Woody Guthrie’s Personal Record Collection
Collection Processed by: Jorge Arévalo Mateus, PhD
Collection Guide Prepared by: Original finding aid was prepared by Jorge’ Arevalo Mateus, PhD; updated by Hillel Arnold, December 2008; updated by Kate L. Blalack, July 2014.
Date Range:
1943-1949
Extent:
3.5 linear feet ( 6 boxes)
Provenance:
Marjorie Guthrie & offices of Harold Leventhal
Scope and Content:
Woody Guthrie’s Personal Record Collection consists of 30 albums (50 disks) personally owned by Guthrie, as well as Albums released by Guthrie, and represents an important component to the Archives. Guthrie himself annotated many of the record jackets, noting how he acquired the record, the date he received the album, and his thoughts on either the artist or the lyrics. In addition, many of Guthrie’s albums are adorned with his original artwork – doodles and drawings covering the liner notes of some of the record jackets.
Of particular note in this Collection is Guthrie’s copy of Lead Belly’s Musiccraft Corporation undated album entitled “Negro Sinful Songs sung by Lead Belly” (acc. #2008-110). This 4-disc album contains a love letter which Guthrie wrote to ‘Mama and Cathy’ on November 18 th, 1943. In this letter he discusses the different houses he has lived in with Marjorie (‘Mama’) and the way in which the music they played in each house changed the way it felt; proclaiming his love for ‘3520’, the home they shared on Mermaid Avenue. Guthrie ends his letter with the comments “gosh! What are folks gonna think when they look here and see such a long inscription? Well, we don’t care. At least I don’t. In a very few days I guess I’ll be shipping out again for my second time. I just want you to know that I love you – tonight. Woody.”
In addition, Guthrie’s copy of Asch Records’ “American Folksay Ballads and Dances” (acc. #2008-100), dates January 16 th , 1945, is noteworthy in that it contains extensive notes by Guthrie describing the evolution of his thoughts on the album, gained through listening to the record several times. At one point, Guthrie notes “I felt ashamed because I helped to make it. I wanted to melt the wax up and pour it back to the factory and my hands ached to grab all of the records off the market and toss them back to their moulds. It sounded so bad I wanted to just get up and run away somewhere and never come back.” However, Guthrie has a change of heart, likening the album to a “wild and fiery and rough and tumble” kid, which he appreciates more than the smooth and quiet kids. Following his introduction is a detailed description of the songs that he considers to be his favorites.
Language:
Materials Entirely in English
Access restrictions:
Many of the disks are extremely fragile and/or broken; these disks may not be played.
Access note:
The research value of these disks is in the personal art and annotations that Guthrie wrote on jackets and covers of the albums.
Use restrictions:
All materials are subject to copyright.
Arrangement:
Materials arranged numerically by accession number.
Related Materials:
Woody Guthrie Center’s Collection Guides
The Woody Guthrie Papers – Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
Woody Guthrie Manuscript Collection, 1935-1950
Container Lists:
Box 1 – A# 2008-96 |
Artist: Cornelius Greenway’s Smokey Mountaineers Album: “America’s Favorite Songs” Vol. 2 Artwork by: David Stone Martin Notes: Watercolor annotation by Woody Guthrie May 4th 1948. Contains 3 discs. 10 inch. |
Box 1-A# 2008-97 |
Artist: Various Album: “Smoky Mountain Ballads” Notes: Annotated by Woody Guthrie April 12, 1944. Contains 4 discs 10 inch. |
Box 1-A# 2008-99 |
Artist: Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys Album: Selections From Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “State Fair” A twentieth century-fox Technicolor picture, directed by Walter Lang, Produced by William Perlberg. Notes: Annotated by Woody Guthrie. Contains 3 discs. 10 inch. |
Box 3-A# 2008-100 |
Artist: American Folksay Ballads and Dances Album: 900 Miles Asch Recordings Artwork by : David Stone Martin Notes: Annotated by Woody Guthrie (thoughts on the album) No Records inside. 10 inch. |
Box 1-A# 2008-101 |
Artist: Burl Ives Album: “The Waterfaring Stranger” Edited by Alan Lomax. Asch Recordings. Notes: Annotated by Burl in 1939. Annotated by Woody Guthrie 1944. Contains 2 discs. 10 inch. |
