a_s2044_02_tape12 | Aubrey Ghent and Henry Nelson interview for the Sacred Steel Guitar Recording Project | Sound | Guitarist Singers Fieldwork Steel guitars Guitar music Performing arts Guitarists Music performance African Americans Religious songs Religious music Gospel songs Gospel musicians Gospel (Black) Personal experience narratives Interviews Oral histories Life histories Oral history Protestants Christianity Churches Religion Musicians | /fpc/memory/omeka_images/thumbnails/audio.jpg |
Aubrey Ghent and Henry Nelson interview for the Sacred Steel Guitar Recording Project
- Date
- 1993-11-26
- Description
- Four audio cassette recordings. Recorded at Nelson's sister's house (Mary Linzy) in Ocala. Ghent and Nelson discuss the origins of the Sacred Steel tradition, early influences (e.g. Troman and Willie Eason), the House of God tradition, and playing styles. The Sacred Steel Guitar Recording Project originated in 1992 when Florida Folklife Program folklorist Robert Stone discovered that several predominantly African American House of God churches (a sub-sect of the Pentecostal church) in the St. Petersburg area were using steel guitars in their religious services. The practice began by Willie and Troman Eason in the 1930s, and expanded upon by players such as Henry Nelson and Lorenzo Harrison. Realizing that this was a unique musical tradition, labeled Sacred Steel, the Florida Folklife Program to applied for a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to conduct fieldwork and create a music album for public dispersal. The aim of the project was to increase public awareness of the gospel steel guitar tradition, as well as document it for future generations. Matched with state funds, the grant period originally ran from October 1993 through October 1994, but was extended for another year. In that time Stone, along with sound engineers William Dudley and Mike Stapleton, interviewed and recorded several steel guitarists in the St. Petersburg area. An album entitled Sacred Steel was released in 1995. It was then re-released through an agreement with Arhoolie Records in 1997.
- Collection
a_s2044_02_tape03 | Aubrey Ghent and his father Henry Nelson performing sacred steel music at various events | Sound | Guitarist Singers Fieldwork Steel guitars Guitar music Performing arts Guitarists Music performance African Americans Religious songs Religious music Gospel songs Gospel musicians Gospel (Black) Festivals Folk festivals Special events Church attendance Church services Protestants Christianity Churches Religion Musicians | /fpc/memory/omeka_images/thumbnails/audio.jpg |
Aubrey Ghent and his father Henry Nelson performing sacred steel music at various events
- Date
- 1993-11-26
- Description
- One audio cassette recording. (Duplicate can be found on tape 5.) The first half of the tape was recorded at a House of God "Family and Friends Day Celebration" in Daytona Beach on 5 September 1993. The second half was recorded at the Ocala House of God Church #2 on 26 November 1993, and the then at the 1994 Florida Folk Festival on May 24 1994 (for entire festival performance, see D94-20 in S 1576.) On the second half, the vocals are weak. The Sacred Steel Guitar Recording Project originated in 1992 when Florida Folklife Program folklorist Robert Stone discovered that several predominantly African American House of God churches (a sub-sect of the Pentecostal church) in the St. Petersburg area were using steel guitars in their religious services. The practice began by Willie and Troman Eason in the 1930s, and expanded upon by players such as Henry Nelson and Lorenzo Harrison. Realizing that this was a unique musical tradition, labeled Sacred Steel, the Florida Folklife Program to applied for a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to conduct fieldwork and create a music album for public dispersal. The aim of the project was to increase public awareness of the gospel steel guitar tradition, as well as document it for future generations. Matched with state funds, the grant period originally ran from October 1993 through October 1994, but was extended for another year. In that time Stone, along with sound engineers William Dudley and Mike Stapleton, interviewed and recorded several steel guitarists in the St. Petersburg area. An album entitled Sacred Steel was released in 1995. It was then re-released through an agreement with Arhoolie Records in 1997.
- Collection
Aubrey Ghent and the Calloway Sisters at the 1994 Florida Folk Festival | Aubrey Ghent and the Calloway Sisters at the 1994 Florida Folk Festival | Still Image | Guitarist Folk festivals Folklore revival festivals Festivals Special events Music performance Steel guitars Guitarists String instruments Performing arts Gospel musicians Musicians Singers | /fpc/memory/omeka_images/thumbnails/catalog_photo.jpg |
a_s2044_02_tape09 | Aubrey Ghent performing Father in Jesus Name | Sound | Fieldwork Steel guitars Guitar music Performing arts Guitarists Music performance African Americans Religious songs Religious music Gospel songs Gospel musicians Gospel (Black) Bands (Music) Musical groups Churches Religion Christianity Protestants Guitarist Singers Musicians | /fpc/memory/omeka_images/thumbnails/audio.jpg |
Aubrey Ghent performing Father in Jesus Name
- Date
- 1993-09-05
- Description
- One audio cassette recording. For more of these two, see tape 3. The Sacred Steel Guitar Recording Project originated in 1992 when Florida Folklife Program folklorist Robert Stone discovered that several predominantly African American House of God churches (a sub-sect of the Pentecostal church) in the St. Petersburg area were using steel guitars in their religious services. The practice began by Willie and Troman Eason in the 1930s, and expanded upon by players such as Henry Nelson and Lorenzo Harrison. Realizing that this was a unique musical tradition, labeled Sacred Steel, the Florida Folklife Program to applied for a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to conduct fieldwork and create a music album for public dispersal. The aim of the project was to increase public awareness of the gospel steel guitar tradition, as well as document it for future generations. Matched with state funds, the grant period originally ran from October 1993 through October 1994, but was extended for another year. In that time Stone, along with sound engineers William Dudley and Mike Stapleton, interviewed and recorded several steel guitarists in the St. Petersburg area. An album entitled Sacred Steel was released in 1995. It was then re-released through an agreement with Arhoolie Records in 1997.
