Catalog Record:
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Library's online catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically therein.
This collection was donated to the Library of Congress by Jim Walsh in several increments between 1965 and 1987.
No further additions to the papers are expected.
The papers were processed by George Kipper and Jennifer Lewis in March 2004.
Restrictions may exist on copying, quoting, or publishing materials included in the papers. For additional information, contact a reference librarian in the Recorded Sound Reference Center, Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division, Library of Congress, Washington, DC, 20540-4690; (202) 707-7833.
The Papers from the Jim Walsh Collection are open for research. Researchers are cautioned to wear gloves when handling the materials.
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [Container number, eg., Box 3], Papers from the Jim Walsh Collection, Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division, Library of Congress.
Journalist and collector Ulysses "Jim" Walsh (1903-1990) was born in Richmond, Virginia, on July 20, 1903. Best known for his "Favorite Pioneer Recording Artists" column that appeared in
Walsh took an early interest in records, amassing a sizable collection and encyclopedic knowledge by the time he was a teenager. He began writing for newspapers in the late 1920s and had articles published in specialty magazines about recording artists. In 1934 Walsh moved to Johnson City, Tennessee, to become a reporter for the
In 1942 Walsh began writing his column on early recording artists for
In 1943 Walsh moved to the town of Vinton, Virginia, adjacent to Roanoke, and joined the staff of the
Walsh continued to collect recordings, playback equipment, and reference resources such as record catalogs, magazines, and advertisements. For many of his favorite artists, such as Billy Murray, Al Jolson, Harry Lauder, and Vernon Dalhart, he collected nearly every recording they had ever made. Walsh became a great correspondent, fostering relationships with recording artists, collectors, dealers, and his readers and listeners. In later years, he traveled to gatherings of early recording artists and collectors, meeting many of the artists he had idolized as a child.
Walsh was a lifetime bachelor and had a deep devotion to his many cats. He gave updates on his "family of cats" in much of his correspondence and occasionally in his columns; he even arranged to have poems published under the name of his favorite cat: Professor Plum Duff Walsh, Ph.D.
During the late 1970s and 1980s Walsh’s health declined, and he complained of memory loss. In May 1985 his last column was published in
Jim Walsh devoted his life to collecting, researching, and writing about early popular recordings and recording artists. These papers make up part of the much larger Jim Walsh Collection of early recordings, audio equipment, and related items donated by Walsh to the Library of Congress between 1965 and 1987. The complete collection consists of approximately 40,000 discs, 500 cylinders, and 23 early phonographs. Recordings in the collection are primarily of popular and vernacular music recorded during the acoustical era (pre-1926). It includes a nearly complete run of 5,000 to 6,000 Edison "Diamond Disc" recordings as well as many early Edison cylinders.
This portion of the collection consists of documents and other paper records that relate to Walsh's career and collecting efforts. Included are letters with prominent artists and collectors, research notes, photographs of performers, scripts for Walsh’s radio shows, drafts of his columns and articles, clippings, bound journals, advertisements, and ephemera. The papers also hold a wealth of biographical information about Jim Walsh, including a diary, scrapbooks, photographs, and writings.
The papers are arranged in eight series:
Consists of correspondence, notes, copies of birth and death records, obituaries, and other materials collected by Walsh as he researched performers and recordings. The Correspondence subseries consists of Jim Walsh’s written communications with collectors, dealers, experts, record companies, readers, and listeners. Many of the letters consist of requests for information, responses to requests for information, discussions concerning equipment, inquiries about particular recordings or companies, and potential purchases or trades. Frequent correspondents include Duane Deakins, Allen Debus, Milford Fargo, Jim Martindale, and Quentin Riggs.
Research files consist of information about individuals, recordings, and subjects. Many of the files concerning recording artists or personalities include correspondence with or about the performers, and this is complemented by a wealth of other biographical information. Resources include copies of birth and death records, newspaper and magazine clippings, record lists, obituaries, research notes, brief biographies written by Walsh, and other miscellaneous items. Researchers can find photographs of many of the individuals represented here in Series 5.
The series is divided into two subseries: Correspondence and Research Files. Correspondence is filed alphabetically by correspondent’s name; a few miscellaneous and unidentified folders are placed at the end of the subseries. Research files are arranged alphabetically by artist or subject.
Includes copies of correspondence from 1921 to 1922.
Copies.
Photocopies.
Photocopy.
Photocopies.
Copies.
Photocopies.
Photocopies.
Photocopies.
Photocopies.
Photocopies of 1912 and 1963 materials.
Biographical information.
Photocopies of 1969 materials.
Mostly photocopies of 1916 material.
This collection of Jim Walsh’s writings dates from approximately 1942 through 1975, but the majority are undated. Most of the items found in this series are drafts of articles or columns Walsh wrote for
Writings are arranged alphabetically by subject.
Series 3 includes scripts for Walsh’s regular broadcasts on radio stations WDBJ and WSLS in Roanoke, Virginia. The majority of the scripts found here date from 1943 through 1949 and are for
Radio scripts are arranged alphabetically and thereunder by date.
Included in this series are advertisements for equipment and recordings, newspaper and magazine clippings, newsletters, record catalogs and price lists, and a few miscellaneous items. Researchers are advised to see Series 6 for oversized ephemera.
Ephemera is arranged alphabetically by genre.
Photocopies of 1920 and 1923 programs.
Photocopies of 1900-1901 catalogs.
