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Collection Overview
| Size | 40.0 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 17,000 items) |
| Abstract | Eugene Earle was born in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, in 1926. In addition to amassing a large collection of country and western, blues, and jazz sound recordings, he also became a discographer and a founder and president of the John Edwards Memorial Foundation (JEMF). Earle is also responsible for rediscovering and recording a number of country musicians, including Doc Watson, Jimmie Tarlton, and the Carolina Tarheels. The collection consists of recordings, films, images, and papers collected by Eugene Earle. The recordings consists of commercial and non-commercial transcription discs, audiocassettes, and open reel recordings documenting a wide array of radio programs and performers of blues, country music, jazz, old-time music, popular music, swing, and other types of music from 1939 through the early 1980s. One series of the collection is government-sponsored Army V-Discs and Navy V-Discs from World War II. These discs were issued, October 1943-May 1949, and feature material from a variety of sources, including special recording sessions, radio broadcasts, broadcast rehearsals, film soundtracks, and issued and unissued commercial recordings. Along with the Armed Forces Radio Service, the V-Disc group was a morale-building unit that addressed the need for current music by the troops overseas. As V-Discs were produced exclusively for use by military personnel and the many artists who volunteered to perform on the recordings were adamant about the discs not being commercially sold or used, many of the V-Disc metal pressing parts were destroyed by the United States Army. Consequently, the V-Discs that survived document performances by artists unavailable on any other recordings. Other transcription discs are of the Ralph Emery Show, which aired on WSM radio in Nashville, Tenn., 1971-1974, and showcased some of the leading country music performers of the day; the Lawrence Welk Show; and various government-sponsored radio shows, such as Country Roads, Navy Hoedown, Sounds of Solid Country, The Veterans Administration Presents Here's to Veterans, The United States Army Presents Country Express, The United States Air Force Presents Country Music Time, and Country Cookin'. Another series is comprised of open reel recordings, some documenting live performances of old time, country, and bluegrass musicians. They also include several private interviews with musicians. Other open reel recordings are dubbed copies of rare 78 rpm recordings, unreleased test recordings of early country and blues musicians, and transcription discs. There are also posters, audiocassettes, films, printed music, images, serials, papers relating to Earle's discographical and collecting activities, and promotional materials. Posters include full-sheet posters, half-sheet posters, and lobby cards for commercial feature-length motion pictures featuring country and western recording stars from the 1930s to the 1960s. Audiocassettes include commercial and non-commercial recordings of many early country, jazz, and Hawaiian musicians. Films consist of 16mm reels of early country and western artists and other topics. Printed music includes a number of song folios and sheet music, largely focused on Hawaiian and early country and western music, with a significant number of pre-1930 song sheets. Images consist of photographs, collectors' cards, and other images of country and western musicians and related subjects. Serials consist of journals and other publications pertaining to individual musicians, early radio stations, record collecting in general, fan clubs, and other topics. Papers relating to Earle's discographical and collecting activities include discographical research, tape logs, correspondence with record companies and other collectors, materials related to the John Edwards Memorial Foundation, record label catalogs, and extensive documentation of Earle's own vast record and research collection. Promotional materials include small flyers, picture cards, and other materials for commercial feature-length motion pictures featuring country and western recording stars from the 1930s to the 1960s. Performers significant in the collection appear as subject headings below. |
| Creator | Earle, Eugene. |
| Language | English German Norwegian Japanese |
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Information For Users
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Subject Headings
The following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.
Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.
These and related materials may be found under the following headings in online catalogs.
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Related Collections
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Biographical
Information
Eugene Earle was born in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, on 2 November 1926. Earle's interest in country music began at age eleven. In addition to amassing a large collection of country and western, blues, and jazz sound recordings, he also became a dedicated discographer, as well as a founder and president of the John Edwards Memorial Foundation (JEMF).
During the mid-1950s, Earle began corresponding with other collectors and became acquainted with John Edwards of Australia. Edwards, one of the first collectors of early American country music and a pioneer of discographical research, encouraged Earle to begin his own research. This advice led Earle to create the first of many discographies related to American folk music, and a friendship was forged between the two collectors. After a fatal 1960 car accident that ended Edwards's life, his will provided that Earle be made executor of his collection and that it be housed in the United States.
With the help of Archie Green, Eugene Earle donated Edwards's collection to establish the John Edwards Memorial Foundation (JEMF), which aimed at furthering the study of American folk music of the 1920s-1940s. In addition to founding the JEMF, avid collecting, and extensive discographical research, Earle is also responsible for rediscovering and recording a number of country musicians, including Doc Watson, Jimmie Tarlton, and the Carolina Tarheels.
