Music & Musical Instruments
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. 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. In various ways, our collections find expression in performances of the Smithsonian Chamber Players, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, and in other public programs.
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toy, piano
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 1971.295669.128
- accession number
- 295669
- catalog number
- 295669.128
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
There's a Small Hotel; I've Got You Under My Skin
- Description (Brief)
- Stan Getz Quartet. side 1: There's a Small Hotel; side 2: I've Got You Under My Skin (Birdland 6001).
78 rpm. - Location
- Currently not on view
- recording date
- 1950
- recording artist
- Stan Getz Quartet
- manufacturer
- Birdland
- ID Number
- 1978.0670.013
- accession number
- 1978.0670
- maker number
- 6001
- catalog number
- 1978.0670.013
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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I'm Going Home; Then You're Drunk
- Description (Brief)
- Jimmie Noone Trio with vocal refrain by Ed Thompson. side 1: I'm Going Home; side 2: Then You're Drunk (Bluebird B-8649).
78 rpm. - Location
- Currently not on view
- recording date
- 1940
- recording artist
- Jimmie Noone Trio
- manufacturer
- Bluebird
- ID Number
- 1978.0670.039
- accession number
- 1978.0670
- maker number
- B-8649
- catalog number
- 1978.0670.039
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Pearl House Rag; Sweethearts on Parade
- Description (Brief)
- Marvin Ash and his Mason-Dixon Music. side 1: Pearl House Rag; side 2: Sweethearts on Parade (Capitol 855).
78 rpm. - Location
- Currently not on view
- recording date
- 1949
- recording artist
- Marvin Ash and his Mason-Dixon Music
- manufacturer
- Capitol
- ID Number
- 1978.0670.084
- accession number
- 1978.0670
- maker number
- 855
- catalog number
- 1978.0670.084
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Record Session; Nothin'
- Description (Brief)
- Harry James and his Orchestra. side 1: Record Session; side 2: Nothin' (Columbia 36399).
78 rpm. - Location
- Currently not on view
- recording date
- 1941
- recording artist
- Harry James and His Orchestra
- manufacturer
- Columbia
- ID Number
- 1978.0670.145
- maker number
- 36399
- accession number
- 1978.0670
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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The Most!; Chasin' the Bass
- Description (Brief)
- Serge Chaloff and The Herdsmen. side 1: The Most!; side 2: Chasin' the Bass (Futurama 3004).
78 rpm. - Location
- Currently not on view
- recording date
- 1949
- recording artist
- Serge Chaloff and The Herdsmen
- manufacturer
- Futurama
- ID Number
- 1978.0670.249
- maker number
- 3004
- accession number
- 1978.0670
- catalog number
- 1978.0670.249
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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High Society; Terrible Blues
- Description (Brief)
Lu Watters' Yerba Buena Jazz Band. side 1: High Society; side 2: Terrible Blues (Jazz Man 15).
78 rpm.Jazz Man Records was founded by David Ashford Stuart in 1941. The record label was devoted to traditional New Orleans-style jazz. In 1946, Stuart sold the label to Nesuhi Ertegun, brother of Ahmet Ertegun, founder of Atlantic Records, and Nesuhi’s wife Marili Morden, owners of the Jazz Man Record Shop in Hollywood, the label’s namesake. Jazz Man Records continued to produce recordings until late 1954.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- recording date
- 1942
- recording artist
- Lu Watters' Yerba Buena Jazz Band
- manufacturer
- Jazz Man
- ID Number
- 1978.0670.298
- maker number
- 15
- accession number
- 1978.0670
- catalog number
- 1978.0670.298
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Clarinet Marmalade; Yelping Hound Blues
- Description (Brief)
Pete Daily's Rhythm Kings. side 1: Clarinet Marmalade; side 2: Yelping Hound Blues (Jazz Man 30).
