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This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held in the Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in our reading room, and not digitally available through the World Wide Web. See the Duplication Policy section for more information.
Archival processing of the Joan Moser Collection was made possible through a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Size | .5 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 100 items) |
Abstract | The Joan Moser Collection consists of audiovisual materials and papers related to folk musician, music teacher, and historian, Joan Moser. The majority of the collection is made up of audio recordings compiled by Moser, including live recordings of folk festivals; interviews with folk musicians and folklorists, including her father, Artus Monroe Moser; class lectures by Joan Moser; and dubs of folk songs, ballads, and fiddle tunes collected by Joan Moser. Other audiovisual materials include a Super 8mm motion picture film of the 1970 Old Fiddlers' Convention in Galax, Va. and field notes found with select audio recordings. Collection papers include ballads, biographical materials, correspondence, dance instruction books, and writings by Joan Moser, among other materials. |
Creator | Moser, Joan. |
Curatorial Unit | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Folklife Collection. |
Language | English |
Processed by: Anne Wells, March 2018
Encoded by: Anne Wells, March 2018
Updated by: Nancy Kaiser, February 2021
Archival processing of the Joan Moser Collection was made possible through a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Back to TopThe following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.
Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.
Joan Moser is a folk musician, music teacher, and historian of Appalachian music. She is the daughter of ballad collector, educator, and historian, Artus Monroe Moser (1894-1992), whose collection of papers resides within the Southern Folklife Collection. Joan plays guitar, banjo, lute, dulcimer, and koto, among other instruments. She received her undergraduate degree in music at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and her masters degree in music from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Joan taught music and music theory at Brevard College, and assisted with Berea College's summer workshop in Appalachian Studies. In 1977 she founded Warren Wilson College's Appalachian Studies Program, where she taught for many years. Moser is also an herbalist and student of plant lore. Along with her sister, Irene, brother, Artus Moser, Jr., and nephews Mark and Artus III, Joan is a member of the old-time Buckeye Band of Swannanoa, named for their family's home in Buckeye Cove in Swannanoa, N.C.
Back to TopThe majority of the Joan Moser Collection is made up of audio recordings compiled by Joan Moser, including live recordings of fiddlers' conventions and folk festivals; interviews and oral histories with folk musicians and folklorists, including her father, Artus Monroe Moser; class lectures by Joan Moser; and dubs of folk songs, ballads, and fiddle tunes collected by Joan Moser. Audio recordings are on 1/4" and 1/2" open reel audio. Other audiovisual materials include a Super 8mm motion picture film of the 1970 Old Fiddlers' Convention in Galax, Va. and field notes found with select audio recordings. Field notes consist mostly of track listings, but also include contextual notes and memos by Joan Moser on folk musicians and songs featured in the recordings.
Collection papers include ballads lyrics and sheet music; biographical materials; correspondence from academic colleagues and friends, including a recommendation letter from North Carolina based folklorist and performer, Bascom Lamar Lunsford; square dance instruction books; letters of thanks from elementary school students in Fletcher, N.C.; a copy of Joan Moser's A Source Book for Appalachian Music Studies; and writings and reviews on folklore subjects by Joan Moser.
Back to TopPaper materials compiled by Joan Moser. Included are ballads lyrics and sheet music; biographical materials; correspondence from academic colleagues and friends, including a recommendation letter from North Carolina based foklorist and performer, Bascom Lamar Lunsford; square dance instruction books; letters of thanks from elementary school students in Fletcher, N.C.; a copy of Joan Moser's A Source Book for Appalachian Music Studies; and writings and reviews on folklore subjects by Joan Moser.
Folder 1 |
Ballads |
Folder 2 |
Biographical materialsConsists mostly of newspaper clippings |
Folder 3 |
Correspondence, 1949-1990 |
Folder 4 |
Dance instruction books |
Folder 5 |
Fletcher school letters |
Folder 6 |
A Source Book for Appalachian Music Studies, 1975 |
Folder 7 |
Writings |
Arrangment: Alphabetical by format. Field notes are listed first and are arranged by the call number of corresponding audio recording.
Processing information: Titles and descriptions compiled from original containers. Field notes have been annotated with the call number of corresponding audio recording.
Audiovisual materials consist mostly of audio recordings compiled by Joan Moser, including live recordings of fiddlers' conventions and folk festivals; interviews and oral histories with folk musicians and folklorists, including her father, Artus Monroe Moser; class lectures by Joan Moser; and various dubs of folk songs, ballads, and fiddle tunes collected by Joan Moser. Also included is a silent Super 8mm motion picture film of the 1970 Old Fiddlers' Convention, as well as related field notes found inside the original containers of select audio recordings. Field notes consist mostly of track listings, but also include contextual notes and memos by Joan Moser on folk musicians and songs featured in the recordings.
