Accession Number: 54
Buell Kazee Collection, 1946-1979
Bulk Dates, 1974-1977
1.6 Linear Feet (4 mss Boxes)
Online Catalog Record (BANC)


Overview & Series Description
Biography
Series I - Biographical
Series II - Reel-to-reel Sound Recordings
Series III - Cassette Sound Recordings
Series IV - Cassette Sound Recordings

Access and Use

Acquisition Information: The material in this collection was gathered in the latter 1970s by Loyal Jones, then Director of the Berea College Appalachian Center.

Copyright: Mark Wilson retains copyright to audio tapes AC-OR-004-001 through AC-OR-004-006, AC-OR-004-015 and AC-OR-004-028; John Cohen retains copyright interest in audio tapes AC-OR-004-014 and AC-OR-004-019. Other tapes may be copied for non-commercial purposes by agreement with the Special Collections staff.

Preferred Citation: Buell Kazee Collection, Berea College Special Collections & Archives, Berea, Ky.

Overview of the Collection

These are correspondence, publications, interviews, photographs, and sound recordings that document the career, repertoire, musical talents, religious views, and preaching style of Buell Hilton Kazee (1900-1976), Kentucky folksinger, banjo player, and Southern Baptist minister.

Related Berea College Archives

Additional recordings in the Sound Archive Collections include performances from the 1974 Celebration of Traditional Music and a 1972 interview in the Wilson Reeves Collection.

Series Description
4 Manuscript Boxes

This series consists mostly of published writings by and about Buell Kazee. Other materials include a list of his commercial recordings, interview notes and transcripts, photographs, material relating to the production of the June Appal tribute LP, and a contents list for noncommercial recordings in this collection.

Box 1

1. Biographical Articles 1958-1978, n.d.
2. Publications - The Church and the Ordinances
3. Publications - Faith is the Victory: The Secret of Dynamic Living
4. Publications - Mused . . . Uncle Mose
5. Publications - The Wagoner's Lad: A Folk Operetta
6. Publications - The White Pilgrim: A Folk-Cantata
7. Correspondence
8. Memorial Tribute Album Production Material
9. Interviews Notes: 7-10-74, 3-20-75 (Tapes AC-OR-004-017 and AC-CT-054-018
10. Interview Transcript - Philip Kazee 12-1-92 (Tapes AC-CT-340-001 / 002 / 003)
11. Discography of Buell Kazee Recordings
12. Reel-to-Reel Tape Contents Lists
13. Cassette Tape Contents Lists
14. Photographs

This series consists of audio recordings of Buell Kazee performances and interviews dating mostly from the late 1960s through the 1970s. Performances include formal concerts in Seattle, Berea, and Renfro Valley as well as less formal occasions. Interviews conducted by Loyal Jones, John Cohen, and Karen Collins give much detail regarding Kazee’s views on life, career, music, and religion. They are particularly rich in details of his repertoire, banjo tunings, and playing style. Other material includes performances recorded for inclusion on the June Appal tribute LP, “Buell Kazee” JA 009 (Berea Mountain Phono 4297) and taped copies of several of Kazee’s early commercial recordings.

Box 2

1. Reel-to-Reel Audio Tape AC-OR-004-001
2. Reel-to-Reel Audio Tape AC-OR-004-002
3. Reel-to-Reel Audio Tape AC-OR-004-003
4. Reel-to-Reel Audio Tape AC-OR-004-004
5. Reel-to-Reel Audio Tape AC-OR-004-005
6. Reel-to-Reel Audio Tape AC-OR-004-006
7. Reel-to-Reel Audio Tape AC-OR-004-007
8. Reel-to-Reel Audio Tape AC-OR-004-008
9. Reel-to-Reel Audio Tape AC-OR-004-009
10. Reel-to-Reel Audio Tape AC-OR-004-010
11. Reel-to-Reel Audio Tape AC-OR-004-011
12. Reel-to-Reel Audio Tape AC-OR-004-012
13. Reel-to-Reel Audio Tape AC-OR-004-013
14. Reel-to-Reel Audio Tape AC-OR-004-014

1. Reel-to-Reel Audio Tape AC-OR-004-015
2. Reel-to-Reel Audio Tape AC-OR-004-016
3. Reel-to-Reel Audio Tape AC-OR-004-017
4. Reel-to-Reel Audio Tape AC-OR-004-018
5. Reel-to-Reel Audio Tape AC-OR-004-019
6. Reel-to-Reel Audio Tape AC-OR-004-020
7. Reel-to-Reel Audio Tape AC-OR-004-021
8. Reel-to-Reel Audio Tape AC-OR-004-022
9. Reel-to-Reel Audio Tape AC-OR-004-023
10. Reel-to-Reel Audio Tape AC-OR-004-024
11. Reel-to-Reel Audio Tape AC-OR-004-025
12. Reel-to-Reel Audio Tape AC-OR-004-026
13. Reel-to-Reel Audio Tape AC-OR-004-027
14. Reel-to-Reel Audio Tape AC-OR-004-028
15. Reel-to-Reel Audio Tape AC-OR-004-029

This series consists mostly of recordings of sermons preached by Buell Kazee. Other material includes Kazee’s funeral service conducted by Rev. Bert Calico and an interview by Loyal Jones dealing mostly with the tension between popular music and religion Kazee experienced growing up in Magoffin County.

Box 4

1. Cassette Audio Tape AC-CT-054-001
2. Cassette Audio Tape AC-CT-054-002
3. Cassette Audio Tape AC-CT-054-003
4. Cassette Audio Tape AC-CT-054-004
5. Cassette Audio Tape AC-CT-054-005
6. Cassette Audio Tape AC-CT-054-006
7. Cassette Audio Tape AC-CT-054-007
8. Cassette Audio Tape AC-CT-054-009
9. Cassette Audio Tape AC-CT-054-010
10. Cassette Audio Tape AC-CT-054-011
11. Cassette Audio Tape AC-CT-054-012
12. Cassette Audio Tape AC-CT-054-013
13. Cassette Audio Tape AC-CT-054-014
14. Cassette Audio Tape AC-CT-054-015
15. Cassette Audio Tape AC-CT-054-017
16. Cassette Audio Tape AC-CT-054-018

This series consists of an extended interview with Buell Kazee’s son, Rev. Philip Kazee recorded by Loyal Jones and Stephen Green at Oneida, TN, December 1, 1992. Rev. Kazee also sings songs and plays banjo in the style of his father. (Transcript in SAA 54 Box 1)

Box 4 (cont.)

17. Cassette Audio Tape AC-CT-340-001
18. Cassette Audio Tape AC-CT-340-002
19. Cassette Audio Tape AC-CT-340-003

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