Hutchins Library
Special Collections & Archives
Home > Special Collections & Archives > Southern Appalachian Archives
 
Guide to the William H. Tallmadge Baptist Hymnody Collection
 

Accession Number: 33
The William H. Tallmadge Baptist Hymnody Collection
Papers and Sound Recordings: 1968-1980
9.6 Linear Feet
Online Catalog Record (BANC)


Overview & Series Description
Box List

Overview of the Collection

These are correspondence, notes, church association minutes, hymnbooks, sound recordings, and photographs compiled by William H. Tallmadge in the process of his study of Old Regular, Primitive, and United Baptist hymnody in eastern Kentucky, western North Carolina, and western Virginia during the 1960s and 1970s.

Tallmadge earned degrees in Music at Oberlin College (Ohio), in 1940 (B.M.) and 1946 (M.M.). From 1949-1976 he was on the faculty of State University College in Buffalo, New York, where his research and teaching concentrated on both Anglo and African American popular musical genres. He continued this non-classical focus at Berea (1976-1984) with course work on the history of Jazz and its relation to newer musical trends such as Rock, Soul, and Disco. Articles published as a result of his hymnody research include “Baptist Mono-phonic and Heterophonic Hymnody in the Southern Appalachians,” Yearbook for International Musical Research (1977), and “Folk Organum: A Study of Origins,” American Music (1984) 2(3): 47-65.

Related Archives


Series Description
3 Cubic Foot Boxes
12 Manuscript Boxes
3 Oversize Boxes

Series I Hymnody Boxes 1-7

The largest portion of this series consists of 174 mostly reel-to-reel sound recordings of hymn singing, preaching, and interviews with church members and pastors. There are accompanying notebooks with notations for each tape that include hymn titles, comments on song origins, and descriptions of singers, pastors, worship styles, songbooks, church buildings and homes. There are listening cassette copies for each of the reels and the contents are searchable via an in-house database. There are also several published hymnbooks and a photocopy of a notebook of song texts collected by a Pentecostal singer-informant. Twenty four of the reel-to-reel recordings document Talmadge’s study of the African American shape-note singing tradition in southeast Alabama, but there are no related written documentation.

Series II Baptist Association Minutes Boxes 8-13

This series includes published minutes of various Regular, Primitive, and United Baptist associations, 1958-1976. This material provides much quantitative information about church membership and activities, as well as formal statements of faith and practice.

Series III Fiddler's Convention Box 13

This series includes sound recordings of a 1971 Independence, Virginia, fiddler’s convention with related notes on tunes, word origins, and relationship to hymnody. Also included are related notes and sound recording of a 1970 “hollering contest” in Spivey’s Corner, North Carolina.

Series IV Correspondence Box 13

This series contains correspondence on a variety of topics including Tallmadge’s initial study efforts in Kentucky (1969-1970), Baptist Hymnody (1970-1977), Singers (1970-1979), Dictionary of Baptist Hymnody (1976-1979), and lining hymnody in black churches (1979).

Series V Song Subject Files Boxes 13-14

This series includes published and unpublished materials that Tallmadge referenced in the course of his research and copies of his articles on hymnody and related subjects.

Series VI Photographs / Slides Box 15

This series includes photographs and slides of people, places, and events that Tallmadge encountered in his research. Most are of church members and buildings in Breathitt, Knott, Perry, and Letcher counties in Kentucky. Additionally, there are photographs from a 1968 Black gospel singing event in Ozark, Alabama, and a 1971 fiddlers’ convention in Independence, Virginia.

Series VII Miscellaneous Publications and Material (Oversize) Boxes 16-17

This series includes one copy of Cape Breton’s Magazine (n.d.), several copies of Baptist Witness from the 1950s and 1960s, and a card index file of hymns Tallmadge collected.