Folder 8 |
Field notes: FT-20370/6-16 |
Folder 9 |
Field notes: FT-20370/17-23 |
Folder 10 |
Field notes: FT-20370/25-36 |
Folder 11 |
Field notes: FT-20370/37-42 |
Film F-20370/1 |
Galax Fiddlers Convention, Galax, Va., 1970Super 8mm motion picture film |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/1 |
Asheville Mountain Dance and Folk Festival, 1st and 2nd nights, tape 1, Asheville, N.C., 8 August 19591/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/2 |
Asheville Mountain Dance and Folk Festival, 3rd night, tape 2, Asheville, N.C., 8 August 19591/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/3 |
J. J. Bailey and A. M. Moser, oral history continued, 5 July 19721/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/4 |
Bee Tree Reunion and Picnic, Swannanoa, N.C., 4 September 19591/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/6 |
Interview with Tom Bell, Bent Creek, N.C., 12 July 19721/4" Open Reel Audio Includes Roy Fisher on guitar |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/7 |
Interview with Tom Bell, 3 June 19721/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/8 |
Interview; Tom Bell; fiddler, 29 June 19721/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/5 |
Cherokee Indian Fair, October 19711/4" Open Reel Audio Includes documentation of a Cherokee Friendship Dance |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/9 |
Child ballad variants transcribed from discs1/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/10 |
English Country Dances, tape 21/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/41 |
Fiddle tunes 2: Marcus Martin, Woody Wolfe, Moser, Heaton, 19621/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/42 |
Fiddle music 4: Mrs. Edd Presnell, Marcus Martin, August-September 19591/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/11 |
Folk Festival, All day instrumental workshop, 9 November 19741/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/12 |
Folk gathering featuring Audrew Naigraw, Allen Emerson and Moser Family1/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/13 |
Folksongs and Ballads, October 19571/4" Open Reel Audio Note on original container reads: "Submitted in support of an Application to study folk music in Norway. 11 tracks." |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/14 |
Graven Lecture1/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/15 |
Harper [Van Hoy]1/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/16 |
Tommy Hunter1/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/17 |
Pleaz Mobley at Artus Moser's House, 7 August 19591/4" Open Reel Audio Note on original container reads: "Mobley often stayed with Mosers when coming to the Asheville Mountain Dance and Folk Festival." |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/18 |
Pleaz Mobley, tape 2, July 19751/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/19 |
Moser Family, "Folk" interview1/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/44 |
Joan [Moser] lecture on folk songs with class at Hendersonville; Ballads1/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/20 |
Old Fiddler's Convention, Galax, Va., 19701/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/21 |
Old Time Fiddler's Convention, 1 and 4, 22 April 19621/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/22 |
Old Time Fiddler's Convention, 2 and 3, 22 April 19621/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/43 |
Friday at Parham's1/2" Open Reel Video No image, just audio; made on equipment at Mars College |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/23 |
Party at Home with Ruth and Latrobe Carroll and children, 19601/4" Open Reel Audio Note on original container reads: "May contain Artus Moser anecdotal history." |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/24 |
Walter Parham and George Pegram, "In Concert", 2 July 19741/4" Open Reel Audio Dub made 12 September 1975 |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/25 |
Lilly May Pennington, 25 June 19751/4" Open Reel Audio tape from Loyal Jones, following Lilly May's appearance at Berea College |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/26 |
Mrs. Bessie Ralston1/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/27 |
Byard Ray and Clarence Ashleys1/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/28 |
Byard Ray, tape 3, 15 March 19751/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/29 |
Byard Ray and George Pegram1/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/30 |
Byard Ray, third interview, 15 March 19751/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/31 |
Byard Ray, Conversation and Music, 22 February 19751/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/32 |
Byard Ray, 18 May 19751/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/33 |
Wilse Reynolds, Gary English, A.J. Croley, and son1/4" Open Reel Audio Recorded by Loyal Jones |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/34 |
Selected AFS, tape 11/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/35 |
Selected AFS, tape 21/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/36 |
Singing at Etowah, 3 September 19721/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/37 |
Interview with Mack Snoderly, 19721/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/38 |
Joan and Willoughby, Moser Family old harp, 19661/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/39 |
Christopher Wren, Folk Songs1/4" Open Reel Audio |
SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20370/40 |
[unidentified sound recording]1/4" Open Reel Audio |