Box 1-A# 2008-102 |
Artist: Woody Guthrie Album: Documentary #1 STRUGGLE Asch Records. Notes: Annotated by Woody Guthrie 1948. Pamphlet included. Contains 2 discs. Very Fragile. 10 inch. |
Box 2-A# 2008-103 |
Artist: Woody Guthrie Album: Documentary #1 STRUGGLE Asch Records. Notes: Annotated by Woody Guthrie 1948. Pamphlet included. Contains 2 discs. Very Fragile. 10 inch. |
Box 1-A# 2008-104 |
Artist: Carlos Montoya, Soledad Miralles Album: Flamenco Disc Artwork by: Davd Stone Martin Notes: Annotation by Woody Guthrie Contains 3 discs. 10 inch. |
Box 1-A# 2008-105 |
Artist: Various Album: “America’s Favorite Songs” (Vol. 1) Disc 607 Artwork by : David Stone Martin Various Artists Notes: Annotation by Woody Guthrie 7-22-46. See Also Acc. 2008-96 (Vol. 2) Contains 3 discs. 10 inch. |
Box 1-A# 2008-106 |
Music: Bernie Weissman Narration; David Niles Album; “In The Beginning” A Delightful Retelling For Young Listeners of Old Testament Stories by Sholem Asch. Recording by Moses Asch Artwork by: Eleanor Klemm Notes: Annotation and Drawings by Woody Guthrie. Contains 3 discs. 10 inch. |
Box 3- A# 2008-107 |
Artist: Jack Guthrie Album: “Memorial Album” (Oklahoma Hills) All Songs Jack Guthrie Notes: Contains 3 discs. 10 inch. |
Box 3- A# 2008-108 |
Artist: Cisco Huston Album: “Cowboy Songs” Album Notes by Woody Guthrie. Notes: Annotation by Woody Guthrie May 10, 1949. Watercolor annotation and painting. Contains 3 discs. 10 inch. |
Box 1-A# 2008-109 |
Artist: Woody Guthrie Album: “Songs To Grow Old On” Work Songs for Nursery Days Disc Young Folksay Series Album 602 Cover by: Thelma Martin Notes: Contains 3 discs. One Pamphlet. 10 inch. |
Box 3-A# 2008-110 |
Artist: Lead Belly Album: “Negro Sinful Songs” Notes: Annotation by Woody Guthrie Nov. 18 1943 Contains 4 discs. 10 inch. |
Box 3- A# 2008-111 |
Artist: The Almanac Singers Album: “Talking Union” Keynote Recordings Album 106 Notes: Contains 3 discs. 10 inch. |
Box 4-A# 2008-112 |
Artist: Woody Guthrie Album: “Talking Dust Bowl” (Dust Bowl Ballads) Folkways Records. Notes: No Case 10 Inch. |
Box 4-A# 2008-113 |
Artist: Jack Guthrie Album: Jack Guthrie and his Oklahomans Notes: No Jacket 10 inch. |
Box 4- A# 2008-114 |
Artist: Jack Guthrie Album: Jack Guthrie and his Oklahomans Notes: No Case. Side A. Whitley, Leeds, Hayes Side B. Billy Hughes, Texas Jim Lewis 10 inch. |
Box 4- A# 2008-115 |
Artist: Woody Guthrie Woody Guthrie singing “Pretty Boy Floyd” Original Acetate from 1940’s Notes: No Case Recorded at Cue Studios 10 inch. |
Box 2- A# 2008-116 |
Artist: Woody Guthrie Album: “Songs to Grow on for Mother and Child” Folkways Records Notes: Sealed Album. Cover Design by Ronald Clyne / Photograph by David Gahr. Red with Yellow Type (duotone photo) |
Box 4- A# 2008-117 |
Artist: Woody Guthrie Album: “Songs to Grow on for Mother and Child” Folkways Records Notes: Sealed Album. Cover Design by Ronald Clyne / Photograph by David Gahr. Orange with Black Type (b/w photo) 10 inch. |
Box 4- A# 2008-118 |
Artist: Woody Guthrie Album: “Songs to Grow On” Folkways Records Introduction by Beatrice Landeck. Volume One: Nursery Days Notes: One Pamphlet Orange Copy 10 inch. |
Box – A# 2008-119 |
Artist: Woody Guthrie Album: “Songs to Grow On” Folkways Records Introduction by Beatrice Landeck. Volume One: Nursery Days Notes: Green Copy 10 inch. |
Box 4- A# 2008-120 |
Artist: Woody Guthrie Album: “This Land is My Land” American Work Songs (Songs to Grow On Volume 3) Folkways Records Notes: Colors have slight color alternatives 10 inch. |
Box 4- A# 2008-121 |
Artist: Jack Elliot Album: “Woody Guthrie’s Blues” Topic Records Notes: No Records 10 inch. |
A# 2008-122 |
Artist: Woody Guthrie Album: “Songs for Slides” Cue Recordings Notes: No Case 33 Microgroove 10 inch. |
A# 2008-123 |
Artist: The Carter Family Little Darling, Will You Miss Me? East Va. Blues, Cumbland Mountain Deer Race. Notes: Four Albums Extensive annotation in watercolor 10 inch. |
A# 2008-124 |
Artist: Woody Guthrie Album: “Songs to Grow on for Mother and Child” Volume 0. Notes: 10 inch. |
A# 2008-129 |
Artist: Sonny Terry Album: “Harmonica and Vocal Solos” Folkway Records Notes: 10 inch. |
A# 2008-130 |
Artist: Woody Guthrie Album: “900 Miles” (single?) Guitar Solo 1945 Notes: No Case, Broken. 10 inch. |