Music & Musical Instruments - Overview
The Museum's music collections contain more than 5,000 instruments of American and European heritage. These include a quartet of 18th-century Stradivari stringed instruments, Tito Puente's autographed timbales, and the Yellow Cloud guitar that belonged to Prince, to name only a few. Several of these rare instruments can be heard in performances of the Smithsonian Chamber Players and in other public programs. Music collections also include jukeboxes and synthesizers, square-dancing outfits and sheet music, archival materials, oral histories, and recordings of performances at the Museum. The vast Sam DeVincent Collection of Illustrated Sheet Music is a remarkable window into the American past in words, music, and visual imagery. The Duke Ellington and Ruth Ellington Boatwright collections contain handwritten music compositions, sound recordings, business records, and other materials documenting the career of this renowned musician.
"Music & Musical Instruments - Overview" showing 14 items.
Page 1 of 2
Hank Williams, Jr.
- Description
- Henry Horenstein photographed Hank Williams Jr., the son of legendary singer Hank Williams, leaving his tour bus. Williams Jr. (b. 1949) spent his early career singing his father's songs in his own style. After a 1974 suicide attempt and a mountain climbing accident in 1975, he revamped his own image, modeling it after rowdy southern rockers. Later he was considered part of the Outlaw Country Movement.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- negative
- 1973
- 2003
- maker
- Horenstein, Henry
- ID Number
- 2003.0169.074
- accession number
- 2003.0169
- catalog number
- 2003.0169.074
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Billy Bird
- Description
- Billy Bird, seen here autographing a paper plate, played with Ernest Tubb (1920-2001) and was a pioneer of the electric guitar.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- negative
- 1973
- 2003
- maker
- Horenstein, Henry
- ID Number
- 2003.0169.075
- accession number
- 2003.0169
- catalog number
- 2003.0169.075
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Carl and Pearl Butler
- Description
- Pearl Butler accepts a song request from a young fan. Pearl (1927-1998) and Carl Butler (1927-1992) were part of the honky-tonk and bluegrass music movements before World War II. After their 1962 hit, "Don't Let Me Cross Over," the Butlers became one of the most popular male-female vocal teams in country music.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- negative
- 1973
- 2003
- maker
- Horenstein, Henry
- ID Number
- 2003.0169.076
- accession number
- 2003.0169
- catalog number
- 2003.0169.076
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Carl and Pearl Butler
- Description
- Fans gather around the stage to hear the husband and wife team of Carl and Pearl Butler at the Lone Star Ranch Music Park.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- negative
- 1973
- 2003
- maker
- Horenstein, Henry
- ID Number
- 2003.0169.077
- accession number
- 2003.0169
- catalog number
- 2003.0169.077
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Anita Carter
- Description
- The youngest of the three Carter Sisters, Anita began performing with Mother Maybelle and the Carter Family at age four. She performed with her mother and sisters throughout her career, though she found success of her own during the 1950s. Anita (1933-1999) was the first to record the song "Ring of Fire," written by her sister June (1929-2003). It later became a hit for her brother-in-law Johnny Cash.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- negative
- 1973
- 2003
- maker
- Horenstein, Henry
- ID Number
- 2003.0169.078
- accession number
- 2003.0169
- catalog number
- 2003.0169.078
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Mother Maybelle and the Carter Family
- Description
- Maybelle Carter (1909-1978) was an original member of the performing Carter Family. After the breakup of that group in 1943, she formed a new act, known as Mother Maybelle and the Carter Sisters, with daughters Helen (1927-1998) shown here on accordian, June and Anita. Maybelle was an influential presence, particularly as the originator of a style of guitar playing emulated by Leadbelly, Woodie Guthrie, and many other musicians.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- negative
- 1973
- 2003
- maker
- Horenstein, Henry
- ID Number
- 2003.0169.079
- accession number
- 2003.0169
- catalog number
- 2003.0169.079
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Ernest Tubb performing
- Description
- Henry Horenstein's photographs of fans swarming Ernest Tubb (1914-1984) was a familiar scene. Fans had many opportunities to see, hear, and hug Tubb. Between the early 1960s and 1982, he worked 150 to 200 shows each year.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- negative
- 1973
- 2003
- maker
- Horenstein, Henry
- ID Number
- 2003.0169.083
- accession number
- 2003.0169
- catalog number
- 2003.0169.083
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Ernest Tubb arriving at music venue
- Description
- For much of his career, Ernest Tubb, the "Texas Troubadour" was considered the ultimate honky tonk vocalist and stylist. Inspired by Jimmie Rodgers in the 1920s, Tubb sustained a musical career that at times also branched into film and television. No artist toured as much, or for as long as Ernest Tubb, who worked 150 to 200 shows each year between the early 1960s and 1982. No artist was kinder to his fans, and no fans were more loyal to their star. Ernest Tubb had one national fan club with a single president for its entire existence between 1944 and its deactivation in the early 1990s.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- negative
- 1973
- 2003
- maker
- Horenstein, Henry
- ID Number
- 2003.0169.084
- accession number
- 2003.0169
- catalog number
- 2003.0169.084
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Ernest Tubb surrounded by fans
- Description
- For much of his career, Ernest Tubb, the "Texas Troubadour" was considered the ultimate honky tonk vocalist and stylist. Inspired by Jimmie Rodgers in the 1920s, Tubb sustained a musical career that at times also branched into film and television. No artist toured as much, or for as long as Ernest Tubb, who worked 150 to 200 shows each year between the early 1960s and 1982. No artist was kinder to his fans, and no fans were more loyal to their star. Ernest Tubb had one national fan club with a single president for its entire existence between 1944 and its deactivation in the early 1990s.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- negative
- 1973
- 2003
- maker
- Horenstein, Henry
- ID Number
- 2003.0169.085
- accession number
- 2003.0169
- catalog number
- 2003.0169.085
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Ernest Tubb signing autographs
- Description
- For much of his career, Ernest Tubb, the "Texas Troubadour" was considered the ultimate honky tonk vocalist and stylist. Inspired by Jimmie Rodgers in the 1920s, Tubb sustained a musical career that at times also branched into film and television. No artist toured as much, or for as long as Ernest Tubb, who worked 150 to 200 shows each year between the early 1960s and 1982. No artist was kinder to his fans, and no fans were more loyal to their star. Ernest Tubb had one national fan club with a single president for its entire existence between 1944 and its deactivation in the early 1990s.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- negative
- 1973
- 2003
- maker
- Horenstein, Henry
- ID Number
- 2003.0169.086
- accession number
- 2003.0169
- catalog number
- 2003.0169.086
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
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