In 1969, the Recording Industry Association of America offered to donate a collection of recordings to the White House “reflecting the wide range of American interest in recorded music, as well as drama, prose and poetry” (White House Historical Association, 1973). This donation resulted in the White House Record Library, a collection of approximately 2,000 …
The following is a guest post by Harrison Behl, Reference Librarian at the Library of Congress’ Recorded Sound Research Room. One of the consistent joys of reference work is fielding a question that opens a new avenue into a subject and then tracing a lead through our collections. The scale of our holdings in the …
Not surprisingly, Jerry Lee Lewis (who passed away last month at age 87) was a very early addition to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry. For his song “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” recorded in 1957 and added to the NRR in 2005, author Joe Bonomo wrote for the LC the following essay on/tribute …
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 …
Even if you have been to the Recorded Sound Research Center of the Library of Congress in person, most of you never met Larry Miller, a longtime staff member of the section who died suddenly on September 26th. But if you have used the Library’s recorded sound holdings in some way, whether as a researcher …
Since the start of her own illustrious career as a singer and songwriter, Grammy-winner Shawn Colvin has noted the important role that Joni Mitchell has played in inspiring and influencing her. Back in 2007, the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry welcomed Mitchell’s 1972 album “For the Roses” to its esteemed ranks. Knowing of Ms. …
Last month, we were saddened to learn of the passing of Adam Wade. While his name may not be top-of-mind, his career is certainly one to be celebrated. Wade was a singer, musician, actor, and the first Black American to host a nationally-televised game show. The Library of Congress National Audio-Video Conservation Center hosts a …
The following post is by David Sager of the Library of Congress’ Recorded Sound Division. During the early 1900s, the act of making a phonograph record was an uncomfortable proposition. For one thing, efficient positioning before the recording horn required as much attention as the performance itself. Performers had the additional concern of needing to …
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 …
