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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.
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Collection Overview
| Size | 2.0 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 500 items) |
| Abstract | Gene Bluestein was a white English professor, musician, folklorist, and social activist. Influenced by the folk music revival, he taught himself to play banjo, performed as a musician, and provided educational programs on folklore and folk music in his classroom, on the stage, and on television. For most of his career, he taught English at California State University, Fresno, where he started and facilitated the Folk Artist in Residence Program. In 1974, while on sabbatical in France, he formed a folk music band with his four children called the Bluestein Family, which performed for over 20 years. The collection consists primarily of materials relating to the folklore and performing career of Gene Bluestein. Included are writings, a small amount of subject files, and field recordings made by Bluestein, Bluestein's educational programs on folk music, recordings of performances by Bluestein and the Bluestein Family, and recordings of other performers. The field recordings are mostly from Bluestein's doctoral research on Appalachian folk music and narrative and feature Cal Owens, Billy Edd Wheeler, Anna Barnett, Buell Kazee, and Fiddlin' Bill Jones, as well as Moses Asch, the founder of Folkways Records. The educational programs on American folk music include lectures, performances, interviews, and television programs. Recordings of the Bluestein Family include solo recordings by family members and in other groups. There are also recordings of a number of other folk musicians in performance, including Mike Seeger's Traveling Folk Festival, featuring Tommy Jarrell, Blanton Owen, Mike Seeger, Dennis McGee, Sady Courville, and Marc Savoy, and participants in the Folk Artist in Residence Program that Bluestein started at California State University, Fresno, including the Balfa Brothers, Bessie Jones, Kenny Hall, Richard Hagopian, Lydia Mendoza, and Jean Ritchie. Other items include recordings of Pete Seeger in concert, 1956 and 1957, and a 1969 benefit concert for playwright and social activist Marvin X (also known as Marvin Jackmon and El Muhajir) by the Fresno Folksong and Poetry Quartet (Gene Bluestein, Philip Levine, Robert Mezey, and Peter Everwine). |
| Creator | Bluestein, Gene, 1928-2002. |
| Curatorial Unit | Southern Folklife Collection |
| Language | English. |
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Information For Users
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Subject Headings
The 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.
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Biographical Information
Gene Bluestein was a white English professor, musician, folklorist, and social activist. He was born 1 May 1928 to Masha and Jack Bluestein, recent immigrants from Bessarabia (now Moldova), at that time part of Romania. He received his B.A. in English and Comparative Literature from Brooklyn College in 1950, his M.A. in English Literature from the University of Minnesota in 1952, and his Ph.D. in American Studies from the University of Minnesota in 1960. With his wife, Ellie, he had four children, Joel, Evo, Jemmy, and Frayda.
Bluestein was introduced to folk music while at college. After seeing Pete Seeger perform, he taught himself to play the banjo and later played the guitar, steel drum, dulcimer, and other instruments. As part of his doctoral work, Bluestein collected folk music in Kentucky and rediscovered Buell Kazee, a legendary banjo player and recording artist of the 1930s. His Kazee recordings were later released on Folkways Records. Bluestein recorded two solo albums in the 1950s, Songs of the North Star State (an album of Minnesota songs) and Songs of the Holidays (an album of Jewish songs). In 1959, he taught at Michigan State University and formed the Bamboushay Steel Band with several West Indian students. From the outset of his teaching career, Bluestein integrated folk music and folklore into his literature classes.
In 1963, Bluestein joined the English faculty at Fresno State College (now California State University, Fresno). In the 1960s and 1970s, the English Department was a political hotbed. Bluestein and his colleagues supported the students during times of controversy over academic control, freedom of speech, and antiwar and civil rights protests. Bluestein assisted in establishing a Black Studies program, helping to bring playwright and social activist Marvin X (also known as Marvin Jackmon and El Muhajir) to campus to teach. He also participated in a benefit concert for Marvin X when he was fired along with many other instructors in an attempt to re-assert political control over the campus radicals. Bluestein helped found the Fresno Folklore Society and was instrumental in starting and facilitating a semester-long Folk Artist in Residence Program at California State University, Fresno. With the assistance of funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the program brought in artists such as Jean Ritchie, Mike Seeger, Kenny Hall, Dewey Balfa, Bessie Jones, Lydia Mendoza, and Richard Hagopian to teach classes in their specialties and perform in the local schools.
