Contents

Collection Summary

Biographical History

Scope and Content

Selected Search Terms

Series I: Correspondence

Collection Concordance by Format

Ray M. Lawless Collection

AFC 1970/003

April 1996

Biographical History

Ray McKinley Lawless was born in Wellington, Kansas in 1896 and died March 11, 1968. A veteran of World War I, Lawless received his master's degree from the University of Chicago in 1924 and completed his doctorial studies with the same institution in 1940. For over 35 years, Lawless taught as a professor of English at Hendrix College (1924-1928), Dakota Wesleyan University (1928-1931), and Junior College of Kansas City (1932-1962), later known as Metropolitan Junior College. A lifelong scholar of American literature and folksongs, he published many articles in addition to the influential and authoritative Folksingers and Folksongs in America.

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Scope and Content

Between 1952 and 1959, Lawless wrote to approximately two hundred "folksingers" and "singers of folksongs," requesting information about their lives and careers in preparation for his book Folksingers and Folksongs in America. Lawless contacted both professional and non-professional singers and also wrote to several collectors of folksongs and collectors of folk instruments. The bulk of the collection consists of Lawless's correspondence with the singers, completed questionnaires, and information sent by the singers to Lawless. Most singers also sent one or more photographs.

The collection includes responses to the prepared questionnaire, carbon copies of Lawless's correspondence, the original letters from his correspondents, photographs, newspaper and magazine clippings, concert programs, publicity materials, and other ephemera. It also includes some correspondence with folksingers not strictly related to the preparation of Lawless's book. For example, there is correspondence concerning the arrangement of a concert at the college where Lawless taught.

The second edition of Folksingers and Folksongs in America (1965) included a "Special Supplement" with biographical information on the generation of folksingers who became prominent around 1960-64 (e.g. Joan Baez and Odetta). To research this updated edition, Lawless drew on previously published sources and did not contact the singers directly as he had in the 1950s. Few of the 1960s folksingers listed in the "Special Supplement" are represented in this collection, and those represented are documented with black-and-white photographs and clippings, not with correspondence.

The folders contain many more black-and-white photographs than appear in Folksingers and Folksongs in America. The book included two kinds of illustrations: black-and-white photographs of artworks depicting folklife, and black-and-white photographs of musicians. The black-and-white photographs of artwork are in folder 2, "Artwork illustrations." The photograph(s) of each musician are under the name of each musician or musician group.

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Selected Search Terms

People

• Lawless, Ray McKinley, 1896- collector.

Subjects

• Folk music--United States.
• Folk singers--Ireland.
• Folk singers--Scotland.
• Folk singers--United States--Correspondence.
• Folk singers--United States--Photographs.
• Folk songs, English--United States.
• Popular music--1951-1960.
• Popular music--1961-1970.

Form/Genre

• Clippings.
• Correspondence.
• Manuscripts.
• Photographic prints.
• Programs.

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Container List

Series I: Correspondence

Includes carbon copies of Lawless's correspondence, the original letters from his correspondents, responses to the prepared questionnaire, photographs, newspaper and magazine clippings, concert programs, publicity materials, and other ephemera.

Administrative materials regarding the collection

Collection guide and correspondence. Correspondence arranged chronologically (1956-70) between the Archive of Folk Song, Exchange and Gift Division, and Mrs. Lawless.

Artwork--Illustrations

18 photoprints including 17 illustrations and 1 of unknown musicians. One negative of the illustration "WRECK OF THE '97." Each illustration is identified by title, artist, donor, and photographer, but undated.

Adams, Derrols S.

Correspondence and questionnaire; portrait (negative and print)

Allison, John

Correspondence and questionnaire; news clippings.

Archer, Frances, and Beverly Gile

Correspondence and questionnaire; programs; press release.

Arkin, Alan

Questionnaire.

Baez, Joan

News clippings; portrait (negative and print); magazine write-ups.

Bailey, Jay

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait, 1 large and 1 small prints.

Baillargeon-Cote, Helene

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

Bair, Fred

Correspondence; questionnaire; photoprint.

Balfour, Nemonie

Portrait, photoprint.

