as part of a National Endowment for the Arts-funded grant project done by University of North Carolina Curriculum of Folklore graduate students and faculty. Relevant subjects include Durham blues and Piedmont blues.
Sounds of the South Radio Collection, 1991-1994
The Sounds of the South Radio Collection consists of audio recordings from the “Sounds of the South” radio series that aired from 1991 to 1994. Topical themes include women blues singers, the local music scene, music from the Carolina coast, and Durham blues, among others.
Charles White and David Rhees collection, 1972
The Charles White and David Rhees collection contains one audio recording of Peg Leg Sam, born Arthur Jackson, a harmonica player, singer, and medicine show entertainer from South Carolina and Elester Anderson, a North Carolinian blues guitarist.
Cecelia Conway and Elva Bishop Video Recording of Etta Baker, 1986
This collection consists of one audio recording titled “One Dime Blues: Ms. Etta Baker at Home” of local Piedmont blues guitarist Etta Baker, recorded by Cecelia Conway and Elva Bishop. In the recording Etta Baker plays banjo and finger-style guitar.
78 RPM Recordings
If you're interested in listening to archival physical materials, you can browse UNC's vast collection of 78 RPM recordings by searching here.
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