Today, on the anniversary of Booker T. Washington’s historic Atlantic speech, we look back at the recording Washington made of it in 1908, so that his words would not be lost to history. Professor Jacqueline M. Moore does the honors for the recording added to the National Registry in 2002. Booker T. Washington’s 1895 Address […]
Sixty-two years ago today, a group of talented singers gathered in Fyffe, Alabama, to recording a remarkable, one of a kind album utilizing “shape-note singing.” The Library’s own Matt Barton examines the resulting recording that was named to the Library’s National Registry in 2010. “If you don’t like it [Sacred Harp singing] you had better […]
As the great Bob Newhart turns 91 today, the Library of Congress, with the assistance of Professor Wayne Federman, looks back at his seminal, star-making album “The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart,” released in 1960 and added to the Library’s National Recording Registry in 2006. “The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart” is one of the most […]
“Tiger Rag” by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band was added to the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress in its inaugural year of 2002. In this essay, author Tim Gracyk explains why. Few tunes have been recorded as often as “Tiger Rag.” It is one of the earliest jazz tunes to evolve into […]
The very first recording of the human voice (added to the Library’s National Registry in 2010) may not be what you think it is. But here scholar David Giovannoni looks back at this momentous technological–and cultural–breakthrough. Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville invented sound recording when he conceived of a machine that would do for the ear […]
As the world mourns the passing of Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones, the Library of Congress, with the assistance of music historian Dan LeRoy, looks back at when “The World’s Greatest Rock Band” gave the world “Satisfaction.” (A recording added to the Library’s National Recording Registry in 2006.) Not long before his untimely death […]
An Evening with Don Everly February 1, 1937 – August 21, 2021 It is truly the end of an era with the passing of the talented, charming and iconic Don Everly. The influence The Everly Brothers have had on so many musicians and genres of music is immeasurable. Don and his brother, Phil, […]
This week brings great sadness to rock fans everywhere and especially to those of us who work with the National Recording Registry. On Saturday August 21, Don Everly passed away at the age of 84, and today Rolling Stones’ drummer Charlie Watts joined him. Both The Everly Brothers and Rolling Stones are honored in the […]
Are you in the mood for some jazz on a summer’s day? Added to the Library’s National Recording Registry in 2006, Jelly Roll Morton’s “Black Bottom Stomp” is recalled in this essay by Burton Peretti. Jelly Roll Morton Few recording projects have had as great an impact on the evolution of jazz as this set […]
Today is Steve Martin’s birthday! As we wish Steve a happy day, comedy historian Kilph Nesteroff recalls Martin’s breakthrough comedy album that was added to the Library’s National Recording Registry in 2004. It was only audio, but it conjured up images of a man in an all-white suit. It was just a record, something you […]