Library of Congress Adds 25 Works to National Recording Registry

Posted in News on June 24, 2010

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington has named the 25 new additions to the eighth annual National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress, which will ensure that these cultural, artistic and historical recordings are always available to the American public. Included among them are works by such renowned BMI songwriters and composers as Little Richard, Howlin’ Wolf, Bill Evans, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, R.E.M., Eddie Palmieri, Staple Singers, Mississippi John Hurt and Bill Cosby.

The list of recordings named to the registry features a diverse selection of spoken word and musical recordings that span the years 1913-1995. They cover a wide range of sounds and music, attesting to the vast imagination and creativity flowing through the cultural stream of the nation’s aural heritage. Selections cross musical types ranging from klezmer to blues, pop and rap, but also include comedy, radio broadcasts, field recordings, Broadway cast recordings and lab experiments.

Under the terms of the National Recording Preservation Act of 2000, the Librarian, with advice from the Library’s National Recording Preservation Board (NRPB), is tasked with selecting 25 recordings that are “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” and are at least 10 years old. The selections for the 2009 registry bring the total number of recordings to 300.

This year’s selections include (*indicates BMI entry):

1. Fon der Choope (From the Wedding), Abe Elenkrig’s Yidishe Orchestra (April 4, 1913)

2. “Canal Street Blues,” King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band (April 5, 1923)

3. “Tristan und Isolde,” Metropolitan Opera, featuring Kirsten Flagstad and Lauritz Melchior, NBC Broadcast (March 9, 1935)

4. “When You Wish Upon a Star,” Cliff Edwards (recorded 1938; released 1940)

5. “America’s Town Meeting of the Air: Should Our Ships Convoy Materials to England?” (May 8, 1941)

6. The Library of Congress Marine Corps Combat Field Recording Collection, Second Battle of Guam (July 20 - August 11, 1944)

7. “Evangeline Special” and “Love Bridge Waltz,” Iry LeJeune (1948)

8. “The Little Engine That Could,” narrated by Paul Wing (1949)

9. Leon Metcalf Collection of recordings of the First People of Western Washington State (1950-1954)

10. “Tutti Frutti,” Little Richard (1955)*

11. “Smokestack Lightning,” Howlin’ Wolf (1956)*

12. “Gypsy,” original cast recording (1959)

13. The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings, Bill Evans Trio (June 25, 1961)*

14. “Daisy Bell (Bicycle Built for Two),” Max Mathews (1961)

15. “I Started Out As a Child,” Bill Cosby (1964)*

16. “Azucar Pa Ti,” Eddie Palmieri (1965)*

17. “Today!,” “Mississippi” John Hurt (1966)*

18. “Silver Apples of the Moon,” Morton Subotnick (1967)

19. “Soul Folk in Action,” The Staple Singers (1968)*

20. “The Band,” The Band (1969)

21. “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” Loretta Lynn (1970)*

22. “Red Headed Stranger,” Willie Nelson (1975)*

23. “Horses,” Patti Smith (1975)

24. “Radio Free Europe,” R.E.M. (1981)*

25. “Dear Mama,” Tupac Shakur (1995)

SOURCENews TAGS Blues Gospel Jazz Latin R&B Rock Washington, D.C. Business Sense Rights Management Bill Evans Howlin' Wolf Little Richard Loretta Lynn Willie Nelson Eddie Palmieri R.E.M.