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Category: Early Recording Industry

Rare Native American Wax Cylinders Find a New Generation Join us for free screenings and Q&A

Posted by: Stacie Seifrit-Griffin

When Native American filmmaker Daniel Golding came to the Library of Congress to research, listen and translate the Library's rare collection of 1890 wax cylinders featuring Passamaquoddy and Quechan songs and languages, he had no idea that the Library's preservation team had a 100-year-old surprise for him and his son.

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Good Times Are Here!: New to the National Jukebox

Posted by: Cary O’Dell

The following is a guest post by David Gibson and David Sager of the Recorded Sound Division of the Library of Congress. Since its initial launch in 2011, the National Jukebox has provided researchers the ability to stream thousands of acoustic sound recordings from the very earliest days of the commercial record industry. As the …

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Celebrating Black Performers in the New and Expanded National Jukebox!

Posted by: Cary O’Dell

This post was written by David Sager, Reference Specialist in the Recorded Sound Section. The Library of Congress National Jukebox has been updated and expanded! With a new URL, //www.loc.gov/collections/national-jukebox/about-this-collection/, and a new user-friendly player, the Jukebox is not only more flexible, but far more massive in scope, with the addition over 4,000 recordings from …

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On the Recording Registry: “The OKeh Laughing Record” (1922)

Posted by: Cary O’Dell

“The OKeh Laughing Record” original label Imported into the United States in 1922, “The OKeh Laughing Record” is one of the most unusual, (in its way) influential, and surprisingly enduring novelty records ever recorded. Actually, there is nothing overly complicated about the recording itself. On it, a solo cornetist begins a rather slow, sad, even …

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Sousa and the Talking Machine

Posted by: Karen Fishman

This blog post was written by David Sager, research assistant at the Recorded Sound Research Center. John Philip Sousa (1854-1932), the American composer and bandleader, who was known as “The March King,” was a profoundly talented and accomplished man. His musical compositions went beyond marches and included operettas, waltzes, and songs. He also wrote several …

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Newest Additions to the National Recording Registry Announced!

Posted by: Cary O’Dell

Today, the Dr. Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress, announced the 25 newest inductees to the National Recording Registry.  The selections range is date from 1920 to 2008 and cover almost every genre known to recorded sound including jazz, pop, rock, spoken word, classical, rap, children’s recordings and even disco. Some of the luminaries on …

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All Going Out and Nothing Coming In

Posted by: Karen Fishman

Today’s post is by David Sager, Research Assistant in the Recorded Sound Research Center. In observance of Black History Month, we’re highlighting a little known song by the great Bert Williams, found in the Library’s National Jukebox. Although opportunities for African American performers during the early days of the recording industry were scant, they certainly …

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LIBRARY ADDS 25 NEW TITLES TO NATIONAL RECORDING REGISTRY!

Posted by: Cary O’Dell

This morning, the Library of Congress announced the newest 25 additions to its National Recorded Sound Registry.  Marking its 17th year this year, the National Recording Registry which honors all types of recorded sound–from music to spoken word to radio broadcasts—as long as the recordings have been historically, culturally or aesthetically significant. The latest 25 takes the …