- Collection
Florida Folklife Heritage Awards reception at the 1994 Florida Folk Festival | Florida Folklife Heritage Awards reception at the 1994 Florida Folk Festival | Still Image | Musicians Folk festivals Folklore revival festivals Festivals Special events Performing arts Music performance Reception rooms African Americans Awards Singers | /fpc/memory/omeka_images/thumbnails/catalog_photo.jpg |
a_s2034_02_cd04-002 | Friday performances at the 2004 Florida Folk Festival (Main Stage) (Disc 2) | Sound | Singers Guitarist Musicians Festivals Folk festivals Folklore revival festivals Special events Performing arts Music performance Singing Steel guitars African Americans Gospel (Black) Gospel songs Gospel musicians Religious music Religious songs | /fpc/memory/omeka_images/thumbnails/audio.jpg |
Images of the steel guitarist Aubrey Ghent with apprentice Elton Noble | Images of the steel guitarist Aubrey Ghent with apprentice Elton Noble | Still Image | Guitarist Fieldwork Apprentices Steel guitars Guitarists African Americans String instruments Musical tradition, sacred Performing arts Music performance Musicians | /fpc/memory/omeka_images/thumbnails/catalog_photo.jpg |
Images of the steel guitarist Aubrey Ghent with apprentice Elton Noble
- Date
- 1994
- Description
- Two proof sheets with 49 black and white images (plus negatives); eight color slides. Apprentice Noble agreed to learn from Ghent how to tune, play chords and melodies on the steel guitar, as well as learn the cultural background of "sacred steel" -- a form of African American gospel music performed on the steel guitar (aka the Hawaiian guitar). For more information, see S 1644, box 11, folder 24. The Folk Arts Apprenticeship Program began in 1983 with a NEA grant of $22,000. The program provided an opportunity for master folk artists to share technical skills and cultural knowledge with apprentices in order to keep the tradition alive. Apprentices must have had some experience in the tradition and agreed to train for at least six months. The first project director was Blanton Owen, later replaced by folklorist Peter Roller, and then Robert Stone. The program was continued each year through 2004.
- Collection
Images of the steel guitarist Aubrey Ghent with apprentice Elton Noble | Images of the steel guitarist Aubrey Ghent with apprentice Elton Noble | Still Image | Guitarist Fieldwork Apprentices Steel guitars Guitarists African Americans String instruments Musical tradition, sacred Performing arts Music performance Musicians | /fpc/memory/omeka_images/thumbnails/catalog_photo.jpg |
a_s1640_24_tape13 | Interview with steel guitarist Aubrey Ghent and apprentice Elton Noble | Sound | Fieldwork Apprentices Steel guitars Guitarists African Americans String instruments Musical tradition, sacred Performing arts Music performance Interviews Personal experience narratives Gospel music Religious music Guitar music Guitarist Musicians | /fpc/memory/omeka_images/thumbnails/catalog_audio.jpg |
a_s2044_02_tape06 | Master of the Sacred Steel album | Sound | Guitarist Singers Audiotape recordings Steel guitars Guitar music Performing arts Guitarists Music performance African Americans Religious songs Religious music Gospel songs Gospel musicians Gospel (Black) Religion Churches Christianity Concerts Community concerts Protestants Church services Prayer Musicians | /fpc/memory/omeka_images/thumbnails/audio.jpg |
Master of the Sacred Steel album
- Date
- 1994-10-13
- Description
- One audio cassette recording. Master version of the Sacred Steel album, which was released in 1995 by the Florida Folklife Program. The album is divided into two sections: side 1 is instrumentals and concerts; side 2 are church services. For more information on musicians, recording locations, and production credits, see accompanying booklet, which can be found in S 2044, box 1, folder 22. The Sacred Steel Guitar Recording Project originated in 1992 when Florida Folklife Program folklorist Robert Stone discovered that several predominantly African American House of God churches (a sub-sect of the Pentecostal church) in the St. Petersburg area were using steel guitars in their religious services. The practice began by Willie and Troman Eason in the 1930s, and expanded upon by players such as Henry Nelson and Lorenzo Harrison. Realizing that this was a unique musical tradition, labeled Sacred Steel, the Florida Folklife Program to applied for a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to conduct fieldwork and create a music album for public dispersal. The aim of the project was to increase public awareness of the gospel steel guitar tradition, as well as document it for future generations. Matched with state funds, the grant period originally ran from October 1993 through October 1994, but was extended for another year. In that time Stone, along with sound engineers William Dudley and Mike Stapleton, interviewed and recorded several steel guitarists in the St. Petersburg area. An album entitled Sacred Steel was released in 1995. It was then re-released through an agreement with Arhoolie Records in 1997.
- Collection