Texas Blues Research

This subseries contains research for a manuscript project titled The Texas Blues. The materials consist of typescript and handwritten correspondence, primarily between Paul Oliver and Mack McCormick, typescript notes and references, typescript notes of interviews with individuals, newspaper clippings, and photocopied secondary sources. McCormick assembled the research into binders known as Volumes 1-5. There are indices for volumes two-four that McCormick completed in August 1965. Additional indices include a supplementary index and subject index. Each page of this research is numbered in the upper right corner and the pages are arranged sequentially. In some instances, McCormick removed pages from sequential order, filing them in subject or artist files, presumably for cross references. When possible, the processing archivist restored the original pages and made photocopies for the other files. Many of the pages are annotated by McCormick either directly on the page or by using a sticky-note. All sticky-notes were photocopied and then removed for preservation reasons. McCormick's "Author's Preface" for the manuscript The Texas Blues, contains insight and details about McCormick's motivations to undertake research about the blues, his research methodology, the sources he consulted, his collaborators, especially Paul Oliver, and the use of terms "Black" vs. "Afro-American" or "Cajun" vs. "Acadian." McCormick noted that, "the book is not complete and, in a sense, never can be." (Author's preface, page 7) Some of the sources McCormick consulted included, telephone directories, court records, police records, death certificates, city directories, maps, statistical data about Texas, employment histories of musicians, and speaking with individuals who had contact with musicians, such as hotel and bar owners. McCormick wrote that, "the greatest single resource of valuable material is undoubtedly the commercial recordings."(Author's Preface, page 19) McCormick obtained dubbings or taped transcriptions of many early recordings from blues collectors which allowed him to trace influences, phrases, and texts for blues musicians. One of the greatest obstacles was the physical separation of McCormick (in Texas) and Oliver (in England), their reliance on mail to communicate their research, and the drain on their personal finances. McCormick by the early 1960s was concerned that some colleagues and collaborators, including Paul Oliver, may attempt to publish his research without his permission. For this reason, he began to place "hoaxes" in his research materials. For useful context pertaining to McCormick's planting of hoaxes (and how to identify them), see the Editor's Preface and Afterword in Robert "Mack" McCormick, Biography of a Phantom: a Robert Johnson Blues Odyssey, edited by John W. Troutman (Washington DC: Smithsonian Books, 2023). As a preservation measure, researchers must view digitized content for boxes 76-80 as soon as it becomes available through the finding aid online. Originals not available due to fragility.