Box List

Series I Hymnody Boxes 1-7

Box 1
  1. Tapes 1-46: Hymns, Sermons, Interviews
Box 2
  1. Tapes 47-88: Hymns, Sermons, Interviews
Box 3
  1. Tapes 89-178: Hymns, Sermons, Interviews
Box 4
  1. Field Notes: May & July 1968
    Field Notes: May 28 - June 30, 1968
    Field Notes: May 29 - June 2, 1968
    Field Notes: June 3-7, 1968
    Field Notes: June 9-10, 1968
  2. Field Notes: June 18 - July 2, 1968
    Field Notes: June 29 - July 4, 1968
    Field Notes: July 4-7, 1968
    Field Notes: July 6-21, 1968
    Field Notes: May 1970
  3. Field Notes: Book #1, May 23-31, 1970
    Field Notes: Book #2, June 5-10, 1970
    Field Notes: Book #3, June 10-18, 1970
    Field Notes: June 21-30, 1970
    Field Notes: Book #5, July 3-8, 1970
    Field Notes: July 4-5, 1970
  4. Song Lyric Notebook (copy), 1980
  5. Hymn List A, Summer 1968
Box 5
  1. Hymn List B, April 1970
  2. Hymn List C, n.d.
  3. Calendar/Notebook, December 1967-January 1969
  4. Notebook #1, May-June 1968
  5. Notebook #2, May-July 1968
  6. Notebook #3, July 1968
  7. Notebook #4, June 1969-June 1970
  8. Notebook #5, May-June 1970
  9. Notebook #6, June-July 1970; December 1976; April, June, October 1977; April 1979
Box 6
  1. Collected Hymns, Text Sources, and Tunes, 1968
  2. Miscellaneous Notes and Hymn List 1975
  3. Words, Tune Transcriptions, and Notes 1976-1977
  4. Kentucky Hymns, Book I (Words and Tune Transcriptions, not published)
  5. Kentucky Hymns, Book II (Words and Tune Transcriptions, not published)
  6. Kentucky Hymns, Book III (Words and Tune Transcriptions, not published)
  7. Daniel Williams Memorial Song Book, 1763-1820
    A Few of My Favorite Songs
    Hymns and Songs of Joy
  8. The New Baptist Song Book, 1949
    The New Baptist Song Book, 1967
    The New Baptist Song Book, 1975
  9. Old Regular Baptist Song Book, 1972
    Old Regular Baptist Song Book, 1978
    Old Time Song Ballads
    Primitive Baptist Hymn Book
Box 7
  1. Primitive Baptist Hymn Book
    Primitive Hymns, 1975
  2. Sacred Memories
    Some of Our Favorite Songs
    Some of Our Favorite Songs, 1977
  3. Sweet Songster
    Thomas Hymnal
Series II Baptist Association Minutes Boxes 8-13

Box 8 - Old Regular Baptist Associations
  1. Bethel, 1962
    Bethel, 1964
    Bethel, 1966
    Bethel, 1967
  2. Friendship, 1968
    Friendship, 1974
    Indian Bottom, 1958
    Indian Bottom, 1961
  3. Indian Bottom (Baptist of Jesus Christ), 1962
    Indian Bottom (Baptist of Jesus Christ), 1966
    Indian Bottom (Baptist of Jesus Christ), 1967
    Indian Bottom (Baptist of Jesus Christ), 1967
  4. Indian Bottom (Church of Jesus Christ), 1962
    Indian Bottom (Church of Jesus Christ), 1964
    Indian Bottom (Church of Jesus Christ), 1965
    Indian Bottom (Church of Jesus Christ), 1967
    Indian Bottom (Church of Jesus Christ), 1969
    Indian Bottom (Church of Jesus Christ), 1972
    Indian Bottom (Church of Jesus Christ), 1974
  5. Kyova, 1957
    Little River, 1967
    Mountain, 1962
    Mountain, 1963
    Mountain, 1969
  6. Mountain Liberty, 1975
    Mountain Liberty, 1976
    Mud River, 1958
    Mud River, 1959
    Mud River, 1960
    Mud River, 1962
Box 9
  1. Mud River, 1963
    Mud River, 1964
    Mud River, 1965
    Mud River, 1966
    Mud River, 1971
  2. New Salem, 1962
    New Salem, 1963
    New Salem, 1964
    New Salem, 1965
    New Salem, 1966
  3. New Salem, 1967
    New Salem, 1968
    New Salem, 1970
    New Salem, 1972
    New Salem, 1973
  4. Northern New Salem, 1958
    Northern New Salem, 1959
    Northern New Salem, 1960
    Northern New Salem, 1961
    Northern New Salem, 1962
    Northern New Salem, 1963
Box 10
  1. Northern New Salem, 1964
    Northern New Salem, 1965
    Northern New Salem, 1966
    Northern New Salem, 1967
  2. Northern New Salem, 1967
    Northern New Salem, 1970
    Northern New Salem, 1971
    Northern New Salem, 1972
  3. Northern New Salem, 1973
    Northern New Salem, 1974
    Northern New Salem, 1975
    Northern New Salem, 1976
  4. Philadelphia, 1954
    Philadelphia, 1959
    Philadelphia, 1962
    Philadelphia, 1963
    Philadelphia, 1965
    Philadelphia, 1966
  5. Philadelphia, 1968
    Philadelphia, 1971
    Philadelphia, 1972
    Philadelphia, 1974
  6. Sardis, 1962
    Sardis, 1964
    Sardis, 1966
Box 11
  1. Sardis, 1968
    Sardis, 1970
    Sardis, 1971
    Sardis, 1972
    Sardis, 1974
  2. Thornton Union, 1963
    Thornton Union, 1965
    Thornton Union, 1967
    Thornton Union, 1969
  3. Thornton Union, 1975
    Thornton Union, 1976
    Thornton Union, 1976
    Thornton Union, 1978
  4. Union, 1957
    Union, 1962
    Union, 1964
Box 12
  1. Union, 1969
    Union, 1974
    Union, 1976

    Primitive Associations
  2. Primitve Baptist Directory, 1974
  3. Burning Spring, 1971
    Mates Creek, 1969
    Mountain District, 1969
    Primitive Baptist, 1959
    Primitive Baptist, 1962
  4. Sandlick, 1976
    Sand Lick District Association, 1976
    Senter District Association, 1969
  5. Union Primitive Baptist Association, 1980
    Union Primitive Baptist Association, 1984

