ARSC Awards for Excellence: 1991-1999

"As I don't depend on writing for a living, I don't hesitate to write only about the subjects that interest me." So Colin Escott writes--extensively on Rock, Rhythm & Blues, Country Music, and much more. The author and co-author of over a dozen books and many more liner notes, Mr. Escott has published ground-breaking research on Sun Records, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Hank Williams, and others. ARSC has previously recognized his work with two Awards for Excellence in record research and discography, in 1991 and 1992. His most recent book is All Roads Lead to Rock: Legends of Early Rock 'n' Roll, A Bear Family Reader (Schirmer Books, 1999).

"Lotte Lenya: A Centenary Tribute," by Richard Weize, Rainer E. Lotz, et al., notes to Bear Family CDs (1998)

"Budapest String Quartet", discography by Phil Hart in the ARSC Journal: Part 1 1924-1940, in vol. 28/2 (1997), Part 2 1941-1954, in vol.29/1 (1998), Part 3 1955-1966, in vol. 29/2 (1998)

Elvis Presley: A Life in Music: The Complete Recording Sessions, by Ernst Jorgensen (St. Martin's Press, 1998)

Certificate of Merit
The Deadhead's Taping Compendium, Vol. 1: 1959-1974, by Michael M. Getz and John R. Dwork (Henry Holt and Company, 1998)

John Coltrane: His Life and Music, by Lewis Porter (University of Michigan Press, 1998)

Certificate of Merit
Dixonia: A Bio-Discography of Bill Dixon, compiled by Ben Young (Greenwood Press, 1998)

The Encyclopedia of Country Music, edited by Paul Kingsbury (Oxford University Press, 1998)

Music of Hindu Trinidad, by Helen Myers (University of Chicago Press, 1998)

Making People's Music: Moe Asch and Folkways Records, by Peter D. Goldsmith (Smithsonian Institution Press, 1998)

Among other occupations, Rainer E. Lotz is an economist, engineer, publisher, and university lecturer. Currently he works for the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development and is also the editor of the German National Discography. He has produced numerous recordings and written books (he is co-author of one of this year's award winners) and articles on ragtime, jazz, radio broadcasting, black history, and individual musicians. In response to this award, Dr. Lotz wrote (in part): "I can say by good rights that all my work was done after hours. Each single book, each single essay, each single record I have ever published have been a source of fun and pleasure for me. It is my firm intention to continue to pursue my interests--which are also ARSC's interests--for as long as possible. So consider this a warning: in my shelves and cupboards material is lurking still for at least another hundred ventures."

Hitler's Airwaves: The Inside Story of Nazi Radio Broadcasting and Propaganda Swing, by Horst J. P. Bergmeier and Rainer E. Lotz (Yale University Press, 1997)

The Orchestra on Record, 1896-1926: An Encyclopedia of Orchestral Recordings Made By the Acoustical Process, by Claude Arnold (Greenwood Press, 1997)

Certificate of Merit
The London Philharmonic Discography, by Philip Stuart (Greenwood Press, 1997)

American Bandstand: Dick Clark and the Making of a Rock 'n' Roll Empire, by John A. Jackson (Oxford University Press, 1997)

The Birth of Bebop: A Social and Musical History, by Scott DeVeaux (University of California, 1997)

Certificate of Merit
Space Is the Place: The Lives and Times of Sun Ra, by John F. Szwed (Pantheon Books, 1997)

Roosevelt's Blues: African-American Blues and Gospel Songs on FDR, by Guido van Rijn (University Press of Mississippi, 1997)

Certificate of Merit
Woke Me Up This Morning: Black Gospel Singers and the Gospel Life, by Alan Young (University Press of Mississippi, 1997)

Ramblin' Rose: The Life and Career of Rose Maddox, by Jonny Whiteside (Vanderbilt University Press & Country Music Foundation, 1997)

Certificates of Merit
"Cliff Bruner and His Texas Wanderers," notes by Kevin Coffey to the 5-CD set (Bear Family Records [BCD 15932] 1997)
The Statler Brothers Discography, compiled by Alice Y. Holtin (Greenwood Press, 1997)

A Day For the Hunter, A Day For the Prey: Popular Music and Power in Haiti, by Gage Averill (University of Chicago Press, 1997)

Soulsville U.S.A.: The Story of Stax Records, by Rob Bowman (Schirmer Books, 1997)

The Talking Machine: An Illustrated Compendium, by Timothy C. Fabrizio and George F. Paul (Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1997)

Frank Andrews is an English collector and writer who, since the late 1960s, has written extensively about acoustic-era labels and general phonograph history, especially in the United Kingdom. Most of his work has been for the Hillandale News and The Talking Machine Review. He has authored more than 100 articles, including detailed, multi-part corporate histories of English labels including Aeolian-Vocalion, Edison Bell, Imperial, Zonophone, and Homophone, as well as many small independent and "store" labels of the early 1900s.