78 rpm.Jazz Man Records was founded by David Ashford Stuart in 1941. The record label was devoted to traditional New Orleans-style jazz. In 1946, Stuart sold the label to Nesuhi Ertegun, brother of Ahmet Ertegun, founder of Atlantic Records, and Nesuhi’s wife Marili Morden, owners of the Jazz Man Record Shop in Hollywood, the label’s namesake. Jazz Man Records continued to produce recordings until late 1954.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- recording date
- 1947
- recording artist
- Pete Daily's Rhythm Kings
- manufacturer
- Jazz Man
- ID Number
- 1978.0670.301
- maker number
- 30
- accession number
- 1978.0670
- catalog number
- 1978.0670.301
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Wolverine Blues; Tiger Rag
- Description (Brief)
- Pee Wee Erwin and The Village Five. side 1: Wolverine Blues; side 2: Tiger Rag (King 15076).
78 rpm. - Location
- Currently not on view
- recording date
- 1950
- recording artist
- Pee Wee Erwin and The Village Five
- manufacturer
- King
- ID Number
- 1978.0670.312
- maker number
- 15076
- accession number
- 1978.0670
- catalog number
- 1978.0670.312
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
The Darktown Strutter's Ball; I've Found a New Baby
- Description
- George Wettling's Chicago Rhythm Kings. side 1: The Darktown Strutter's Ball; side 2: I've Found a New Baby (Decca 18045), from the album, Decca Presents an Album of Chicago Jazz (Decca A-121).
78 rpm. Both tracks were recorded in 1940. The album was released in 1940. - Location
- Currently not on view
- recording date
- 1940
- recording artist
- George Wettling's Chicago Rhythm Kings
- manufacturer
- Decca
- ID Number
- 1978.0670.556
- accession number
- 1978.0670
- maker number
- 18045
- A-121
- catalog number
- 1978.0670.556
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Red Light Rag; Sugar Foot Strut
- Description
- Pete Daily and his Chicagoans. side 1: Red Light Rag; side 2: Sugar Foot Strut (Decca 27037), from the album, Dixieland Jazz Battle, Vol. 1 (Decca A-770).
78 rpm. - Location
- Currently not on view
- recording date
- 1950
- recording artist
- Pete Daily and his Chicagoans
- manufacturer
- Decca
- ID Number
- 1978.0670.595
- accession number
- 1978.0670
- maker number
- 27037
- A-770
- catalog number
- 1978.0670.595
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Worried and Blue; Riffin and Jivin
- Description
- Don Byas. side 1: Worried and Blue; side 2: Riffin and Jivin (Savoy 582), from the album, Tenor Sax Album No. 2 (Savoy S-502).
78 rpm. - Location
- Currently not on view
- recording date
- 1944
- recording artist
- Byas, Don
- manufacturer
- Savoy
- ID Number
- 1978.0670.649
- accession number
- 1978.0670
- maker number
- 582
- S-502
- catalog number
- 1978.0670.649
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Song of the Vipers; Will You, Won't You Be My Babe
- Description
Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra. side 1: Song of the Vipers; side 2: Will You, Won't You Be My Babe (Vox 16059), from the album, Louis Armstrong - Paris, 1934 (Vox VSP 300).
78 rpm. Both tracks were recorded at Studio Polydor in Paris, France, in 1934. The album was released in 1947.This album features artwork by American painter, printmaker, and teacher, Daniel (Dan) Shapiro (1920-1982). He created the artwork for several albums including recordings by Louis Armstrong, Alex Wilder, Charlie Christian, Marlene Dietrich, Edith Piaf, and Richard Dyer Bennett. Shapiro’s works were first exhibited at the Cooper Union Art School in 1940 and 1941. He had much success with his solo shows in the 1960s at the University of California at San Francisco, Cellini Gallery, San Francisco Museum of Art, and Rice University in Houston.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- recording date
- 1934
- release date
- 1947
- recording artist
- Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra
- manufacturer
- Vox
- ID Number
- 1978.0670.683
- accession number
- 1978.0670
- maker number
- 16059
- VSP 300
- catalog number
- 1978.0670.683
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Johnny Wiggs and His New Orleans Kings
- Description (Brief)
- Johnny Wiggs and his New Orleans Kings. Johnny Wiggs and His New Orleans Kings>/i> (Southland S-LP 204).