Series 5 consists of approximately 610 photographs of artists and personalities from the early days of recording. Most of the photographs are black and white, but some modern color photographs are included. Many of the photographs are copies (mostly of poor quality) made from earlier prints, books, albums, or posters. Many of the photographs here were used by Walsh to illustrate his columns in
Photographs are arranged alphabetically by the name of the person, group or subject. Group, miscellaneous, and unidentified photographs are filed at the end.
Copy from 1907 poster.
Copy of 1910 photograph.
Copy.
Copy.
Copy.
Copy.
Copy.
Copy.
Copy.
Copy.
Copy.
Copy.
Copy from 1909 photograph.
Copy.
Copy.
Most are copies.
Copy.
Copy from 1921 photograph.
Copies of 1921 and 1923 photographs.
Copy of 1900 photograph.
Copy.
Copy.
Copy.
Copy.
Copy.
Copy.
Copies.
Copies of 1890-1919 photographs.
Copies.
Copies.
Halftone copy.
One image is a copy.
Copy.
One image is a copy of a 1917 photograph.
RCA sales manager.
Copy.
Copy of a 1913 photograph.
Copy of a 1927 photograph.
Actor.
Dickens scholar.
Copy.
Copies.
Copy.
Copy of a 1918 photograph.
Copy.
Copy.
Copy.
Copy.
Photograph of a painting.
Copy.
Copies.
Copy.
Copies.
Copy.
Copy of a 1917 photograph.
Copy.
Copy.
Copies.
Copy.
Copy.
Copy.
Copy.
Copy.
Copy.
Copy.
Copy.
Copy.
Copies from circa 1906 photographs.
Copy.
Photocopy.
Copy.
Copy.
Copy.
Copy.
Copies.
Copies.
Photocopy of an 1894 photograph.
One image is a copy of a 1931 photograph.
One copy of a halftone.
One image is a copy.
Copy.
Copies from 1907 and circa 1910-1919 photographs.
Copies of 1919 and 1923 photographs.
Copy.
Three copies of 1910-1912 photographs and two vintage photographs.
Copy.
Copies.
Copies.
Copy of a 1928 photograph.
One image is a copy of a 1931 photograph.
Copies.
Copies.
Copy.
Copy.
Photograph of advertisement.
Copy of a circa 1929 photograph.
Copies of circa 1915 photographs.
Copy of a 1912 photograph.
Copy.
Photocopy of a magazine page.
Clipping from booklet.
Some items are copies.
Includes a silhouette.
Photograph of a 1926 program.
Copy negative from a 1948 photograph.
Photograph of an advertisement.
One image is a copy.
One image is a copy of a 1914 photograph.
Copy.
Copies of 1916 photographs.
Copies of 1907 photographs.
Copy of a 1912 photograph.
Copy of a 1920 photograph.
Copy of a circa 1907 photograph.
Some images are copies of 1901 and 1919 photographs.
Copy of a 1917 photograph.
Copy.
Three images are copies of 1912 and 1922 photographs.
Copy.
Copies.
Copy.
Copies.
Copy.
Landscape, survivor, etc.
Oversized poster in map case is stored separately. Advance notice is required for viewing; contact a reference librarian in the Recorded Sound Reference Center, Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division, Library of Congress, Washington, DC, 20540-4690; (202) 707-7833.
Oversized materials consist of advertisements, newspaper and magazine clippings, scrapbook photocopies, a record sleeve, miscellaneous artwork, photographs, and a poster. A series of stand-up cardboard advertising figures is included; personalities depicted are Victor Herbert, Irene Bordoni, Georgie Price, Fannie Brice, Will Rogers, Ernestine Schumann-Heink, Tito Schipa, Luisa Tetrazzini, and Titta Ruffo. Artwork consists of a cartoon panel signed by Jimmy Hatlo, a (poor) reproduction of the painting
Oversized materials are arranged alphabetically by type.
Includes photocopies.
Magazine portrait.
Billboard advertisement for Hunter Island Inn.
Photographs (with album lists).
Songwriters, artists, and composers. Copy.
Clipping from booklet.
Reeves Sound Studio; original dictated in 1913.
Scrapbooks are arranged according to size and preservation needs.
Arranged by artist name.
From binder.
Photocopies.
Photocopies.
This series consists of bound journals, columns, pamphlets, and a diary. Many of the publications in the series include Walsh’s notes and handwritten indices.
Arranged alphabetically by description or title.
The publications have been placed unboxed on shelves, adjacent to the boxed portion of the Walsh papers.
Includes Walsh’s notes.
Bound scrapbook of photographs, clippings, and correspondence documenting Walsh’s appearance on the television show.
Handwritten. Consists mostly of personal notes and includes a few clippings and photographs.
Miscellaneous pamphlets bound together.
Includes Walsh’s notes.
Clippings and theater illustrations mounted on heavy cardstock and housed in a large pamphlet box.
Bound scrapbook of correspondence, photographs, articles, and copies of clippings, dated 1910-1914.
Walsh’s
Photocopies of Jim Walsh’s
Bound scrapbook of newspaper and magazine clippings.
Includes Walsh’s notes.
Scrapbook of advertisements from magazines and newspapers.
Bound scrapbook of advertisements from magazines and newspapers.
Bound periodical.
Includes Walsh’s notes.
Includes notes.
Bound scrapbook with Edison signature, collector signatures, letterhead, photographs, clippings, cards, and other illustrations.
A print of Charles Dickens, autographed by Dickens, was transferred to the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division in November, 2010. Several published books, bound journals, and record catalogs also were removed from the collection and integrated into the Library’s general collections.