A new endowment for Baylor University, the Lev H. Prichard III Traditional Black Music Restoration Endowed Fund, was created recently.  For more information see http://www.baylor.edu/pr/news.php?action=story&story=63770.   We are grateful to the Prichard family for their generous support of the Baylor Libraries.

It is with sadness that we report that our audio engineer is leaving Baylor University.  Until further notice, we will be unable to accept any loaned items for our collection.   Please watch this space for further updates.

On February 19th, 2009, Bob Marovich, Amanda Harlan, and Tony Tadey represented Baylor University’s Black Gospel Music Restoration Project at the Music Library Association Annual Conference in Chicago.  Bob Marovich (gospel historian) presented on gospel music in Chicago during the Golden Age of Gospel (1940s-1970s) and how the project at Baylor University is so important from a private collector’s standpoint.  Amanda Harlan (metadata & catalog librarian) presented on the history of how this project got started, what metadata standards are being used, how to describe an album once digitized, and other technical procedures involving metadata transformation for the gospel project.  Tony Tadey (audio specialist) presented on the creation of the digitization workflow for audio and image files using student workers, the basics of what type of equipment and software is being used for audio digitization, and what standards are being followed in terms of audio digitization.  Below is a link to our PowerPoint.  We would love to hear any feedback or comments anyone has concerning the Black Gospel Music Restoration Project here at Baylor University. — amh

Link to presentation: Preserving America’s Black Gospel Heritage

“I think we all have our ministries, but gospel music is such a compelling ministry, because souls don’t come in cultures” — Lea Gilmore

We are well into lot 34, a lot which contains 50 7-inch discs.  Most of the collection seems to be of 45s from the Chicago area and the greater mid-west.  So far, for me some of the highlights include recordings by the Wind City Four and The Flying Clouds.
Please stay tuned for further updates.

The question we receive the most from people interested in this project is related to information on how they can listen to or obtain copies of these recordings. Unfortunately, the material we are collecting was produced between 1940 and 1970, and all of this material is most likely protected by copyright.

We have made some attempts to identify the copyright holders, but there are several issues that impede this process:

• Music produced prior to 1970 was copyrighted at the state level, not the national level, and the copyright laws (and expiration of copyright) varied from state to state.

• Many of these recordings were produced by small, little-known producers. At some point in time, these producers went out of business and disappeared or were bought by larger recording labels.

• Some recordings were produced live at radio stations, some were produced at local churches – entities that may or may not still exist today.

Because of these copyright issues, we have determined that – in an open environment – we can provide detailed information that describes the recordings and 30 sound bites of the music (using streaming technology). However, the full sound recordings will only be made available to researchers who are physically present at Baylor University.

The Black Gospel Music Restoration Project is purely a non-profit, preservation, and scholarly-oriented project. We want to preserve this music for the long term while adhering to and respecting the copyright of the individuals who produced this music. –brp

Hello,

I finished up the Preservation transfer of our lot 27 this mourning. Lot 27 contains 52 items, mostly LPs. One of the highlights of the Lot is an item which is signed by 4 members of the Staple Singers. We plan to finish up scanning this collection next week.

Up next is Lot 28, a small collection of 7-inch discs.

Thanks for checking in on us!

-TT

Welcome to the official blog of the Baylor University Black Gospel Music Restoration Project (BGMRP). Our goal is to provide you with a useful tool for finding information on the project, staying up-to-date on our progress, communicating with fellow gospel enthusiasts, and learning more about this important part of our cultural heritage.

Purpose of the Black Gospel Music Restoration Project

The BGMRP is a two-year, grant funded project. The ultimate goal is to preserve and store a digital copy of the audio long term, and to provide standards-based discovery tools through an online interface into a full catalog of materials, along with 30-second samples of all tracks from the audio archive.

The BGMRP identifies, acquires, preserves, records and catalogues mainly 78s, 45s, LPs, and the various tape formats issued in the U.S and abroad during the 1945-1970 time period. However, the project will also digitally preserve any ephemera that may be of use to scholars, including PR photos, press packets, interviews, photographs and sheet music.

What to expect from this blog
As work on the BGMRP progresses, we hope to find many uses for this blog; however, some things to look for in the near future include:

• Updates on the status of the collection, including updated stats, information on newly received collections/loaned materials, etc.;
• Notes from Tony Tadey, our audio engineer, on the technical side of digitizing these often fragile materials;
• Photos of items received, BGMRP staff at work, and much more;
• Information for collectors, including how to loan/donate to the BGRMP;
• A system for adding your comments; and
• A forum where gospel enthusiasts can exchange information, give us tips on sources for materials, reminisce about their favorite gospel memories, and more.

Check back often for more posts, and please email us at librarywebmaster@baylor.edu with questions, comments, or things you think might make this blog more useful.

Thank you for your interest in the Black Gospel Music Restoration Project. You can help us ensure the project’s success by becoming involved and spreading the word, so please feel free to pass along our URLs to one and all. You never know – someone you tell about the BGMRP may be the contact we need to preserve an irreplaceable piece of American cultural history!