Ball, E. C.

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

Barker, Horton

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Barnes, Bobby and Wilmer

Correspondence; questionnaire; programs; news clippings; portrait (prints).

Barry, Margaret

Questionnaire.

Beers, Robert ("Fiddler"), and Evelyne Beers (Mrs. Fiddler)

Correspondence; questionnaires; press releases; programs; reviews; portrait (prints).

Belafonte, Harry

Correspondence; biography; questionnaire; portrait (print); news clippings; magazine write-ups.

Bender, Bill

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

Benton, Jessie

Biography; questionnaire.

Bikel, Theodore

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Black, Nettie

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Boette, Marie

Correspondence; questionnaire; photoprint.

Bonyun, Bill

Correspondence; questionnaire; programs; news clippings.

Boswell, George

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

Boyle, Mary Ella

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

Brand, Oscar

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (prints); programs; song texts; New York Folklore Quarterly, vol. 8, no. 4.

Broonzy, "Big Bill"

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (negative and prints).

Bryan, Charles Faulkner

Correspondence; questionnaire; biography; picture of instruments from his collection; draft of article to Tennessee Folklore Society Bulletin March 1952 issue; portrait (print)

Buckley, Bruce

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Burnett, W. H.

Questionnaire.

Byrne, Jerry

Correspondence; questionnaire; photoprint.

Cahn, Rolf

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Missing

Cameron, Isla

Questionnaire.

Campbell, Booth

Questionnaire; photoprints.

Cansler, Loman

Correspondence; news clippings; news write-up; phonograph recording release (Folkways FH 5324); portrait (print).

Chalmers, Keith

Correspondence; questionnaire; programs; portrait (print).

Chase, Dorothy

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Churchill, Stuart

Correspondence; questionnaire; programs; biography; photoprint.

Clark, Keith

Correspondence; questionnaire; programs; song score; stories; crafts.

Clark, Rogie

Correspondence; questionnaire; news clippings; portrait (print); program.

Clauson, William

Correspondence; questionnaire; program; portrait (print).

Clayborn, James R., and Garland K.

Questionnaire.

Clayton, Paul

Correspondence; questionnaire; news write-up; programs; the University of Virginia Magazine, Spring 1956, vol. 1, no. 1.

Cobos, Ruben

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print); program.

Colby, Fred

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Coltman, Robert

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Copeland, Dave

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Cornett, "Banjo" Bill

Correspondence; questionnaire; news clipping; photoprint.

Creswell, Grace

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait, photograph and painting, (print); programs; news clipping; biography.

Crisp, Rufus

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Cronin, Elizabeth

Correspondence; questionnaire; program; biography; review.

Dagel, Kathy

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Missing

Dane, Barbara

Correspondence; questionnaire; biography.

Danufsky, Philip

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

Darling, Erik

Correspondence; questionnaire; sketch of instruments; list of phonograph recordings.

Davis, Rev. Gary

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print and negative); news write-up.

Davis, Mary Jo

Correspondence; questionnaire; news clipping; portrait (print).

Davis, Mr. and Mrs. T.M.

Correspondence; questionnaire; photoprint.

Dehr, Rich

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

Deller, Alfred

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Devall, Dick

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Diard, Marion

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

Dobson, Bonnie

Program; portrait (print).

Duncan, Bob

Correspondence; questionnaire; news clippings; program; portrait (print); biography; brochures.

Dyer-Bennet, Richard

Correspondence; portrait (print); program; biography.

Elliott, Bill

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

Elliot, Jack and June

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait and photograph, (prints and negative).

Eskin, Sam

Correspondence; questionnaire; news write-up; program; photoprint; record notes: song texts.

Faier, Billy

Correspondence; questionnaire; photoprint.

Flatt and Scruggs

Portrait; news clippings.

Flowers, Robert E. Lee

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

Foster, Pat

Questionnaire.

Fuller, Jesse

Correspondence; questionnaire; magazine write-up; biography; news clippings; photoprint; record notes.

Gainer, Patrick W.

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

Gard, Robert

Correspondence.

Gibson, Bob

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print); program.

Ginandes, Shep

Questionnaire.

