Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections

Dyer-Bennet audiorecordings, 1955-1971

Summary

Collection ID:
CFCH.DYER
Creators:
Dyer-Bennet Records
Dyer-Bennet, Richard
Cort, Harvey
Dates:
1955-1971
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
1.36 Cubic feet
business records, audiotapes, phonograph records
Repository:
The Dyer-Bennet audiorecordings, which date from 1955-1974, consist of phonograph records and master audiotapes from Dyer-Bennet Records. The collection also includes a small amount of business records relating to the production of those albums.

Biographical/Historical note

Biographical/Historical note
English-born Richard Dyer-Bennet (1913-1991) was a major figure in the American folk music revival of the 1940s-1970s. He performed English ballads and European and American folk songs, blending indigenous rural and traditional materials with a unique musicality and urban artistry. In 1955, Dyer-Bennet founded his own record company in partnership with Harvey Cort. The objective of the new company was to ensure that Dyer-Bennet's recordings would truly reproduce his voice and guitar as they sounded in live performance, and that the songs on each record would be grouped as on his concert programs. Dyer-Bennet Records were released to high critical acclaim. All fifteen albums in the collection were acquired for pressing and distribution by the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage in 1995.

Administration

Author
Stephanie Smith
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by the Dyer-Bennet family.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access note
Access by appointment only. Contact the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections at (202) 633-7322 for additional information.
Conditions Governing Use note
Copyright restrictions apply. Contact archives staff for additional information.
Preferred Citation note
Dyer-Bennet audiorecordings, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collection, Smithsonian Institution.

More Information

Shared Stewardship of Collections

Shared Stewardship of Collections
The Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage acknowledges and respects the right of artists, performers, Folklife Festival participants, community-based scholars, and knowledge-keepers to collaboratively steward representations of themselves and their intangible cultural heritage in media produced, curated, and distributed by the Center. Making this collection accessible to the public is an ongoing process grounded in the Center's commitment to connecting living people and cultures to the materials this collection represents. To view the Center's full shared stewardship policy, which defines our protocols for addressing collections-related inquiries and concerns, please visit https://doi.org/10.25573/data.21771155.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Popular music -- 20th century -- United States Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ballads Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Phonograph records Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Audiotapes Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Folk music -- United States Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Business records Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Folk songs -- United States Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Dyer-Bennet Records Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
600 Maryland Ave SW
Washington, D.C.
Business Number: Phone: 202-633-6440
Fax Number: Fax: 202-633-6474
rinzlerarchives@si.edu