Archives Collection

HOUSTON, SONNY 89-067
COLLECTION OF EASTERN KENTUCKY MUSIC

Physical description:

7 audio cassette tapes (TCA-0115A/G)

Provenance:

Lent for copying by Sonny Houston, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, April 1990.

Scope and content:

This group consists of audio tapes (copies) of eastern Kentucky banjo and gospel music collected/copied by Sonny Houston. Included are a performance by old time banjo player Coy Morton (TCA-0115A); a performance by Lee Sexton (banjo and vocals) and Sonny Houston (guitar) (TCA-0115B); an interview with Lee Sexton by Doug Dorschug including a discussion of Bill Monroe and other influences on Sexton's banjo style, the Grand Old Opry, squirrel hunting, Sexton's family history, drinking, and his own and other banjo styles which he illustrates with several pieces (TCA-0115C/D); a performance of 7 shape note gospel singing by the Village Quartet (Wid Fleming, soprano, Gwen Johnson, alto, Frank Fleming, tenor and Rich King, bass) (TCA-0115E); and performances of mixed quartet gospel singing by the Hemphill Church Singers (James D. Houston, soprano, Sophia Houston, soprano, Rush Stewart, tenor, Odell Stewart, alto, Mabel Johnson, alto, and Rich King, bass) (TCA-0115F) and by Virgil and His Singers (Virgil Mullins, bass, J.B. Kincer, lead, Maggie Kincer, alto and Beulah Webb, lead) (TCA-0115G).

A log of each tape, including a complete listing of songs performed, prepared by audio archivist Bruce Nemerov is included in the printed finding aid.

Location:

Audio tapes are filed by tape number with other archival audio visual materials.

Related materials:

Reference copies of these tapes are filed with commercial audio tapes.