For many, it has become as much of a Thanksgiving tradition as turkey and dressing. Arlo Guthrie’s immortal recording “Alice’s Restaurant Massacre” was added to the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry in 2017. Not long after, music journalist Hank Reineke kindly wrote about it for the Library. In honor of this holiday, we share …
Like most people, we were very saddened to hear of the passing of the great Mort Sahl last week at the age of 94. About 10 years ago, Sahl’s landmark comedy album, “At Sunset” (1955), was added to the Library’s National Recording Registry. In 2017, the Library was able to sit down with Sahl to …
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BOSS! In honor of Bruce Springsteen’s birthday today, author Tyler Hayes pays tribute to Springsteen’s legendary album “Born to Run,” added to the National Registry in 2003. Two albums into his career, Bruce Springsteen’s music trajectory was not set to contain notoriety. He was on a path that would soon see …
The Library of Congress is very saddened to hear of the passing of Sarah Dash, powerhouse vocalist, true diva and onetime member of the group Labelle. Earlier this year, after Labelle’s legendary “Lady Marmalade” was added to the Library’s National Recording Registry, the LC spoke with Ms. Dash about her remarkable hit and career. Our …
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 …
“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 …
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 had on so many musicians and genres of music is immeasurable. Don and his brother, Phil, are …