"Friedrich Hollander", notes by Viktor Rotthaler for the CD release by Bear Family Records (1996)

Otto Klemperer: His Life and Times, by Peter Heyworth, discography by Michael Gray (2 volumes: Cambridge University Press, 1966)

Doowop: The Chicago Scene, by Robert Pruter (University of Illinois Press, 1996)

Stan Getz: A Life in Jazz, by Donald L. Maggin (William Morrow & Co., 1996)

Ernest Tubb: The Texas Troubadour, by Ronnie Pugh (Duke University Press, 1996)

"Songs for Political Action: Folk Music, Topical Songs and the American Left, 1926-1953," notes by Ronald D. Cohen and Dave Samuelson for the CD set issued by Bear Family Records (1996)

Stage to Studio: Musicians and the Sound Revolution, 1890-1950, by James P. Kraft (Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996)

Columbia Phonograph Companion, vol.2, by Robert W. Baumbach (Woodland Hills, CA: Staionery X-Press, 1996)

Harold Barnes was an American music-and-opera lover who settled in Paris after World War 2, where he worked for many years for UNESCO. He is perhaps best known for the pioneering, authoritative discography Vertical Cut Cylinders and Discs, co-authored with Victor Girard (1964). Beginning in the 1940s he wrote--alone and with others--numerous singer discographies, many of which were published in Recorded Sound and The Record Collector. One of his last major projects was the 15-CD set "Singers of Imperial Russia" for Pearl Records. Mr. Barnes died in 1994; several discographies will be published posthumously.

Tommy Dorsey: On the Side, by Robert L. Stockdale (Scarecrow Press, 1995)

Guillaume de Machaut, a Guide to Research, by Lawrence Earp (Garland Publishing, 1995)

A Life in Ragtime: Jim Europe, by Reid Badger (Oxford University Press, 1995)

Rock Mr. Blues: The Life and Music of Wynonie Harris, by Tony Collins (New Hampshire: Big Nickel Publications, 1995)

The Waylon Jennings Discography, compiled by John L. Smith (Greenwood Press, 1995)

Ethnic and Vernacular Music, 1898-1960: A Resource and Guide to Recordings, by Paul Vernon (Greenwood Press, 1995)

Berliner Gramophone Records: American Issues, 1892-1900, by compiled by Paul Charosh (Greenwood Press, 1995)

Michel Ruppli is a retired electronics engineer living in the south of France, who has spent the last 25 years compiling some of the most detailed label discographies ever published in the field of postwar jazz and popular music; his discography of the Mercury label (with Ed Novitsky) was an award-winner in 1994. He has also published label and artist discographies in various jazz publications, including Jazz Hot. At the time of the award, Mr. Ruppli had just completed a 6,000-page discography of the Decca label (published in 1996 by Greenwood Press).

Television Theme Recordings, by Steve Gelfand (Populard Culture Ink, 1995)

Glyndebourne Recorded: Sixty Years of Recordings, 1934-1994, by Paul Campion and Rosy Runciman (London: Julia MacRae Books, 1994)

The Kinks, Part One: You Really Got Me, an Illustrated World Discography of the Kinks, 1964-1993, by Doug Hinman with Jason Brabazon (Rumford, RI: self-published, 1994)

Certificate of Merit
Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley, by Peter Guralnick (Little, Brown & Co., 1994)

Thinking Jazz: The Infinite Art of Improvisation, by Paul F. Berliner (University of Chicago Press, 1994)

Milton Brown and the Founding of Western Swing, by Cary Ginell (University of Illinois Press, 1994)

Cuba Canta y Baila: Discografia de la Musica Cubana, vol.1, 1898-1925, by Cristobal Diaz Ayala (San Juan, PR: Fundacion Musicalia, 1994)

Directory of American Disc Record Brands and Manufacturers, 1891-1943, by Allan Sutton (Greenwood Press, 1994)

EJS: Discography of the Edward J. Smith Recordings: "The Golden Age of Opera," 1956-1971, by William Shaman, William J. Collins, and Calvin M. Goodwin (Greenwood Press, 1994)

Certificate of Merit
His Master's Voice / Die Stimme seines Herrn: The German Catalog (1898-1929), compiled by Alan Kelly (Greenwood Press, 1994)

The Edison Cylinder Phonograph Companion, by George Frow (Woodland Hills, CA: Stationery X-Press, 1994)

Classical discographer William R. Moran is the joint author (with the late Ted Fagan) of the on-going Encyclopedic Discography of Victor Recordings. A retired geologist, Mr. Moran is associate editor of the 42-volume reprint series Opera Biographies and has worked on numerous vocal reissue projects for RCA/BMG and others. He has written over thirty discographies and articles on operatic subjects for Recorded Sound, The Record Collector, the ARSC Journal, and others. Some of his discographies have appeared in recent books including this year's winner Adelina Patti: Queen of Hearts.

