Guide to Ella Fitzgerald Papers
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Guide to Ella Fitzgerald Papers NMAH.AC.0584 Reuben Jackson and Wendy Shay 2015 Archives Center, National Museum of American History P.O. Box 37012 Suite 1100, MRC 601 Washington, D.C. 20013-7012 [email protected] http://americanhistory.si.edu/archives Table of Contents Collection Overview ........................................................................................................ 1 Administrative Information .............................................................................................. 1 Arrangement..................................................................................................................... 3 Biographical / Historical.................................................................................................... 2 Scope and Contents........................................................................................................ 3 Names and Subjects ...................................................................................................... 4 Container Listing ............................................................................................................. 5 Series 1: Music Manuscripts and Sheet Music, 1919 - 1973................................... 5 Series 2: Photographs, 1939-1990........................................................................ 21 Series 3: Scripts, 1957-1981.................................................................................. 64 Series 4: Correspondence, 1960-1996.................................................................. 66 Series 5: Business Records, 1954-1990................................................................ 70 Series 6: Awards and Honorary Degrees, 1959-2002........................................... 73 Series 7: Concert Programs and Announcements, 1958-1989, undated............... 78 Series 8: Clippings, 1949-1997.............................................................................. 84 Series 9: Ephemera, 1950 - 1996.......................................................................... 88 Series 10: Audiovisual, 1939-1995........................................................................ 93 Ella Fitzgerald Papers NMAH.AC.0584 Collection Overview Repository: Archives Center, National Museum of American History Title: Ella Fitzgerald Papers Identifier: NMAH.AC.0584 Date: circa 1935-1996 Extent: 50 Cubic feet (92 boxes) Creator: Fitzgerald, Ella, 1917-1996 Language: Collection is primarily in English. Some materials are in French, Japanese, Russian and Portuguese. Summary: Ella Fitzgerald, often called the "First Lady of Song," was one of the 20th century's most important musical performers. The collection reflects her career and personal life through photographs, audio recordings, and manuscript materials. Administrative Information Acquisition Information The collection was donated by the Fitzgerald 1989 Trust, Richard Rosman, trustee on April 14, 1997. The Ella Fitzgeral Charitable Foundation is the successor to the Fitzgerald 1989 Trust. Separated Materials "The National Museum of American History, Division of Culture and the Arts (now Division of Cultural and Community Life) holds Ella Fitzgerald artifacts including costumes and clothing. " Related Materials Materials at the Archives Center Benny Carter Collection, 1928-2000 (AC0757) Charismic Productions Records of Dizzy Gillespie, 1940s-1993 (AC0979) Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program Collection, 1992-2012 (AC0808) Milt Gabler Papers, 1927-2001 (AC0849) Tad Hershorn Collection, 1956-1991 (AC0680) Ernie Smith Jazz Film Collection, circa 1910- circa 1970 (AC0491) Page 1 of 147 Ella Fitzgerald Papers NMAH.AC.0584 Processing Information The collection was processed by Reuben Jackson, archivist in 2001 and Wendy Shay, audiovisual archivist in 2001-2004, 2008, 2015. Preferred Citation Ella Fitzgerald Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. Restrictions Collection is open for research. Only reference copies of audiovisual materials can be used. Conditions Governing Use The Archives Center can provide reproductions of some materials for research and educational use. Copyright and right to publicity restrictions apply and limit reproduction for other purposes. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions. Biographical / Historical Born in Newport News, Virginia on April 25th, 1918, Ella Fitzgerald was sent to an orphanage in Yonkers, New York at the age of six. In 1934, she was discovered as a singer in New York's famed Apollo Theater Amateur Contest. This led to a stint with drummer Chick Webb's Band, with whom she recorded her first big hit, "A -tisket A-tasket" in 1938. After Webb died in 1939, Fitzgerald took over leadership of the band for three years, during which time they were featured on a live radio series. She then embarked upon a solo career, which included recording for Decca Records, and in 1946, she began a pivotal association with producer Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic series, which brought her a large international following. In 1956, Fitzgerald left Decca Records to join Granz's newly formed Verve label. Among her notable Verve recordings were a series of "songbooks" featuring the work of major American composers such as Cole Porter, George Gershwin, and Harold Arlen as well as classic collaborations with Count Basie and Duke Ellington. Fitzgerald's toured and performed extensively and her immense popularity also led to appearances on television, in movies, and in commercials and magazine ads. Despite increasing health problems, Fitzgerald continued to tour, perform and record into her seventies with musicians such as guitarist Joe Pass, arranger-producer Quincy Jones, and pianist Oscar Peterson. Throughout her life, Fitzgerald was active in charitable work with particular emphasis on the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation and the Ella Fitzgerald and Harriette E. Shields Child Care Centers. Ella Fitzgerald was admired and honored world-wide. In addition to receiving more than a dozen Grammy awards, she was awarded numerous honorary degrees and many states and cities had commemorative Ella Fitzgerald days. Fitzgerald was a Kennedy Center honoree in 1979 and Harvard University's Hasty Pudding Club named her "Woman of the Year" in 1982. The "First Lady of Song" died on June 17, 1996, of complications from diabetes. Page 2 of 147 Ella Fitzgerald Papers NMAH.AC.0584 Scope and Contents The Ella Fitzgerald Papers document the performing and personal life of the "First Lady of Song." The collection contains music manuscripts, sheet music, photographs, scripts, correspondence, clippings, business records, sound recordings and video. The bulk of the materials reflect Fitzgerald's career as a singer and performer. The collection comprises materials found in Ella Fitzgerald's home at the time of her death. Arrangement The collection is organized into 10 series. Series 1: Music Manuscripts and Sheet Music, 1919-1973 Suberies 1.1: Television Shows Series 2: Photographs, 1939-1990 Subseries 2.1: Ella Fitzgerald Performing Alone Subseries 2.2: Ella Fitzgerald Performing With Others Subseries 2.3: Publicity Subseries 2.4: Ella Fitzgerald With Family, Colleagues, and Friends Subseries 2.5: Ella Fitzgerald Candid Photographs Subseries 2.6: Performing Venues Subseries 2.7: Photographs From Friends and Fans Series 3: Scripts, 1957-1981 Series 4: Correspondence, circa 1960-1996 Series 5: Business Records, 1954-1990 Series 6: Honorary Degrees and Awards, 1960-1996 Series 7: Concert Programs and Announcements, 1957-1992, undated Series 8: Clippings, 1949-1997 Subseries 8.1: Magazine Articles, 1949-1997 Subseries 8.2: Newspapers, circa 19650-circa 1990 Series 9: Emphemera, 1950-1996 Subseries 9.1: Album Jackets Subseries 9.2: Miscellaneous Page 3 of 147 Ella Fitzgerald Papers NMAH.AC.0584 Series 10: Audiovisual, 1939-1995 Subseries 10.1: Sound Discs: Test Pressings, Transcription Discs, and Performer Copies Subseries 10.2: Commercial Sound Recordings Subseries 10.3: Demonstration Sound Discs: Other Artists Subseries 10.4: Videotapes Names and Subject Terms This collection is indexed in the online catalog of the Smithsonian Institution under the following terms: Subjects: Jazz Types of Materials: 16mm motion picture film Audiotapes Awards Clippings -- 20th century Contracts Greeting cards Manuscripts -- Music -- 20th century Phonograph records Photographs -- 20th century Posters -- 20th century Programs -- 1930-2000 Sound recordings Sound recordings -- 1930-1990 Videocassettes Names: Betts, Keter, 1928- Decca (recording company). Ellington, Duke, 1899-1974 Gillespie, Dizzy, 1917-1993 Goodman, Benny (Benjamin David), 1909-1986 Granz, Norman Jazz at the Philharmonic (Musical group) Pass, Joe, 1929-1994 Peterson, Oscar, 1925- Riddle, Nelson Verve Records (Firm) Page 4 of 147 Series 1: Music Manuscripts and Sheet Music Ella Fitzgerald Papers NMAH.AC.0584 Container Listing Series 1: Music Manuscripts and Sheet Music, 1919 - 1973 Most of this series is arranged, by song title, in alphabetical order. This portion includes Fitzgerald's vocal lead sheets, printed music, sheet music, and songs sent to Fitzgerald for her consideration. The bulk of the material comprises piano/vocal scores of Duke Ellington and/or Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn compositions such as "Azure" and "Something to Live For." One flat box contains vocal lead sheets from Fitzgerald's guest appearances on television shows and specials. These are arranged