    United Baptist Associations
  6. Mountain Union, 1967
    Union Association, 1969
  7. Ancient Christian, 1967
    Ancient Christian, 1968
    Ancient Christian, 1976
    Bethel, 1969
    Bethlehem, 1969
  8. Bethlehem, 1970
    Bethlehem, 1971
    Blaine Union
    Blaine Union, 1969
    Iron Hill, 1960
    Iron Hill, 1968
Box 13
  1. Iron Hill, 1968
    Mt. Zion, 1955
    Mountain Union, 1967
    National Association, 1967
    New Hope, 1963
  2. New Hope, 1968
    New Hope, 1970
    Paint Union, 1967
    Paint Union, 1968
    Paint Union, 1970
    Tri-State Zion, 1969
    Tri-State Zion, 1971
Series III Fiddler’s Convention Box 13

Box 13, cont.
  1. Notes on Fiddler’s Convention and Hollering Contest
Series IV Correspondence Box 13

Box 13, cont.
  1. Correspondence on Baptist Hymnody 1970-1977
  2. Correspondence: Dictionary of American Hymnody 1976-1979
  3. Correspondence: Kentucky Project 1968-1970
  4. Correspondence: Re: Elias Keach & Philadelphia Baptist 1975
  5. Correspondence: Lining out in Black churches, 1979
  6. Correspondence: Singers 1970-1979
  7. Correspondence: Lining Hymn Survey Responses 1969-1970
Series V Song Subject Files Boxes 13-14

Box 13, cont.
  1. The General Judgement by Elder Walter Evans
  2. Term Paper: Hymn singing recorded in Clay County, KY (n.d.)
  3. Article: “Hymns of the Amish... ”
    Article: “The Strange Music of the Old Order Amish... ”

Box 14
  1. Article: “Judge Jackson: Black Giant of White Spirituals”
  2. Article: “Union of Word and Music in the Child Ballads”
    Article: “Folksong and the Modes”
  3. Article: “Decoy, Kentucky”
  4. Article: “Baptists of the Cumberland Mountains”
  5. Article: “Mutual Reinforcement and the Origins of Spirituals”
  6. Article: “Old-Time Baptists and Mainline Christianity”
  7. Article: “New England Baptist Hymns in 1773”
  8. Article: “Singing and Preaching at Otter Creek Church”
  9. Article: “Shape-Note Hymn Books”
  10. Article: “The Old Ways of Singing”
  11. Article: “A Song From the Holy Spirit”
  12. Thesis: Kentucky Mountain Hymn Tunes
  13. [Thesis Chapter]: Music of the Separatist Tradition
  14. Thesis: American Baptist Hymnody 1640-1850
  15. Paper: Chanted Oral Sermons (with audio tape)
  16. Autobiography: W.B. “Buster” Gibson, Premium, KY
  17. Church History: Thornton Regular Baptist Church
  18. Reprint: “Reasonableness of Regular Singing” Thomas Symmes
  19. Journal: The Hymn, July 1977
  20. Notes: From Christian Harmony by William Walker
  21. Interview Transcript: Lionel & Frankie Cuff 6-20-68
  22. Tallmadge Article: “LP Recordings Review” (n.d.)
  23. Tallmadge Article: “Dr. Watts and Mahalia Jackson...” 1961
  24. Tallmadge Article: “Baptist Monophonic...,” 1975
  25. Tallmadge Article: “The Black in Jackson’s White...” 1981
  26. Tallmadge Article: “Folk Organum: A Study...,” 1984
  27. Tallmadge Article: “The Folk Banjo and Clawhammer Performance Practice,” 1983
Series VI Photographs / Slides Box 15

Box 15
  1. Ozark, Alabama, 1968 - Sacred Harp Church-Radio broadcast of Black Gospel Singing
  2. Independence, Virginia - Fiddler’s Convention
  3. Hurley Smith - United Baptist Church, Jackson, KY
  4. McRoberts Church, Dana, KY / Pierce Todd, Sparta, NC / Jackson, KY / Hazard, KY / Racoon Creek Church, Whitesburg, and Premium, KY
  5. Miscellaneous Slides
  6. School Lunch at Decoy, KY
  7. Hindman Settlement School
  8. Hindman, KY United Baptist Church
  9. Decoy, KY
Series VII Miscellaneous Publications and Material (Oversize) Boxes 16-17

Box 16
  1. Cape Breton’s Magazine  # 27 (n.d.) Article on “Presenting”
  2. The Baptist Witness, August 1959-May 1963 and July 1966-June 1969
Box 17
  1. Card index file of hymns that Tallmadge collected with notation of the location, date, singer(s), printed source, author, and tape number.

*** Restrictions: Interviewees retain literary rights. Permission is granted to copy manuscripts, tapes, and transcripts of tapes solely for the purpose of private research; however no copied materials may be placed in another repository, nor may copied tapes be aired publicly.

Home > Special Collections & Archives > Southern Appalachian Archives

   
Berea College
Berea, Kentucky 40404
859-985-3000
 
 
  Jobs  |  Contact Us  |  Site Index  
©2008 Berea College  |  Privacy Policy  |  Terms of Use