Glazer, Joe

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

Glazer, Tom

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print); programs; sketch.

Golden, Terry

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print); photoprints; biography.

Gooding, Cynthia

Correspondence; questionnaire; news write-up, portrait (print).

Gordon, Hally Wood

Correspondence; questionnaire; photoprint.

Greer, Dr. and Mrs. I.G.

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Gregory, Frosia

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

Grimes, Anne

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print); program; biography.

Grise, George C.

Correspondence; questionnaire; news clipping; portrait (print).

Hall, Kenneth M.

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Hamilton, Frank

Questionnaire.

Hammond, John

News clipping; portrait (print).

Hammontree, Doney

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

Hatcher, T. Ben

Questionnaire.

Hayes, Roland

Correspondence; questionnaire; program.

Haynes, Valerie

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

Hays, Lee

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Hellerman, Fred

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Hickerson, Joe

Questionnaire.

High, Fred

Correspondence; questionnaire; photoprints.

Hillhouse, Cora

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Hilton, L.M.

Correspondence; questionnaire; portraits (print); program.

Hinton, Sam

Correspondence; questionnaire; news clipping; program; portrait (print).

Holland, Lori

Questionnaire.

Holt, Will

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print); program.

House, Wallace

Program.

Houston, Cisco

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (negative and print).

Hunter, Max

Correspondence; questionnaire; article.

Huntington, E.G.

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Hurd, Peter

Correspondence; questionnaire; biography; newsclippings.

Isaacson, Dan

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Ives, Burl

Correspondence; news clippings; news write-ups; programs; portraits (print).

Jarrett, Merrick

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Jemison, Gene

Correspondence; questionnaire; program; news clipping; portrait (print); photograph (print and negative).

Kazee, Buell

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (negative and print).

Kincaid, Barry

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

King, Martha

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print); news clipping; magazine write-up.

Kornfeld, Barry

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Kossoy, Sisters

Questionnaire.

Kukler, Aolph and Augusta

Correspondence; questionnaire; news clipping; photoprint.

Kunitz, Charlene

Correspondence; questionnaire; news clipping; program.

Kweskin, Jim, and Jug Band

Program; magazine write-up; news clipping; photoprint.

Lane, Lawrence

Correspondence.

Langstaff, John

Correspondence; questionnaire; programs; portrait printed on programs; news clipping; magazine write-ups.

Leadbelly

Correspondence; portrait on record notes.

Ledford, Homer

Portrait (print).

Lee, Archie

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

Lee, Katie

Correspondence; questionnaire; program; portrait (print); news clipping.

Lloyd, A.L.

Questionnaire.

Lomax, Alan

Correspondence; news write-up; biography; article.

Long, Maud

Questionnaire; photoprint.

Loudermilk, Romaine

Correspondence; questionnaire; photoprint.

Lunsford, Bascomb

Correspondence; questionnaire; photoprint; program.

MacColl, Ewan

Correspondence; questionnaire; program.

McCord, May Kennedy

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait, negative and print; news clipping.

McCurdy, Ed

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print); news clipping.

McNeil, Brownie

Correspondence; questionnaire; program; portraits (print).

Maples, Jo

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Marais and Miranda

Correspondence; questionnaire; program; portrait (print).

Marcotte, Will and Jean

Questionnaire.

Mechau Family

Correspondence; questionnaire; program; news write-up; portrait (print).

Meyer, Roy

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Mickelson, Eric

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Mills, Alan

Correspondence; questionnaire; program; news write-up; news clipping; portrait (print).

Mitchell, Merlin

Questionnaire; portrait (print).

Mobley, Pleaz W.

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

Moon, Jacob and Winnifred

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

Morris, Jimmy (Driftwood)

Correspondence; questionnaire; 2 song scores by J. Morris.

Morrison, Absie

Questionnaire.

Moser, Artus

Correspondence; questionnaire; photoprint.

Mueller, Joan

Correspondence; questionnaire; biography.

Murai, Jean

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print); programs.

Murray, Jim and Carmen

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

National Music League Vocal Trio

Program; portraits (print).

Neal, Ruth

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print); biography.

