Sue Cassidy Clark papers, 1960-1990 | Center for Black Music Research

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Collection Overview

Title: Sue Cassidy Clark papers, 1960-1990

Predominant Dates:1969-1973

ID: 1000/CLARK_1011

Primary Creator: Clark, Sue C.

Extent: 36.0 Boxes. More info below.

Arrangement: The papers are arranged into seven series, “Artists,” “Other Topics,” “Periodicals,” “Printed Music, “Scrapbooks,” “Commercial Recordings,” and “Audio Interview Cassettes.”

Date Acquired: 00/00/1992

Subjects: Apollo Theater (New York, N.Y. : 125th Street), Butler, Jerry, Clark, Sue C., Impressions (Musical Group), Journalism, Mayfield, Curtis, Musicians, Black, Music Journalists, New York (City), Popular music - 1981-1990, Popular music - 1991-2000

Forms of Material: Soul music, Soul music (genre)

Languages: English

Abstract

Sue Cassidy Clark was a music journalist and photographer who specialized in soul, gospel, and rock music in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The Sue Cassidy Clark papers include Clark's recorded interviews, interview transcripts, photographs, published articles, correspondence, handwritten notes, clippings, promotional print material, and commercial sound recordings.

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The collection includes recorded interviews that Clark conducted with significant and influential African-American musicians, typed transcriptions of many of these interviews, copies of published articles, photographs, many of which were taken by Clark, correspondence, handwritten notes, research material (including clippings and promotional print material), and her collection of recordings.

Many of the individuals with whom Clark conducted interviews were musical pioneers, and the period in which the interviews took place was a time when American popular music was evolving rapidly. Clark's interviews with these artists provide a snapshot of many of them at their artistic and commercial peaks, and the questions she poses on such topics as the directions soul music was taking, the performers' relationship to their audiences, and the artists' reflections on other musicians (contemporary and past) provide considerable insight into the American musical landscape at that time. For a number of the musicians Clark interviewed, there are not many other recorded interviews in existence, and some of the musicians she interviewed are now deceased.

Collection Historical Note

Sue Cassidy Clark was a music journalist and photographer who specialized in soul, gospel, and rock music in the late 1960s and early 1970s. She authored the books Rock: A World Bold as Love (Cowles, 1970) and The Superstars: In Their Own Words (Music Sales, 1972), and she contributed articles and record reviews to several periodicals, including Billboard, Black Stars, Creem, Hit Parader, Rolling Stone, Rock, Soul Illustrated, and Soul Sounds.

Biographical Note

Sue Cassidy Clark, director of creative services for Command/Probe Records

Subject/Index Terms

Apollo Theater (New York, N.Y. : 125th Street)
Butler, Jerry
Clark, Sue C.
Impressions (Musical Group)
Journalism
Mayfield, Curtis
Musicians, Black
Music Journalists
New York (City)
Popular music - 1981-1990
Popular music - 1991-2000

Administrative Information

Repository: Center for Black Music Research

Alternate Extent Statement: 36 boxes

Access Restrictions: Varies. See finding aid for restrictions on interviews.

Use Restrictions: Most of the collection is open for public use. Some individuals restrict access to interviews.

Physical Access Note: Includes sound discs, photographs and photograph negatives, 45 rpm and 33 1/3 rpm and cassette recordings

Acquisition Source: Clark, Sue Cassidy

Finding Aid Revision History: revised by Adam Melville, March 6, 2018.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Artists, circa 1960-1990],
[Series 2: Other Musical Topics, 1960-1999],
[Series 3: Periodical Issues, 1962-1999],
[Series 4: Printed Music, 1948-1997],
[Series 5: Scrapbooks, 1950-1966],
[Series 6: Commercial Recordings],
[All]

Series 5: Scrapbooks, 1950-1966

The five scrapbooks in this series contain material relating to Clark's interest in jazz and her personal acquaintance with numerous jazz musicians during the 1950s and 1960s. The scrapbooks primarily include clippings; other materials include promotional material, flyers, original photographs, correspondence, and handwritten notes. Because of the poor physical condition of the scrapbooks, unique and rare items (such as Clark's original photographs of musicians, handwritten notes, and correspondence) have been removed and placed in separate folders. In instances where scrapbook pages contain handwritten captions describing these items, photocopies of the original scrapbook pages are included alongside the refoldered items.

Box 22

Item 1: 1 scrapbook 1956-1959. (Scrapbook #1.)

Box 23

Item 2: 1 scrapbook 1953-1959. (Scrapbook #2.)

Box 24

Item 3: 1 scrapbook, 1950-1960 (chiefly 1959-1960). [Scrapbook #3]

Box 25

Item 4: 1 scrapbook, 1960-1962. [Scrapbook #4]

Box 26

Item 5: 1 scrapbook, 1962-1966. [Scrapbook #5]

Box 20

Folder 597: Items removed from scrapbook: Proof sheets from photographs; correspondence; promotional photographs; various flyers.
Folder 598: Items removed from scrapbook: 1 photograph of Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins (by Bill Spilka); snapshots of Tommy Flanagan, Art Farmer, J.J. Johnson, Spanky DeBrest, Clifford Jordan; Sonny Rollins, Paul Terence Chambers, Tootie Heath, Doris Welcher, and Joyce Chambers; correspondence from Vivian Johnson and Oscar Peterson; 1 handwritten note from Lee Morgan; 1 promotional photograph of J.J. Johnson; various flyers.
Folder 599: Items removed from scrapbook: photographs; handwritten note; cancelled and signed checks.; Christmas cards; postcard; brochure from 1960 Monterey Jazz Festival; 2 issues of Jazz Guide (May 1960 and June 1960); 1 issue of S.F. Territorial News (September 1960); Miles Davis promotional booklet; flyers.
Folder 600: Items removed from scrapbook: photographs; handwritten note by John Coltrane; postcards; Christmas cards; two Miles Davis promotional booklets; one table tent from Jazz Workshop advertising shows by John Coltrane and Sonny Stitt.
Folder 601: Items removed from scrapbook: photographs; 1 letter; Christmas cards; flyers. 1 poster titled 100 Mil LPs Vendidos Jorge Ben.