Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Jazz and Big Band Collection

Summary

Collection ID:
NMAH.AC.1388
Creators:
Mooney, Art
Morrow, Buddy
Stacy, Jess, 1904-1995
Timbrell, Tiny, 1917-1992
Wilson, Teddy, 1912-1986
Glen Gray Band
Gabler, Milt
Fields, Shep
Dick Jurgens
James, Harry
Horace Heidt
Lombardo, Guy, 1902-1977
Kay Kyser
Duchin, Eddy, 1909-1951
Goodman, Benny (Benjamin David), 1909-1986
McIntyre, Hal, -1959
Krupa, Gene, 1909-1973
Barron, Blue, 1912-2005
Elman, Ziggy
Cohasco, Inc.
Cugat, Xavier, 1900-1990
Dates:
1930-1975
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
1.5 Cubic feet
3 boxes, 1 map folder
Repository:

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The collection consists of 235 pieces of music ephemera assembled by an anonymous California musicologist over several decades. The contents include such things as concert ticket stubs; show programs; handbills; publicity stills; record store posters; nightclub souvenirs; autographs; contracts, lobby cards; movie stills; postcards; fan and record industry magazines; sheet music; an oversize RKO theatre owners' advertising book for the 1942 sensation "Syncopation," starring Charlie Barnet, Benny Goodman, Harry James, Gene Krupa, et al; and miscellany such as matchbook covers and novelty promotional pieces. There are just a few letters in the collection. The collection contains materials representing both bands and band members, and individual artists. In many cases, there are only one or a few relevant items. Persons and acts represented include: Ray Anthony, Louis Armstrong, Charlie Barnet, Tex Beneke, Les Brown, Dave Brubeck, Cab Calloway, June Christy, Nat King Cole, Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Erroll Garner, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Goodman, Glen Gray, Fletcher Henderson, Woody Herman, Harry James, Louis Jordan, Sammy Kaye, Stan Kenton, Gene Krupa, Kay Kyser, Frankie Laine, Peggy Lee, Guy Lombardo, Vincent Lopez, Jimmy Lunceford, Gordon MacRae, Freddy Martin, Billy May, Johnny Mercer, Glenn Miller, Vaughn Monroe, Gerry Mulligan, Red Norvo, Patti Page, Buddy Rich, Artie Shaw, Dinah Shore, Frank Sinatra, Charlie Spivak, Rudy Vallee, Sarah Vaughan, Fred Waring, Chick Webb, Ted Weems, Lawrence Welk, Paul Whiteman, Margaret Whiting, and Benny Goodman. In other cases, the collection contains an item or items (such as menus) that have been autographed. The collection contains autographs or autographed items for the following: Gene Krupa, Jess Stacy, Teddy Wilson, Blue Barron, Eddie Duchin, Shep Fields, Ziggy Elman, Glen Gray Band, Milt Gabler, Horace Heidt, Dick Jurgens, Kay Kyser, Guy Lombardo, Xavier Cugat, Hal McIntyre, Art Mooney, Buddy Morrow, Harry James and "Tiny" Timbrell.

Arrangement

Arrangement
Collection is arranged into six series.
Series 1: Magazines, 1939-1950
Series 2: Programs, 1930-1975
Series 3: Publications, 1949-1965
Series 4: Sheet Music, 1935-1943
Series 5: Advertisements, 1932-1954
Series 6: Ephemera, 1938-1953

Administration

Author
Archives Center Staff
Ownership and Custodial History
Purchased at auction by the Archives Center from Cohasco, Inc. in 2016.

Digital Content


Using the Collection

Restrictions on Access
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Restrictions on Access
Collection is open for research.
Preferred Citation
Jazz and Big Band Collection, 1927-1966, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Terms Governing Use and Reproduction
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Big band music Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Contracts Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Handbills Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Jazz musicians -- United States Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Jazz Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Matchcovers Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Magazines (periodicals) Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Motion picture stills Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Menus Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Music -- 20th century Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Musicians Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Popular music Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Postcards Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Posters Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Programs -- Concerts Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Publicity photographs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sheet music Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Signatures (names) Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Tickets Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cole, Nat King, 1917-1965 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ellington, Duke, 1899-1974 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Garner, Erroll Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Getz, Stan, 1927-1991 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Mulligan, Gerry Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Norvo, Red, 1908-1999 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Page, Patti Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Rich, Buddy Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Shaw, Artie, 1910-2004 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sinatra, Frank, 1915-1998 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Shore, Dinah, 1917-1994 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Spivak, Charlie Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Vallée, Rudy, 1901-1986 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Vaughan, Sarah, 1924-1990 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Waring, Fred, 1900-1984 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Webb, Chick, 1909-1939 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Weems, Ted Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Welk, Lawrence, 1903-1992 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Whiting, Margaret Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Gillespie, Dizzy, 1917-1993 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Fitzgerald, Ella, 1917-1996 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Kaye, Sammy, 1910-1987 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Herman, Woody, 1913-1987 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Whiteman, Paul, 1890-1967 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Henderson, Fletcher, 1897-1952 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Gray, Glen, 1906-1963 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Lopez, Vincent, 1894-1975 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Lunceford, Jimmie Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Lee, Peggy Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Frankie Laine Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Kenton, Stan Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Miller, Glenn Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Monroe, Vaughn, 1911-1973 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ray McKinley Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Mercer, Johnny, 1909-1976 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
May, Billy Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
MacRae, Gordon Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Martin, Freddy, 1906-1983 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Brubeck, Dave Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Jordan, Louis, 1908-1975 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Calloway, Cab, 1907-1994 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Beneke, Tex Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Brown, Les, 1912-2001 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Anthony, Ray, 1922- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Barnet, Charlie, 1913-1991 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Dorsey, Tommy, 1905-1956 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Christy, June, 1925- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Armstrong, Louis, 1901-1971 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Archives Center, National Museum of American History
P.O. Box 37012
Suite 1100, MRC 601
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
Business Number: Phone: 202-633-3270
Fax Number: Fax: 202-786-2453
archivescenter@si.edu