Inventory of the Ken Griffis Collection, 1930-2003

Collection Number 20386


Manuscripts Department, University Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Collection Information
Descriptive Summary
Administrative Information
Online Catalog Headings
Biographical Note
Collection Overview
Items Separated
Related Collections
Contact Information:
Manuscripts Department
CB#3926, Wilson Library
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC 27514-8890
Phone: 919/962-1345
Fax: 919/962-3594
Email: mss@email.unc.edu
URL: http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/
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Descriptive Summary

Repository
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Folklife Collection.
Creator
Griffis, Ken.
Title
Ken Griffis Collection, 1930-2003
Call Number
20386
Language of Materials
Materials in English
Extent
Items: About 950
Linear Feet: 1.0
Abstract
Ken Griffis, best known for his work on documenting the Sons of the Pioneers, an early country music group, also researched and documented an earlier group known as the Beverly Hillbillies, a music group created by Glen Rice and the first hillbilly music group to achieve widespread acclaim, beginning in 1930 on radio station KMPC Los Angeles. In its most popular configuration, the group consisted of Jimmy Baker (Elton Britt), Marjorie Bauersfield (Mirandy), Harry Blaeholder (Hank Skillet), Ashley Dees (Jad Scroggins), Aleth Hansen (Lem Giles), Leo Mannes (Zeke Manners, Zeke Craddock), Cyprian Paulette (Ezra Longnecker), and Charles Quirk (Charlie Slater, Charlie Skillet).
This collection includes music transcriptions, papers, photographic materials, and audiocassettes relating to Griffis's research documenting the Beverly Hillbillies. Music transcriptions are of songs performed by the Beverly Hillbillies. Papers include journal articles, newspaper clippings, posters and flyers, discographies, facsimiles of record albums, letters sent to the Beverly Hillbillies, transcripts of interviews Griffis conducted with members of the group, research correspondence, and research notes. Photographic materials are primarily promotional photographs of the group with and without autograph signatures, but also included is a photograph of a horse purported to have belonged to Jesse James. Audiocassettes consist of noncommercial recordings of interviews Griffis conducted with members of the group, including Aleth Hansen, Stuart Hamblen, Leo Mannes, and Charles Quirk.

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Administrative Information

Restrictions to Access
This collection has restrictions to access. Please see details below or contact the Manuscripts Department for more information.
Usage Restrictions
RESTRICTED: Materials may be listened to only at the Manuscripts Department. All copy requests require donor approval. Use of audio materials may required production of listening copies.
Acquisitions Information
Received from Ken Griffis of Thornton, Colo., in November 2003 (Acc. 99663).
Processing Information
Processed by: Carrie Stubblefield, May 2007
Encoded by: Carrie Stubblefield, May 2007
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], in the Ken Griffis Collection #20386, Southern Folklife Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Copyright Notice
Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
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Online Catalog Headings

These and related materials may be found under the following headings in online catalogs.

Beverly Hillbillies (Musical group)
Country music.
Country musicians.
Griffis, Ken.
Hamblen, Stuart, 1908-1989.
Hansen, Aleth.
James, Jesse, 1847-1882.
KMPC (Radio station : Los Angeles, Calif.)
Manners, Zeke, 1911-
Oral history.
Popular music--United States.
Quirk, Charles.
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Related Collections

Sons of the Pioneers Transcription Discs Collection (#20400), Southern Folklife Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
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Biographical Note

Ken Griffis is best known for his work on documenting the early country music group, the Sons of the Pioneers. His research, begun in the 1960s, culminated in the publication of a monograph on the group, Hear My Song: The Story of the Celebrated Sons of the Pioneers (John Edwards Memorial Foundation, 1974/revised 1977). As of 2003, Griffis resided in Thornton, Colo.

