This collection, which dates from 1926-1986, documents the output of Moses Asch through the various record labels he founded and co-founded, and includes some of his personal papers. The Asch collection includes published recordings, master tapes, outtakes, business records, correspondence, photographs, and film.
Scope and Contents:
The Moses and Frances Asch Collection measures 841 cubic feet and dates from 1926-1987, with some contemporary, relevant correspondence, clippings, and ephemera added after 1987.
Most of the collection consists of audio recordings (commercial 78 rpm and long-playing records, open reel tapes, acetate discs, and test pressings), correspondence with recording artists and producers, artwork, photographs, ephemera, clippings, record production materials, writings, and business papers relating to Folkways Records. Materials relating to Folkways Records can be found primarily in the Correspondence, Folkways Production, Business Records, Photographs, Artwork, Sound Recordings, and Film series.
The collection also contains some biographical materials and personal correspondence, including materials related to Asch's first business, Radio Laboratories, located in the Biographical Materials series. Correspondence, ephemera, photographs, record production materials, business papers, and recordings relating to Asch's record labels before Folkways Records (Asch Recordings, Disc Company of America, Cub Records) are located in the Early Label Materials series as well as the Audio Recordings and Photographs series.
Arrangement note:
The collection is arranged in 10 series:
Series 1: Correspondence, 1942-1987
Series 2: Folkways Production, 1946-1987
Series 3: Business Records, 1940-1987
Series 4: Woody Guthrie papers, 1927-1985
Series 5: Early Label Materials, 1940-1949
Series 6: Biographical Materials, 1926-1987
Series 7: Photographs
Series 8: Artwork
Series 9: Audio Recordings
Series 10: Film
At this time, the collection is partially processed. Please contact rinzlerarchives@si.edu for more information.
Biographical/Historical note:
The son of Yiddish writer Sholem Asch, Moses Asch was born in Poland in 1905. His childhood was spent in Poland, France, Germany, and New York. While young, Asch developed an interest in radio electronics, which ultimately lead him to his life's work, recording the music and sounds of the world. He established several record labels in succession, sometimes partnering with other record companies. Two of his fist record companies, Asch Recordings and DISC Co. of America, went bankrupt. They were followed by his best-known label, Folkways Records, which was founded in 1948 with Marian Distler (1919-1964). He was still working on Folkways recordings when he died in 1986.
Folkways Records sought to document the entire world of sound. The 2,168 titles Asch released on Folkways include traditional and contemporary music from around the world, spoken word in many languages, and documentary recordings of individuals, communities, and current events. Asch's business practices revolved around the commitment to keep every recording issued by Folkways in print, despite low sales. Asch stayed afloat by cutting costs where he could (such as color printing) and offering a high-quality product, meticulously recorded and accompanied by extensive liner notes. In doing this, he could charge a slightly higher price than other commercial outfits. Despite a tenuous relationship with financial solvency, Folkways grew to be not only one of the most important independent record companies in the United States in the 20th century, but also one of the largest and most influential record companies in the world.
Moses Asch's record labels featured famous and lesser known American writers, poets, documentarians, ethnographers, and grass roots musicians on commercial recordings. American folk icon Woody Guthrie recorded on the Asch, Disc, and Folkways labels, and the Asch Collection includes some of his correspondence, lyrics, drawings, and writings. The collection also includes correspondence with other notable musicians and artists such as John Cage, Langston Hughes, Margaret Walker, Huddie "Lead Belly" Ledbetter, Pete Seeger, Peggy Seeger, Ewan MacColl, Alan Lomax, Henry Cowell, and Kenneth Patchen. Also in the collection are ethnographic field notes and photographs by as well as correspondence with Béla Barók, Sidney Robertson Cowell, Harold Courlander, Helen Creighton, Laura Boulton, and Samuel Charters. Asch hired various prominent artists and graphic designers including David Stone Martin, Ben Shahn, John Carlis, and Ronald Clyne to create album cover art for his recordings. Much of the original art and designs for these covers can be found in the Asch Collection.
Asch's output of recordings on various labels, including published recordings, open reel master tapes, outtakes, and acetate disks, in addition to his business papers, correspondence, photographs, and other files were acquired by the Smithsonian Institution in 1987. The collection came to the Smithsonian with the understanding that all 2168 titles under the Folkways label would be kept available in perpetuity.
Shared Stewardship of Collections:
The Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage acknowledges and respects the right of artists, performers, Folklife Festival participants, community-based scholars, and knowledge-keepers to collaboratively steward representations of themselves and their intangible cultural heritage in media produced, curated, and distributed by the Center. Making this collection accessible to the public is an ongoing process grounded in the Center's commitment to connecting living people and cultures to the materials this collection represents. To view the Center's full shared stewardship policy, which defines our protocols for addressing collections-related inquiries and concerns, please visit https://doi.org/10.25573/data.21771155.
