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Category: Jukebox

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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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They Start the Victrola and Go Dancing Around

Posted by: Library of Congress

They Start the Victrola by Billy Murray This post was written by Recorded Sound Reference Specialist David Sager Recorded dance music needs no introduction, it has been a staple of the recording industry for decades. Whether techno, disco, rockabilly, or ballroom – records are for dancing! When Billy Murray described the dancers on the recording …

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Celebrating Graduation with “The Graduate” and “Pomp and Circumstance”

Posted by: Stacie Seifrit-Griffin

With graduation season in full swing, there is no better time to share the Library’s collection and the song, “Pomp and Circumstance.” And if you’re thinking about films, “The Graduate” is just one related to graduation and coming of age that has been added to the National Film Registry. If you don’t know “Pomp and …

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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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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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Exploring Poetry through Moving Image and Recorded Sound

Posted by: Karen Fishman

In addition to celebrating jazz music, April is also designated National Poetry Month! This month-long celebration has been organized by the Academy of American Poets since 1996 to spread awareness about and encourage appreciation of poetry. National Poetry Month has grown into a worldwide event that encourages reading, writing, and sharing poetry, as well as recognizing …

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Jazz Appreciation in Moving Images and Recorded Sound

Posted by: Karen Fishman

April is Jazz Appreciation Month! The Smithsonian National Museum of American History began this month-long celebration in 2001 to encourage people to listen to, read about, and play jazz music. Unsurprisingly, jazz is well-represented in the Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division at the Library of Congress, from commercial recordings to film and more. …

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Jazz Appreciation in Moving Image and Recorded Sound

Posted by: Amanda Jenkins

April is Jazz Appreciation Month! The Smithsonian National Museum of American History began this month-long celebration in 2001 to encourage people to listen to, read about, and play jazz music. Unsurprisingly, jazz is well-represented in the Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division at the Library of Congress, from commercial recordings to film and more. …