Manuscripts Department
Library of the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill
SOUTHERN FOLKLIFE COLLECTION
#20000
JOHN EDWARDS PAPERS
Inventory
Abstract: Correspondence, discographies, writings, and other
materials of John Edwards (1932-1960), of Sydney, Australia, one
of the first collectors of early American country music and a
pioneering discographer of this music. Nearly all the material
relates to Edwards's collection of about 2,500 rare records and
tapes now housed in the Southern Folklife Collection.
Size: About 1200 items (3.0 linear feet).
Provenance: Purchased as part of the John Edwards Memorial
Collection from the University of California at Los Angeles in
March 1983 and subsequent additions.
Access: No restrictions.
Related Collections: JOHN EDWARDS MEMORIAL FOUNDATION RECORDS
(#20001)
The vertical files of the Southern
Folklife Collection contain items once
belonging to Edwards.
Copyright: Retained by the authors of items in these papers, or
their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Added Entries: 1. COUNTRY MUSIC;
2. Edwards, John, 1932-1960;
3. FOLK MUSIC;
4. FOLK-SONGS;
5. SOUND RECORDINGS.
INTRODUCTION
Biographical Note
In his short life, John Edwards (1932-1960) amassed a
valuable collection of early American folk music from his home in
Sydney, Australia.
While in his teens Edwards started listening to,
playing, and collecting what he called American "hillbilly"
music. As his collection grew in the mid-1950s, he also began
compiling professional discographies of early American country
music of the 1920s and 1930s. Edwards, along with a few others,
such as Eugene Earle, pioneered discographical research in this
field. Around 1953, he started corresponding with other record
collectors in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United
States. He continued both activities, producing a greater output
each year until he died in an automobile crash in 1960.
After he was graduated from high school, Edwards
accepted the job he would hold until his death, roster officer in
the Department of Transport. He apparently worked there chiefly
to earn money to build his collection.
Edwards had another avocation, hiking. He was a "bush
walker," and also apparently an amateur botanist and map maker.
In 1967, Mount Edwards was named in commemoration of his outdoor
work.
Collection Overview
This collection consists chiefly of letters from fellow
collectors and Edwards's record collection inventories. There
are also some letters from John Edwards, writings, legal papers,
copies of song lyrics, photographs, and material about Edwards.
Edwards was a prolific correspondent in the period 1954-1960.
The letters generally concern record finds, discographical
information, and tape or record trades.
Ever the meticulous record keeper, Edwards logged his
outgoing correspondence for 1956 and 1958. Beginning in 1958,
Edwards produced typed copies of his record collection
discographies, updating them several times annually. These
listings will help researchers determine the original holdings of
what became the John Edwards Memorial Collection.
These papers are arranged in the series and subseries
listed below:
Series 1. Correspondence
Subseries 1.1. Incoming
Subseries 1.2. Outgoing
Series 2. Material about John Edwards's Collections
Subseries 2.1. Inventories and Lists
Subseries 2.2. Other Material
Series 3. Other Papers
Subseries 3.1. Works by John Edwards
Subseries 3.2. Song Lyrics Copied by John Edwards
Subseries 3.3. Will of John Edwards
Subseries 3.4. Items about John Edwards
Subseries 3.5. Miscellaneous Items
Series 4. Pictures
Subseries 4.1. Loose Pictures
Subseries 4.2. Picture Albums
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
Series 1. Correspondence
Correspondence between John Edwards and his early
country music-collecting colleagues, and two letters from his
mother Irene Edwards to two of these colleagues after Edwards's
death in 1960. The bulk of this series runs 1953 to 1960,
consisting chiefly of letters from John Edwards to others. The
letters chart the development of Edwards's record and tape
collections, as well as his discographical work. Edwards's chief
correspondents were Eugene Earle, Keith Christie, Jim Evans, D.
K. Wilgus, Archie Green, and Will Roy Hearne. He also
corresponded frequently with the "hillbilly" musicians he
admired. With these musicians' help, he began building his
discographical inventories. Edwards also wrote to many record
companies for discographical information.
The letters show several important developments in
collecting this type of folk music. Edwards and his friends were
the first to apply discography to "hillbilly" music. They also
used technology, taping records on reel-to-reel players in the
mid-1950s.
Edwards's collecting habits, his extraordinary energy,
and his professional approach also are revealed by the letters.
He completed his collection of Jimmie Rogers records by the late
1950s, but was still collecting his favorite group, the Carter
Family, when he died. By purchasing and trading for better
copies of records that he already had, Edwards improved his
collection in later years.
The correspondence series has been divided into two
subseries: incoming correspondence and outgoing correspondence.
Subseries 1.1. Incoming Correspondence
1950-1961. About 1100 items.
Arrangement: chronological.
Folder 1 1950
2 1951
3-4 1952
5-10 1953
11-15 1954
16-25 1955
26 1956
27-39 1957
40-48 1958
49-57 1959
58-66 1960
67 1961
68 Undated letters (six letters received
after Edwards's death were annotated
by his mother to indicate that she
acknowledged them)
69-70 Discographical listings not clearly
associated with particular letters
71 Auction and want lists not clearly
associated with particular letters
72 Address list of correspondents
73 Circulars, auction notices, and
newsletters
Subseries 1.2. Outgoing Correspondence
1955-1961. About 110 items.
Arrangement: alphabetical by last name
of correspondent.