Provenance:
Ralph Rinzler arranged the Smithsonian's acquisition of the Moses and Frances Asch Collection in 1987, beginning with Asch before his death in 1986 and continuing with extensive discussions between Rinzler and the Asch family. Since its acquisition, archivist Jeff Place and others have added contemporary, relevant correspondence with Folkways artists and related individuals.
Restrictions:
Access to the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections is by appointment only. Visit our website for more information on scheduling a visit or making a digitization request. Researchers interested in accessing born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies.
Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Collection Citation:
Moses and Frances Asch Collection, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Collection Citation:
Moses and Frances Asch Collection, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.
202 Blue Tailed Fly, The (Jimmie Crack Corn) / Banjo.
203 Train is A-Coming / Banjo.
204 This Old Man / Banjo.
205 Froggie Went A-Courtin' / Banjo.
Local Numbers:
FW-ASCH-10RR-0346
Date/Time and Place of an Event Note:
Recorded in: New York, United States 14, 1969.
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
108 Army Life (Gee, But I Want to Go Home) / Pete Seeger. Banjo.
109 Island Commander / Pete Seeger. Banjo.
Local Numbers:
FW-ASCH-10RR-0397
Date/Time and Place of an Event Note:
Recorded in: New York, United States.
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
12. Sonny Terry and Rhythm 13. We Gonna Shout Right on That Shore- Sonny Terry and Pete Seeger 14. --- 15. John Henry- Brownie McGhee, Sonny Terry, and Pete Seeger 16. Go Tell Aunt Rhody- Woody Guthrie, Cisco Houston, Sonny Terry 17. Louise- Sonny Terry, Pete Seeger 18. Instrumental- Sonny Terry, Woody Guthrie 19. Worried Man Blues- Woody Guthrie
Track Information:
101 Untitled / Sonny Terry. Harmonica.
102 John Henry / Sonny Terry, Pete Seeger. Harmonica,Banjo.
103 Pick a Bale of Cotton / Sonny Terry, Pete Seeger. Harmonica,Banjo.
105 Louise / Sonny Terry, Pete Seeger. Harmonica,Banjo.
106 A Man is Nothing But a Fool / Sonny Terry, Pete Seeger. Harmonica,Banjo.
107 Going Down the Road Feeling Bad / Sonny Terry, Cisco Houston, Woody Guthrie. Harmonica,Guitar.
Local Numbers:
FW-ASCH-10RR-0473
Date/Time and Place of an Event Note:
Recorded in: New York, United States.
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Careless love and poetry--Skip to my Lou and poetry--From jail and poverty--Bill Williams and poetry
Local Numbers:
FW-ASCH-7RR-0609
General:
5 INCH REEL IN BOX; CDR copy
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Recorded in: New York, United States, May 4, 1956.
General:
TV CHECK; CDR copy
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
107 Seven Cent Cotton and Forty Cent Meat / Banjo.
108 Yellow Scab Poem / Banjo.
109 Father / Banjo.
110 Passing Through / Banjo.
111 Unknown / Banjo.
112 Roll Down the Line / Banjo.
113 Arkansas Traveler / Banjo.
Local Numbers:
FW-ASCH-10RR-3349
Date/Time and Place of an Event Note:
Recorded in: New York, United States.
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Recorded in: New York, United States, December 27, 1957.
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
My gal, she's mistreating me--Next time you see me (frag)--I just want to make love to you--One more time--Instrumental--Come all ye fair and tender ladies--Everybody loves Saturday night--Goodnight Irene--Oh Sally my dear--Wasn't that a time
Track Information:
101 My Gal, She's Mistreating Me / Memphis Slim, Willie Dixon. Piano.
102 I Just Want to Make Love to You / Memphis Slim, Willie Dixon. Piano.
103 One More Time / Memphis Slim, Willie Dixon. Piano.
105 Come All You Fair and Tender Ladies / Pete Seeger. Banjo.
106 Everybody Loves Saturday Night / Pete Seeger. Banjo.
107 Irene (Goodnight Irene) / Pete Seeger. Banjo.
108 Oh, Sally My Dear / Pete Seeger. Banjo.
109 Wasn't That a Time / Pete Seeger. Banjo.
101 Next Time You See Me (frag.) / Memphis Slim, Willie Dixon. Piano.
Local Numbers:
FW-ASCH-10RR-1313
Date/Time and Place of an Event Note:
Recorded in: New York, United States.
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
107 I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly / Banjo.
108 When the Saints Go Marching In / Banjo.
109 Be Kind to Your Parents / Banjo.
110 Blow the Man Down / Banjo.
111 Long John / Banjo.
Local Numbers:
FW-ASCH-10RR-3388
Date/Time and Place of an Event Note:
Recorded in: New York, United States.
