David C. Morton DeFord Bailey Collection, 1927-2006 (bulk 1970-2006)
(Document/manuscript/pamphlet/archival material)

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Status
Special Collections - Upon Request
West storage range 5 section 3
1 available

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LocationCall NumberStatus
Special Collections - Upon RequestWest storage range 5 section 3Library Use Only

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Format
Document/manuscript/pamphlet/archival material
Physical Desc
4.17 cu. ft.
82 photographs.
23 periodicals.
4 press releases.
11 souvenir programs.
3 calendars.
1 catalogue.
1 brochure.
1 postcard.
17 newspaper clippings.
28 articles; photocopies.
2 typescripts.
5 letters.
2 government documents; photocopies.
6 compact discs.
6 DVDs.
8 albums.
8 VHS tapes; color.
76 oral interview audiocassettes.
Language
English

Notes

Organization & arrangement of materials
Organized into the following series: I. Photographs; II. Periodicals; III. Other Publications, Correspondence, Documents; IV. Musical Recordings; V. Oral Interview Audiocassettes.
General Note
Materials housed in Special Collections Division of the Main Library, Nashville Public Library.
General Note
Books on country music given by the donor were routed to the Tennesseana collection; general periodicals on country music given by the donor were clipped for the Nashville Room's vertical files.
General Note
38 unprocessed photographs from David Morton are in the CPR. (4-2-19)
Restrictions on Access
In library use only. Available by appointment.
Description
Scope and content: Primarily through photographs, musical recordings, interviews, and clippings, this collection documents the career and legacy of Nashville's legendary African-American harmonica player DeFord Bailey (1899-1982). The collection was gathered by Bailey's friend and biographer David C. Morton over many years, some of which served as research material for his 1991 biography, DeFord Bailey: A Black Star in Early Country Music, co-written with Dr. Charles K. Wolfe. Bailey's posthumous honors and awards are well documented in this collection.
Preferred Citation of Described Materials
Cite as: David C. Morton DeFord Bailey Collection, Special Collections Division, Nashville Public Library.
Terms Governing Use and Reproduction
Copyright retained by donor or original creator. The Nashville Public Library does not have intellectual property rights to this material.
Terms Governing Use and Reproduction
Restrictions: Reproduction permitted only for personal use. Researchers must agree in writing to use copied materials solely for personal research (see form at end of finding aid). No reproduction of tape recordings, DFB tape annotations, or photographs without donor permission. Requests to reproduce recordings held by the Southern Folklife Collection of the University of North Carolina must be directed to that institution.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
David C. Morton;,Gift;,2006.,Acc. 2006.013.
Location of Other Archival Materials
Associated materials: The Southern Folklife Collection of the University of North Carolina holds numerous interviews of Bailey by Morton; reference copies of most of those interviews are provided in the holdings of the Nashville Public Library.
Biographical or Historical Data
Legendary African-American harmonica player DeFord Bailey (1899-1982) was a featured cast performer on Nashville's famous Grand Ole Opry radio show in its early years, c. 1926-1941. Grandson of a Smith County fiddler, Bailey moved to Nashville in 1918, and performed on radio as early as 1925. Introduced to Opry founder George D. Hay by Dr. Humphrey Bate, Bailey joined the new show, where his renditions of "Ice Water Blues," "Fox Chase," and "Pan American Blues" became listener favorites. It was "Pan American Blues" which prompted Hay's on-air ad lib which gave the barn dance show its name, Grand Ole Opry. Bailey recorded for Columbia and Brunswick in 1927, and was among the first Nashville-based musicians to be recorded in Nashville in 1928 for Victor. He was often the featured attraction on concerts which helped launch the careers of such Opry legends as Roy Acuff and Bill Monroe. The Opry fired Bailey in 1941, and he rarely performed publicly thereafter, although he was re-discovered, befriended, and copiously documented by Nashville government workers and/or Civil Rights activists David Morton, Archie Allen, and James Talley in the 1960s-1970s, those jointly responsible for most of the extant photos of and interviews with Bailey.
Language
In English.
Cumulative Index/Finding Aids
Finding aid available in repository;,item level control,https://assets.library.nashville.org/documents/finding-aids/Special_Collections_Division_Finding_Aid_DeFordBaileyFA.pdf.
Ownership and Custodial History
Collected by David C. Morton and in his possession at the time of donation.
Action
Process;,2006;,Ronnie Pugh.
Accumulation and Frequency of Use
Additional accruals are expected.
Local note
Book jacket image original source: Photographs, folder 2 (digital filename is simply: Deford Bailey 3)

Citations

APA Citation, 7th Edition (style guide)

Morton, D. C. 1. David C. Morton DeFord Bailey Collection .

Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)

Morton, David C. 1945-. David C. Morton DeFord Bailey Collection. .

Chicago / Turabian - Humanities (Notes and Bibliography) Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)

Morton, David C. 1945-. David C. Morton DeFord Bailey Collection .

MLA Citation, 9th Edition (style guide)

Morton, David C. 1945-. David C. Morton DeFord Bailey Collection

Note! Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published. Citations should be used as a guideline and should be double checked for accuracy. Citation formats are based on standards as of August 2021.

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