Some of these letters are originals, apparently added
by their recipients to this collection before it arrived at the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Some are photo-
copies of originals, the whereabouts of which are unknown to the
Manuscripts Department staff. Edwards held mail auctions of
items from his collection and distributed want lists; records of
both activities are included here. Correspondent registers list
the correspondent, date, and the subject of Edwards's letters.
Folder 74 Letters to Keith Christie, 1958-1960
(photocopies)
75 Letters to David L. Crisp, 1958-1960
(photocopies)
76 Letters to John Greenway, 1956
77 Letters to Will Roy Hearn, 1955-1960
78 Letters to Willard Johnson, 1960
79 Letters to Gerald F. Mills, 1958
80 Letters to D. K. Wilgus, 1957-1958, 1961
81 Letters to miscellaneous correspondents,
1960-1961
82 Registers of outgoing correspondence,
1956, 1958
83-84 Auction and want lists of records,
undated
Series 2. Material about John Edwards's Collections
1949-1960 and undated. About 50 items.
Arrangement: chonological.
Edwards compiled typed and handwritten lists of his
record collections. It appears that in the beginning he did so
mainly for himself. After 1955, however, he sent copies out to
his collecting friends. These lists, with supplements for 1958-
1960, will give researchers a notion of the original John Edwards
Collection (which has swelled tenfold since 1960). A book list
of John Edwards's personal library also is included.
Folder 85 1949-1952, 1955
86 1957
87 1958
88 1959
89 1960
90 Miscellaneous undated lists
91 Records of tape trades and additions to
record collections, 1959 and undated
92 List of library books
Series 3. Other Papers
1949-1969 and undated. About 140 items.
Arrangement: by subseries, as noted below.
An essay, notes, and letters-to-the-editor by John
Edwards, song lyrics copied by him, a copy of Edwards's will, and
tributes to Edwards.
Subseries 3.1. Works by John Edwards
Undated. About 30 items.
Arrangement: by type of writing.
While only one essay is included here, Edwards wrote
many essays on country music that appeared in magazines such as
Hillbilly-Folk, International Discophile, Disc Collector, and
Country and Western Spotlight, from 1954 to 1960.
Folder 93 Untitled essay and notes on folk music
and ballads
94 Letters to the editor
Subseries 3.2. Song Lyrics Copied by John Edwards
1949-1953, and undated. About 100
items.
Arrangement: chronological.
As a guitar and banjo player, Edwards copied hillbilly
song lyrics and chords. He kept lyrics to songs by Jimmie
Rogers, the Carter Family, and others in notebooks and on loose
papers.
Folder 95 Four notebooks of songs copied by John
Edwards, 1947-1949, and undated
96 Songs of others copied by John Edwards
on loose sheets, some handwritten and some
typed
Subseries 3.3. Will of John Edwards
1958, 1960. 2 items
Edwards drew up his will in 1958; it provided that
Eugene Earle be made executor of his collection and that the
collection would be housed in the United States.
Folder 97 One copy of the will plus a photocopy
of a letter from Irene Edwards to Eugene
Earle, informing him of the will, 24 December
1960
Subseries 3.4. Items about John Edwards
1961-1969. 5 items.
After his death, Edwards was recognized for his record
collecting and his outdoor trail-blazing. The tributes include
an essay, a song by Jim Hulgan, and a mountain named after him.
Folder 98 The official announcement of the
naming of Mount Edwards, a photocopy
of the song "John Edwards," a copy of
Hulgan's song, and an alumni accolade
Subseries 3.5. Miscellaneous Items
ca. 1930 - ca. 1960. About 25 items.
Clippings, programs, and other items collected by
Edwards,relating to Australian and American folklore and
music.Similar items have been placed according to subject in
thevertical files of the Southern Folklife Collection.
Folder 99
Series 4. Pictures
1948-1961. About 20 items.
Arrangement: by subject.
Chiefly images of John Edwards and his bedroom. The
photographs show Edwards in informal moments such as playing his
guitar. Several photos also may give researchers some idea of
Edwards's collecting habits--they picture bins of carefully
arranged records and desk compartments stuffed with
correspondence. The photographer is unknown, although the
pictures of Edwards's room were presumably taken by a family
member.
The two photo albums contain pictures of some early
country music stars. All of the pictures appear to be reprints
of earlier photographs, and hence are of little research value.
The albums were labeled "#3" and "#5" by Edwards. The staff does
not know if other albums, i.e., #1, #2, or #4, exist.
Subseries 4.1. Loose Pictures
1948-1961. 16 items
P-20000/1-8 John Edwards, 1948-1960 (negatives on
file for photographs 1, 2, 6, and 7).
/9 John Edwards with others looking at a
Sydney, Australia, streetcar, 1958.
/10 John Edwards's parents and sister at his
gravesite, 1960.
/11 Jim Evans, 1949.
/12 John Edwards's gravestone inscription,
1960.
/13-16 John Edwards's bedroom, 1961.
Subseries 4.2. Picture Albums
1958. 2 items
PA-20000/1-2 Photograph albums of early country music
stars.
Addition of July 1993 (Acc. 93105)
Size: About 50 items.
Dates: 1950s.
Provenance: Received from Steve Hirsch in 1989 (Acc. 93105).
Description: Photocopies of letters from John Edwards to Jim
Evans. Originals are housed at the Country Music Foundation.
Filed in Box 6.
SHELF LIST
Box 1 Series 1 (folders 1-23)
2 Series 1 (folders 24-45)
3 Series 1 (folders 46-63)
4 Series 1 (folders 64-84)
5 Series 2, 3 (folders 85-99)
6 Additions
Items Separated:
Series 4. Pictures