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Scope and Content
The Eugene Earle Collection consists of commercial and non-commercial transcription discs documenting a wide array of radio programs and individual performers from 1939 through the early 1980s. A significant portion of the collection consists of Army V-Discs and Navy V-Discs from World War II. Other transcriptions include the Ralph Emery Show; the Lawrence Welk Show; and various government-sponsored radio shows, such as Country Roads, Navy Hoedown, Sounds of Solid Country, Here's to Veterans, Country Music Time, Country Cookin', and Country Express.
Government-sponsored V-Discs were issued from October 1943 to May 1949 and feature material from a variety of sources, including special recording sessions, radio broadcasts, broadcast rehearsals, film soundtracks, and both issued and unissued commercial recordings. Along with the Armed Forces Radio Service, the V-Disc group was a morale-building unit that addressed a need for current music by the troops overseas. As V-Discs were produced exclusively for use by military personnel and the many artists who volunteered to perform on the recordings were adamant about the discs not being commercially sold or used, many of the V-Disc metal pressing parts were destroyed by the United States Army. Consequently, the V-Discs that survived document performances by artists unavailable on any other recordings. Performers include Roy Acuff, the Andrew Sisters, Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway, Count Basie, Roy Eldridge, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Lionel Hampton, Coleman Hawkins, Billie Holiday, Louis Jordan, Jimmie Lunceford, Roy Rogers, Hazel Scott, Artie Shaw, Muggsy Spanier, Art Tatum, Fats Waller, and others.
The Ralph Emery Show aired on WSM radio in Nashville, Tenn., 1971-1974, and showcased some of the leading performers in country music during that time. Performers include Chet Atkins, Gene Autry, Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Ferlin Husky, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, Loretta Lynn, Rose Maddox, Willie Nelson, Buck Owens, Dolly Parton, Johnny Paycheck, Charley Pride, Hank Thompson, Johnny Tillotson, Conway Twitty, Hank Williams Jr., Tammy Wynette, Faron Young, and others.
Many of the same performers represented in the Ralph Emery Show appear in Country Roads, Navy Hoedown, Sounds of Solid Country, and the Lawrence Welk Show. Additional performers include Patsy Cline, John Denver, Lefty Frizzell, Larry Gatlin, Emmylou Harris, Pee Wee King, Patti Page, Lou Rawls, Kenny Rogers, Hank Snow, Ernest Tubb, and Kitty Wells.
Miscellaneous transcriptions represent radio programs such as Forward in Faith: Radio Voice of the Church of God; Armed Forces Records; Show of the Month: Treasury Department, U.S. Savings and Bonds Division ; Country Cookin'; Christmas Seal Campaign 1976 ; The Veterans Administration Presents "Here's to Veterans" ; The United States Army Presents Country Express; and The United States Air Force Presents Country Music Time. Additional performers include Les Baxter and His Orchestra, Pat Boone, Ruth Brown, Xavier Cugat, Anita Kerr, Eartha Kitt, Ella Mae Morse, the Ray Charles Singers, and others.
Open reel recordings document live performances by old time, country, Hawaiian, and bluegrass musicians. They also include several private interviews with musicians. Other open reel recordings are dubbed copies of rare 78 rpm recordings, unreleased test recordings of early country and blues musicians, and transcription discs.
The collection also includes posters, audiocassettes, films, printed music, images, serials, papers relating to Earle's discographical and collecting activities, promotional materials, and record label catalogs. The posters include full-sheet posters, half-sheet posters, and lobby cards for commercial feature-length motion pictures featuring country and western recording stars from the 1930s to the 1960s. The audiocassettes include commercial and non-commercial recordings of many early country, jazz, and Hawaiian musicians. The films consist of 16mm reels of early country and western artists and other topics. The printed music includes a number of song folios and sheet music; these are largely focused on Hawaiian and early country and western music. There are a significant number of song sheets from pre-1930 as well.
The images consist of photographs, collectors' cards, and other images of Hawaiian and country musicians and related subjects. The serials consist of journals and other publications pertaining to individual musicians, early radio stations, record collecting in general, fan club publications, and other topics. The papers consist of a variety of materials pertaining to Earle's discographical and collecting activities. These include discographical research, tape logs, correspondence with record companies and other collectors, materials related to the John Edwards Memorial Foundation, and extensive documentation of Earle's own vast record and research collection. Promotional materials include small flyers, picture cards, and other materials.The record label catalogs include catalogs issued by various record labels including Bluebird, Brunswick, Edison, Philips, Victor, and others, mostly from the 1920s through the 1950s.
Also included is a small collection of promotional materials (full-sheet posters, half-sheet posters and lobby cards) for commercial feature-length motion pictures featuring country and western recording stars from the 1930s to the 1960s, including Roy Acuff, Jimmie Davis, Ernest Tubb and Gene Autry.
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Series Quick Links
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Series 1. Army V-Discs, 1943-1949.
Arrangement: Chronological by issue number.
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Series 2. Navy V-Discs, 1944-1945.
Arrangement: Chronological by issue number.
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Series 3. Ralph Emery Show, 1971-1974.
Arrangement: Chronological.