Inventory of the David Morton Collection, 1928-2003

Collection Number 20373

Manuscripts Department, Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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/

Descriptive Summary

Repository

Southern Folklife Collection

Creator

Morton, David, 1945- .

Title

David Morton Collection, 1928-2003

Call Number

20373

Language

English.

Extent

Items: About 150

Linear Feet: 3.0

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

For the lifetime of the donor, researchers must request permission from the donor for duplication of tape recordings.

Use of audio or video materials may require production of viewing copies.

Provenance

Received from David Morton of Reno, N.C., in 2003 (Acc. 99473, Acc. 99488, Acc. 99513, Acc. 99632) and 2005 (Acc. 100287).

Processing Information

Processed by: Allyn Meredith, February 2004

Encoded by: Allyn Meredith, February 2004

Revisions: Finding aid updated in March 2006 by Emily Jack because of addition.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], in the David Morton Collection #20373, Southern Folklife Collection, 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.

Online Catalog Headings

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

African Americans--Music.

Bailey, DeFord.

Country music.

Country musicians.

Grand ole opry (Radio program).

Harmonica music.

Morton, David, 1945- .

WDAD (Radio station : Nashville, Tenn.).

WSM (Radio station : Nashville, Tenn.).

Biographical Note

In 1991, along with Charles K. Wolfe, David C. Morton (1945- ) published a book entitled DeFord Bailey: A Black Star in Early Country Music (University of Tennessee Press). DeFord Bailey (1899-1982) was a legendary African American harmonica player, who performed on WSM's Grand Ole Opry, a weekly radio show broadcast from Nashville, Tenn. Bailey began his career soon after WDAD came on the air in 1925. He continued to play on the radio show until 1941, becoming well known for his tune, "Pan American Blues." Bailey traveled extensively, entertaining audiences along with Roy Acuff and other members of the Grand Ole Opry throughout the South and the Midwest during what was a dangerous and difficult period for African Americans to receive basic services in hotels and restaurants.

In 1973, David Morton was employed by the Metropolitan Housing and Development Agency in Nashville, Tenn. Morton set out to write a story for the public housing newsletter about DeFord Bailey's musical accomplishments. Bailey was then a resident of Nashville's public housing. Morton was warned that Bailey would be unwilling to be interviewed. He eventually found Bailey, developed a friendship with him, and spent many hours recording Bailey's stories and songs. In 1974, soon after the interviews began, Morton wrote an article for Nashville! magazine about the legendary country music player, entitled "Every Day's Been Sunday." Later, with the urging of DeFord Bailey and the help of Charles K. Wolfe, a biography was written.

A historical marker in honor of DeFord Bailey's contributions to the musical community was erected in Nashville's Edgeville neighborhood where Bailey lived and maintained a shoeshine shop after his career with the Grand Ole Opry ended in the early-1940s. His cemetery grave marker, also located near Nashville, reads, "Harmonica Wizard."

Collection Overview

The David Morton collection contains documentation, sound recordings, and a videotape chiefly relating to Morton's work with African American harmonica player  DeFord Bailey.

Documentation consists of correspondence concerning Morton's biography of DeFord Bailey; the placement of a historical marker dedicated to Bailey in the Edgehill community in Nashville, Tenn.; and a letter from a German auto parts manufacturer requesting approval to use a photograph of Bailey in an advertising campaign. There are also newspaper and magazine clippings referring to Bailey's contributions to country music, including a 1974 article that David Morton wrote for Nashville! magazine. Other items are calendars with photographs of Bailey, memorial information with a map pointing to Bailey's gravesite, and a tributary brochure. Also included are a black-and-white publicity shot of Bailey for WSM's Grand Ole Opry and a poster created by the Hatch Show Print Company for the segment on DeFord Bailey and the Grand Ole Opry that aired on 24 November 2000 as part of National Public Radio's Lost and Found Sound series.

Sound recordings consist of reel-to-reel tapes and audiocassettes. Reel-to-reel tapes document interview sessions between David Morton and DeFord Bailey; they contain conversations and music recordings of Bailey on harmonica, guitar, and banjo. Most audiocassettes were made between 1973 and 1980 and include DeFord Bailey interview sessions, music recordings, and performances. Other audiocassettes include interviews of other Grand Ole Opry performers and of WDAD employees, conducted by David Morton; and recordings of National Pubilc Radio programs related to DeFord Bailey. The videotape is a 28-minute production called DeFord Bailey: A Legend Lost that was developed for Nashville Public Television, Inc.

Organization of Collection

1. Documentation
2. Sound Recordings and Videotape

Detailed Description of the Collection