Neibarger, Nancy, and Pearl Kelly

Photoprint.

Nickerson, Camille

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

Niles, John Jacob

Correspondence; questionnaire; news write-up; biography; programs; portraits (print); news clipping; article.

Nye, Hermes

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print); program.

O'Bryant, Joan

Correspondence; questionnaire; news clipping.

O'Hara, Mary

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Okun, Milt

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

Oldfather, Charles

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Oster, Harry

Correspondence; questionnaire; new write-up; portrait (print).

Paley, Tom

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Peacock, Ken

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Pennington, John B.

Song book: song texts only.

Powell, Desmond

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

Le Quatour, Alouette

Correspondence; questionnaire; photoprints; program; biography, English and French; reviews.

Reed, Jared

Correspondence; questionnaire; program; portraits (print).

Reed, Susan

Correspondence; program; news clipping; program.

Ritchie, Edna

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Ritchie, Jason

Correspondence; portrait (print).

Ritchie, Jean

Correspondence; program; news clipping; news write-up; portrait (print) and negative.

Ritchie, Jewel

Correspondence; photoprint.

Ritchie, May

Correspondence.

Ritchie, Una

Correspondence; questionnaire; program; portrait (print).

Roberts, Robin

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

Robinson, Earl

Correspondence; questionnaire; program; portrait (print).

Robinson, Frank V.

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

Ross, Rob

Correspondence; questionnaire; Folkways record notes: portrait, song texts.

Roth, Herbert

Questionnaire; news clipping.

Rubin, Ruth

Correspondence; questionnaire; programs; portrait (print).

Rudie, Robert

Portrait (print).

Saletan, Tony

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Sandburg, Carl

Correspondence; biography; news clippings; portrait (print).

Scammell, A.R.

Correspondence; questionnaire; program; portrait (print).

Schlamme, Martha

News clipping; portrait (print) on brochure; program; biography; reviews.

Scott, Molly

Correspondence; news clipping.

Scott, Tom

Correspondence; biography; program.

Seeger, Pete

Correspondence; questionnaire; biography; portrait (print); news clippings; program; his How to play the 5-string Banjo; Folkways record notes.

Sellers, John

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Silverman, Jerry

Correspondence; questionnaire; record notes.

Smith, Fred

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Smith, Winifred

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

Sparks, Lloyd

Questionnaire.

Starr, Mary Agnes

Correspondence; questionnaire; biography; program; portrait (print).

Stekert, Ellen

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

Stone, Eleanor

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

Stracke, Win

Correspondence; questionnaire; programs; portrait (print); reviews; news clippings; biography.

Sturgill, Virgil

Correspondence; questionnaire; program; portrait (print); news clipping.

Summers, Andrew R.

Questionnaire; program; portraits (print).

Tarwater, Rebecca

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Tate, Charles, and Family

Correspondence; questionnaire; festival programs.

Temple, Pick

Correspondence; questionnaire; news clipping; photoprint and portrait (print)s.

Terry, Sonny

Photograph (print and negative).

Thomson, Paul S.

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Tyler, Ruth

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

Usher, Alex

Correspondence; questionnaire; portraits (print).

Van Wey, Adelaide

Correspondence; questionnaire; biography; program; portraits (print).

Vincent, Jenny Wells

Correspondence; questionnaire; news clipping; programs; portrait (print).

Warner, Frank

Correspondence; questionnaire; biography; portrait (print).

Washington, Jackie

Correspondence; questionnaire; news clipping; program; portrait (print).

Weissman, Dick

Questionnaire.

Welsch, Roger

Correspondence; questionnaire.

West, Harry and Jeanie

Correspondence; portrait (print); program.

White, Josh

Biography.

Whitmire, Ross C.

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Wilder, Dick

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

Williams, Betty V.

Questionnaire; news clipping; program.

Williams, Cratis

Correspondence; questionnaire; portrait (print).

Wilson, Stan

Correspondence; questionnaire; program; portrait (print).

Wood, Theodore

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Yarbrough, Glen

Questionnaire.

Zeitlin, David

Correspondence; questionnaire.

Collection Concordance by Format

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