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
1. Once More A-Lumbering Go 2. Lilly of the Lake- takes 1 and 2 3. Lilly of the Lake- performed on the recorder 4. My Gallant Black Bess 5. Shantyman's Life 6. Taylor Pond Fleet 7. Clara Nolan's Ball/ Clara Nolan's Ball- take 2 8. Blue Mountain Lake 9. Clara Nolan's Ball- Spoken Intro./ John Brown's Body 10. John Brown Intro 11. John Brown- recorder
Track Information:
101 Once More A-Lumbering Go / Banjo.
102 Lily of the Lake / Banjo.
104 My Gallant Black Bess / Banjo.
106 The Shantyman's Life / Banjo.
107 Taylor Pond Fleet / Banjo.
108 Clara Nolan's Ball / Banjo.
113 John Brown's Body / Banjo.
Local Numbers:
FW-ASCH-10RR-3277
Folkways.5210
Date/Time and Place of an Event Note:
Recorded in: New York, United States.Recorded 25 August 1959
General:
CDR copy- Disc 257
A collection of songs performed by Pete Seeger related to Lake Champlain in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. The songs were selected from a collection of North Country folklore and ballads compiled by historian Marjorie Porter.
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Pete Seeger (1919 - 2014) was a giant of our time. Growing up in a musical family, he had a long and productive career as a folk song leader and social activist. Overall, he appears (or is otherwise associated with) an astonishing total of 123 Smithsonian Folkways recordings. One of the most influential of those recordings is the present one. What better way to learn a musical instrument than from someone who is generally acknowledged to be the most prominent performer and authority on that instrument? This recording affords just such an opportunity and many "Folk Revival" folksingers - including Dave Guard of the Kingston Trio - first learned to play the banjo either from this recording or from Pete Seeger's book of the same title. On this recording, Pete explains and provides examples of basic tunings, strums, techniques such as "hammering on" and "pulling off" and other aspects of playing. He covers the basics of a variety of styles, including frailing, 3-finger, blues, jazz, and Latin-American. Liner notes provide background information, a complete transcript, and the musical notation for what Pete demonstrates.
CDR copy
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
Pete Seeger (1919 - 2014) was a giant of our time. Growing up in a musical family, he had a long and productive career as a folk song leader and social activist. Overall, he appears (or is otherwise associated with) an astonishing total of 123 Smithsonian Folkways recordings. One of the most influential of those recordings is the present one. What better way to learn a musical instrument than from someone who is generally acknowledged to be the most prominent performer and authority on that instrument? This recording affords just such an opportunity and many "Folk Revival" folksingers - including Dave Guard of the Kingston Trio - first learned to play the banjo either from this recording or from Pete Seeger's book of the same title. On this recording, Pete explains and provides examples of basic tunings, strums, techniques such as "hammering on" and "pulling off" and other aspects of playing. He covers the basics of a variety of styles, including frailing, 3-finger, blues, jazz, and Latin-American. Liner notes provide background information, a complete transcript, and the musical notation for what Pete demonstrates.
CDR copy- Disc 344
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
D-Day dodgers--Quiz show--Al Smith holds the bottle--What a friend we have in congress--Living in the country
Track Information:
101 D-Day Dodgers / Banjo.
102 The Quiz Show / Banjo.
103 Al Smith Holds the Bottle / Banjo.
104 What a Friend We Have in Congress / Banjo.
105 Living in the Country / Guitar.
Local Numbers:
FW-ASCH-7RR-1397
Date/Time and Place of an Event Note:
Recorded in: Maine, United States, March 13, 1960.
General:
Smithsonian Folkways 40084
CDR copy- Disc 344
Tape Info: Pete Seeger in Concert at Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine, recorded at the Campus Chest, March 13, 1960. The complete concert was recorded on eight reel-to-reel tapes; regrettably, the accession numbers for the tapes are not in the same sequence in which the tapes were recorded and unrelated tape numbers are often inserted in between. The original sequence of the eight Concert tapes is FW-ASCH-7rr-1927, -1298 (No, I didn't now transpose digits.), -1397, -1926, -1299, 1398, -4982, and -1929. See front for song list and durations. D-Day Dodgers through Living in the Country are on -1397.
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.
104 Hole in the Wall / Brownie McGhee, Sonny Terry. Guitar,Harmonica.
105 Poor Man But a Good Man / Brownie McGhee, Sonny Terry. Guitar,Harmonica.
106 When the Saints Go Marching In / Brownie McGhee, Sonny Terry. Guitar,Harmonica.
107 Do Re Mi / Jack Elliott. Guitar.
108 Hanging Around / Jack Elliott. Guitar.
109 Jesus Christ / Jolly Robinson. Guitar.
110 Talking Fishing / Jack Elliott. Guitar.
111 Fox Chase / Brownie McGhee, Sonny Terry, Pete Seeger. Guitar,Harmonica.
112 Woody's Rag / Pete Seeger. Mandolin.
113 Narrative.
114 Tom Joad / Jack Elliott. Guitar.
Local Numbers:
FW-ASCH-7RR-1571
Date/Time and Place of an Event Note:
Recorded in: New York, United States, April 17, 1965.
Restrictions:
Restrictions on access. No duplication allowed listening and viewing for research purposes only.
Collection Rights:
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.