The Beverly Hillbillies began their career on radio KMPC Los Angeles in 1930. The group was the brainchild of Glen Rice, who concocted an elaborate myth about the origins of the group, advertising them as "authentic" hillbillies when, in fact, each of the group's members was already living and working in the Los Angeles area. In its most popular configuration, the group consisted of Jimmy Baker (Elton Britt), Marjorie Bauersfield (Mirandy), Harry Blaeholder (Hank Skillet), Ashley Dees (Jad Scroggins), Aleth Hansen (Lem Giles), Leo Mannes (Zeke Manners, Zeke Craddock), Cyprian Paulette (Ezra Longnecker), and Charles Quirk (Charlie Slater, Charlie Skillet). In later years, this roster was subject to change. In 1932, the group split temporarily, with some members remaining in Los Angeles and others relocating to San Francisco. During this period, three future members of the Sons of the Pioneers joined the group. The Beverly Hillbillies continued to enjoy success, both on the radio and in live concerts, until the late 1930s. In addition to recording and touring, the Beverly Hillbillies appeared in several feature films and made hundreds of music transcriptions, including several for Armed Forces radio. The group was revived in the 1940s and an attempt at revival was made as late as 1957, but the Beverly Hillbillies never regained the popularity of their earlier years.

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Collection Overview

The Ken Griffis Collection consists of music transcriptions, papers, photographs, and audiocassettes relating to Griffis's research documenting the Beverly Hillbillies, a Los Angeles-based musical group that starred in a radio program of the same name throughout the 1930s and early 1940s.

Music transcriptions, the bulk of which are handwritten and annotated, are of songs performed by the Beverly Hillbillies.

Papers include journal articles; newspaper clippings; posters and flyers; discographies; facsimiles of record albums; letters sent to the Beverly Hillbillies; transcripts of oral history interviews Griffis conducted with members of the group; correspondence between Griffis, the Beverly Hillbillies, and other researchers; and research notes.

Photographic materials are primarily promotional photographs of the Beverly Hillbillies with and without autograph signatures. Also included are photographs of related items and several photographic negatives. Also included is a photograph of a horse purported to have belonged to Jesse James.

Audiocassettes consist of noncommercial recordings of interviews Griffis conducted with members of the Beverly Hillbillies, including Aleth Hansen (Lem Giles), Stuart Hamblen, Leo Mannes (Zeke Manners), and Charlie Quirk (Charlie Slater, Charlie Skillet). These correspond to typescript versions that also included.

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Arrangement of Collection

1. Music transcriptions
2. Papers
3. Photographic materials
4. Audiocassettes
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Items Separated

Oversize papers (OP-20386/1-2).
Audiocassettes (FS-8040-8049).
Photo negatives (P-4797n and P-4803n).

Detailed Description of the Collection

1. Music Transcriptions, 1930-1944.

About 900 items.
Arrangement: By type. Original order within type was maintained where possible.
Folder 1
Instrumental pieces
Folder 2
Hymns/religious tunes
Folder 3-8
General vocal
Folder 9
Song lyrics
Folder 10
Selected music transcriptions
Transcriptions filed separately by Ken Griffis: "In the Heart of Beverly Hills" (the Beverly Hillbillies theme song), autographed by Nat Vincent; photographic proof of same; "Mellow Mountain Door" annotated by Ken Griffis; printed sheet music "My Pretty Quadroon," a signature song of the Beverly Hillbillies, with image of the group embedded in cover art; published songbook New and Original Favorite Songs of Famous Hill Billies, 1934.

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2. Papers, 1930-2003.

76 items.
Arrangement: By type.
Folder 11
Writings, 1972-1980
"The Charlie Quirk Story and the Beginning of the Beverly Hillbillies" JEMF Quarterly, 1972) and "The Beverly Hill Billies" (JEMF Quarterly, 1980), both by Ken Griffis.
Folder 12
Clippings, 1930-2000
Folder 13
Interview transcripts, 1969-1975
Transcripts of interviews conducted by Ken Griffis with Aleth Hansen, Zeke Manners, and Charlie Quirk.
Folder 14
Letters to the Beverly Hillbillies
Folder 15
Letter from Zeke Manners to Ken Griffis
Folder 16
Research correspondence
Folder 17
Discographies
Folder 18
Miscellaneous papers
Oversize Paper Folder OP-20386/1-2
Research notes and oversize clippings

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3. Photographic Materials, 1930s-1940s and undated.