Frank Munn: A Biodiscography of the Golden Voice of Radio, by Rodney Steiner and Thomas A. Delong (Southport, CT: Sasco Associates, 1993)

Adelina Patti: Queen of Hearts, by John Frederick Cone (Amadeus Press, 1993)

Louie, Louie, by Dave Marsh (Hyperion, 1993)

Going to Cincinnati: A History of the Blues in the Queen City, by Steven C. Tracy (University of Illinois Press, 1993)

The Stonemans, by Ivan M. Tribe (University of Illinois Press, 1993)

Lydia Mendoza, a Family Autobiography, compiled and introduced by Chris Strachwitz and Jim Nicolopulos (Arte Publico Press, 1993)

The Mercury Labels: A Discography, by Michael Ruppli and Ed Novitsky (Greenwood Press, 1993)

Playback Equalizer Settings for 78 RPM Recordings, by James R. Powell, Jr. and Randall G. Stehle (Gramophone Adventures, 1993)

The Banjo on Record: A Bio Discography, by Uli Heier and Rainer E. Lotz (Greenwood Press, 1993)

Ray Wile, one of the world's best known researchers into the early history of the recording industry, is a retired professor at Queens College, New York. Since the 1950s, he has specialized in writing on early corporate history and the recording activities of Thomas A. Edison. He pioneered the use of long-ignored legal records and trial proceedings to trace tangled industry history. Mr. Wile is the author of several books on Edison's disc recordings and has contributed to such publications as Record Research, the ARSC Journal, The New Amberola Graphic, and The Talking Machine Review.

Dino: Living High in the Dirty Business of Dreams, by Nick Tosches (Doubleday, 1992)

Early Recordings and Musical Style: Changing Tastes in Instrumental Performance, 1900-1950, by Robert Philip (Cambridge University Press, 1992)

England's Dreaming: Anarchy, Sex Pistols, Punk Rock, and Beyond, by Jon Savage (St. Martin's Press, 1992)

"Louis Jordan," notes by Peter Grendysa to the Bear Family Records CD set (1992)

"Johnnie & Jack," notes by Eddie Stubbs and Walt Trott to the Bear Family Records CD set (1992)

A Passion for Polka: Old Time Ethnic Music in America, by Victor R. Greene (University of California Press, 1992)

Trumpet Records: An Illustrated History with Discography, by Marc Ryan (New Hampshire: Big Nickel Publications, 1992)

Archival Information Processing for Sound Recordings, by David A. Thomas (MLA Technical Report no.21, Music Library Association, 1992)

An author, radio lecturer, and recording historian, Brian Rust is one of the pioneers of discography. He has compiled numerous works on jazz, British and American dance bands, the English music hall, American record-label history, and the entertainment industry. His many books have been published both in the United States and his native Great Britain.

A Gershwin Companion: A Critical Inventory and Discography, 1916-1984, by Walter Rimler (Popular Culture Ink, 1991)

Igor Stravinsky--The Composer in the Recording Studio: A Comprehensive Discography, by Philip Stuart (Greenwood Press, 1991)

For discography
Positively Bob Dylan: A Thirty-Year Discography, Concert, and Recording Guide, 1960-1991, by Michael Krogsgaard (Popular Culture Ink, 1991)

For historical research
Big Beat Heat: Alan Freed and The Early Years of Rock & Roll, by John A. Jackson (Schirmer/Macmillan, 1991)

The Song of the Hawk: The Life and Recordings of Colman Hawkins by John Chilton (University of Michigan Press, 1990)

"Johnny Horton," notes by Colin Escott to the Bear Family Records CD set (BCD 15470, 1991)

"Michael Coleman," notes by Harry Bradshaw to the Viva Voce 2-cassette set (Viva Voce 004, 1991) [Later released on CD: Gael-Linn/Viva Voce CEFCD 161]

Chicago Soul, by Robert Pruter (University of Illinois Press, 1991)

Ulysses "Jim" Walsh was honored with the first Lifetime Achievement Award. Mr. Walsh, who died in December 1990, was a newspaper and radio writer who began writing about acoustic-era popular recording artists in the late 1920s, while most of his subjects were still alive. His insightful biographies, published in Hobbies magazine in a monthly column that ran from 1942 until 1985, have become a primary source for subsequent researchers. Walsh also contributed material on the early recording industry to Music Lovers' Guide, Variety, The New Yorker, The American Record Guide, and various books. He donated his extensive record collection and files to the Library of Congress.

The Complete Judy Garland, by Emily R. Coleman (Harper & Row, 1990)

A Gregorian Chant Discography, by Jerome F. Weber (self-published, 1990)

"The Classic Carl Perkins", notes by Colin Escott to the Bear Family Record CD set (BCD 15494, 1990)

You Got to be Original, Man! The Music of Lester Young, by Frank Buchmann-Moller (Greenwood Press, 1990)

Ethnic Music on Records: A Discography of Ethnic Recordings Produced in the United States, 1893 to 1942, by Richard Spottswood (University of Illinois Press, 1990)

"The Jack Kerouac Collection", notes by David Perry and James Austin to the Rhino WordBeat set (R 70939, 1990)

His Master's Voice/La voix de son maître, the French Catalog: A Complete Catalogue of French Gramophone Recordings Made From 1898 to 1929 in France and Elsewhere by the Gramophone Company Ltd., by Alan Kelly (Greenwood Press, 1990)

A Manual of Sound Archive Administration, by Alan Ward (Gower Publishing, 1990)