33-1/3 rpm. - Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1949
- recording artist
- Johnny Wiggs and his New Orleans Kings
- maker
- Southland
- ID Number
- 1978.0670.719
- maker number
- S-LP 204
- accession number
- 1978.0670
- catalog number
- 1978.0670.719
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
The Big Beat
- Description (Brief)
- Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers. The Big Beat (Blue Note BLP 4029).
33-1/3 rpm. - Location
- Currently not on view
- recording date
- 1960
- recording artist
- Blakey, Art
- Jazz Messengers
- manufacturer
- Blue Note
- ID Number
- 1978.0670.795
- maker number
- BLP 4029
- accession number
- 1978.0670
- catalog number
- 1978.0670.795
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
“The Old Gum Tree”
- Description (Brief)
- This sheet music is for the song “The Old Gum Tree.” The cover notes that the song was “sung with rapturous applause by the Ethiopian Serenaders,” and “composed for the Piano Forte by R.O. Wilson.” The song was composed in 1848, and was part of the culture of “coon songs” that became popular entertainment during the period. “Ethiopian” singers and performers were what blackface performers often called themselves, traveling in troupes and performing various song and dance numbers in often crass and racist stereotypes.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1848
- composer
- Wilson, R. O.
- performers
- Ethiopian Serenaders
- publisher
- F. D. Benteen
- ID Number
- 1983.0313.18
- accession number
- 1983.0313
- catalog number
- 1983.0313.18
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
“Mickey”
- Description (Brief)
- This sheet music is for the song “Mickey.” The lyrics were written by Harry Williams and the music was composed by Neil Moret. The song was adapted from Mack Sennett’s $500.00 Photoplay “Mickey” and was respectfully dedicated to Mabel Normand. This sheet music was published by the Watterson, Berlin, & Snyder Company of New York City in 1918. The cover features an illustration of Mabel Normand as Mickey astride a horse. The illustration is signed by Barbelle, for illustrator Albert W. Barbelle.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1918
- publisher
- Waterson, Berlin & Snyder Co.
- ID Number
- 1983.0424.030
- accession number
- 1983.0424
- catalog number
- 1983.0424.030
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
“So's Your Old Man (How'd You Get That Way?)”
- Description (Brief)
- This sheet music is for the song “So's Your Old Man (How'd You Get That Way?)” that was written and composed by Charlie McCord and Perry Bradford. The sheet music was published by the Perry Bradford Music Co. in 1925. The song is subtitled “a college wail.” The cover features a black and orange collection of faces and various college paraphernalia.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1925
- publisher
- Perry Bradford Music Co.
- ID Number
- 1983.0424.048
- accession number
- 1983.0424
- catalog number
- 1983.0424.048
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
“Au Revoir, but Not Good-Bye (Soldier Boy)”
- Description (Brief)
- This sheet music is for the song “Au Revoir, but Not Good-Bye (Soldier Boy).” The song’s lyrics were written by Lew Brown and the music was composed by Albert Von Tilzer. The sheet music was published by the Broadway Music Corporation of New York, New York in 1917. The cover has a central illustration of a soldier clasping hands and gazing into the eyes of a woman in a white dress, with a large red heart between them.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1917
- composer
- Von Tilzer, Albert
- lyricist
- Brown, Lew
- publisher
- Broadway Music Corporation
- ID Number
- 1983.0424.074
- accession number
- 1983.0424
- catalog number
- 1983.0424.074
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
“Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life”
- Description (Brief)
- This sheet music is for the song “Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life.” Rida Johnson Young wrote the lyrics of the song and Victor Herbert composed the music. The sheet music was published by M. Witmark & Sons of New York City in 1910. The dark maroon cover has a large oval photograph of Victor Hebert in the center. The song came from Hebert’s operetta Naughty Marietta, one of his greatest successes.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1910
- composer
- Herbert, Victor
- publisher
- M. Witmark & Sons
- ID Number
- 1983.0424.107
- accession number
- 1983.0424
- catalog number
- 1983.0424.107
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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- Sound recordings 2023
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- music box disc 154
- Flutes (aerophones) 127
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- Popular Entertainment 4611
- Cultural and Community Life: Musical Instruments 4085
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- Guitars 98