24 items.
Arrangement: By type.
Chiefly photographs of the Beverly Hillbillies, comprised of autographed publicity photos and a few head shots of individual group members. Also includes mock-up images of sketches of several group members, facsimiles of photographs of a marquee advertising the Beverly Hillbillies, two negatives of publicity photographs, and one floppy disc containing a photographic image of the Beverly Hillbillies.
Image P-4796
Photograph of the Beverly Hillbillies, circa 1934, b&w print, roughly 8x10.
Autographed by Hansen.
Image P-4797
Photograph of the Beverly Hillbillies, 1930s, b&w print, roughly 8x10.
Autographed by all in photograph. Negative on file.
Image P-4798
Photograph of the Beverly Hillbillies, 1930s or 1940s, b&w print, roughly 8x10.
Image P-4799
Photograph of the Beverly Hillbillies, 1930s, b&w print, roughly 8x10.
Image P-4800
Photograph of the Beverly Hillbillies, circa 1946, b&w print, roughly 8x10.
Autographed by all in photograph.
Image P-4801
Photograph of the Beverly Hillbillies, 1930s or 1940s, b&w print, roughly 8x10.
Image P-4802
Photograph of the Beverly Hillbillies, circa 1931, b&w print, roughly 5x7.
Image P-4803
Image of the Beverly Hillbillies, late 1930s, facsimile of b&w print, roughly 8x10.
Negative on file.
Image P-4804
Photograph of Curt Barrett (Gabe), undated, b&w print, roughly 8x10.
Image P-4805
Image of Tom Murray (Pappy), undated, full page from a magazine, roughly 7x10.
Image P-4806
Photograph of sheet music, "Down the Trail to the Girl I Love", 1931, b&w print, roughly 8x10.
Image P-4807
Photograph of sheet music, "My Pretty Quadroon", May 1930, b&w print, roughly 8x10.
Image P-4808
Image of the Warner Brothers Downtown Theater marquee featuring the Beverly Hillbillies, b&w facsimile, roughly 2x3.
Image P-4809
Image of the Warner Brothers Downtown Theater marquee featuring the Beverly Hillbillies (close-up), b&w facsimile, roughly 2x3.
Image P-4810
Image of a horse purported to have belonged to Jesse James, b&w facsimile, roughly 2x3.
Image P-4811
Photographic proof of "Brother McCandless: His Gospel According to Mirandy", b&w photograph, roughly 4x6.
Image P-4812
Photographic proof of sketch of Mirandy, drawn by Helen Davies, b&w, roughly 4x6.
Image P-4813
Photographic proof of sketch of Ezra, drawn by Helen Davies, b&w, roughly 4x6.
Image P-4814
Photographic proof of sketch of Lem, drawn by Helen Davies, b&w, roughly 4x6.
Image P-4815
Photographic proof of sketch of Hank, drawn by Helen Davies, b&w, roughly 4x6.
Image P-4816
Photographic proof of sketch of Jad, drawn by Helen Davies, b&w, roughly 4x6.
Image P-4817
Photographic proof of sketch of Charlie, drawn by Helen Davies, b&w, roughly 4x6.

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4. Audiocassettes, 1969-1975.

5 items.
Arrangement: Alphabetical by interview subject.
Sound recordings of oral history interviews Ken Griffis conducted with Aleth Hansen, Stuart Hamblen, Leo (Zeke) Manners, and Charlie Quirk. See also Series 2.3 for typescripts of some of these interviews.
Audiotape FS-8040
Interview with Aleth Hansen
Audiotape FS-8041
Interview with Zeke Manners, parts 1 and 2
Audiotape FS-8042
Interview with Zeke Manners, parts 3 and 4
Audiotape FS-8043
Interviews with Zeke Manners, part 5, and Stuart Hamblen
Audiotape FS-8044
Interview with Charlie Quirk, 1969

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