Folkways Records: Moses Asch and His Encyclopedia of Sound

by Tony Olmsted

Overview

In 1949, immigrant recording engineer Moses Asch embarked on a lifelong project: documenting the world of sound produced by mankind, via a small record label called Folkways Records. By the time of his death in 1986, he had amassed an archive of over 2,200 LPs and thousands of hours of tapes; so valuable was this collection that it was purchased by the Smithsonian Institute. Folkways Records is an account of how he built this business, working against all odds, to create a landmark in the history of American music.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780415937092
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	06/24/2003
Pages:	264
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Tony Olmstead is Professor of Anthropology at the University of Alberta, Canada. He has presented several papers on the music business, and is the recipient of several academic awards and fellowships.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments Preface, Michael Asch Introduction 1. Early Influences: 1870s to 1930s The Phonograph and Sound Recording Youth and Family Influences 2. Beginnings: Asch Records The Deal with Stinson First Recordings by Lead Belly, Pete Seeger, and Woody Guthrie 3. Broadening the Mandate: DISC Records of America New Products and Directions Bankruptcy 4. The Birth of Folkways Records The Business Model Overview of Asch's Businesses Building the Catalog 5. The Business of Making Records Manufacture Domestic Distribution Foreign Distribution Marketing and Sales Exploiting the Catalog: Licensing and Contracts 6. Finances Folkways Pioneer Record Sales Moe's Money 7. Easing the Burden: Folkways in the 1960s Reaching the Educational Market Reaching the Pop Market The Folk Revival and New Opportunities: RBF, Broadside, and the revival of DISC Records Return to Normal Operations 8 The Sale of Folkways Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index