In 1974, while on sabbatical in France, Bluestein formed a folk music band with his four children, Joel, Evo, Jemmy, and Frayda. Known as Les Bluesteins, the family first performed together in public in Paris. After returning to the United States, they continued to perform as the Bluestein Family. They recorded six albums together and toured Japan, China, Israel, Finland, and the United States. Even after the children had grown and mostly moved away, they continued to perform together at annual reunion concerts in California
Gene Bluestein retired from California State University, Fresno, in 1992. He was professor emeritus until his death at 74 on 21 August 2002.
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Scope and Content
The collection consists primarily of materials relating to the folklore and performing career of Gene Bluestein, a white musician, folklorist, and social activist, and professor of English at California State University, Fresno. Included are writings, a small amount of subject files, and field recordings made by Bluestein, educational programs on folk music by Bluestein, recordings of performances by Bluestein and the Bluestein Family, and recordings of other performers. The field recordings are mostly from Bluestein's doctoral research on Appalachian folk music and narrative and feature Cal Owens, Billy Edd Wheeler, Anna Barnett, Buell Kazee, and Fiddlin' Bill Jones, as well as Moses Asch, the founder of Folkways Records. The educational programs on American folk music include lectures, performances, interviews, and television programs. Recordings of the Bluestein Family include solo recordings by family members and in other groups. There are also recordings of a number of other folk musicians in performance, including Mike Seeger's Traveling Folk Festival, featuring Tommy Jarrell, Blanton Owen, Mike Seeger, Dennis McGee, Sady Courville, and Marc Savoy, and participants in the Folk Artist in Residence Program that Bluestein started at California State University, Fresno, including the Balfa Brothers, Bessie Jones, Kenny Hall, Richard Hagopian, Lydia Mendoza, and Jean Ritchie. Other items include recordings of Pete Seeger in concert, 1956 and 1957, and a 1969 benefit concert for playwright and social activist Marvin X (also known as Marvin Jackmon and El Muhajir) by the Fresno Folksong and Poetry Quartet (Gene Bluestein, Philip Levine, Robert Mezey, and Peter Everwine).
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Series Quick Links
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Series 1. Field Recordings, 1955-1970 and undated.
Arrangement: In order by format as received.
Processing information: FT-20379/11216, FT-20379/12727-12728, FT-20379/12731, FT-20379/12765, FS-20379/7652, and FS-20379/7654 were added to the finding aid in December 2016.
Field recordings conducted by Gene Bluestein. Though many of the tapes are undated, they appear to primarily be from Bluestein's doctoral research on Appalachian folk music and narrative, which took place in the 1950s. The field recordings are primarily of Kentucky musicians, storytellers, and preachers. Cal Owens, Billy Edd Wheeler, Anna Barnett, Buell Kazee, and Fiddlin' Bill Jones are featured. In addition, there are recordings of folk music in Minnesota, including Slovenian music, Native American music, blues, and gospel. There are also several interviews from the 1970s with Moses Asch, founder of Folkways Records. The majority of the field recordings were recorded on open reel tapes. Also included are 2 audiocassettes that are most likely dubs of open reel tapes found in the series, as well as a field note (folder 1) found with a field recording of Cal Owens and Peggy Ward (FT-20379/12765).
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Series 2. Educational Programs, 1958-1986 and undated.
Throughout his career, Gene Bluestein combined his roles as educator and performer in a number of educational programs, which included lectures, performances by Bluestein and/or guest performers, and interviews of guest performers. Two serial programs were recorded by University television stations: The American Folksong aired on University of Minnesota Television in 1958 and Folk Sources in American Culture was taped at California State University, Fresno, in 1986. All of the programs are on American folk music.
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Subseries 2.1. The American Folksong Television Series, 1958.
While an instructor of English at the University of Minnesota, Gene Bluestein recorded a series of 13 television programs called The American Folksong with University of Minnesota Television. The series aired Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. on KTCH-TV, channel 2, from 8 January to 2 April 1958. The collection includes only the study guide for the program written by Gene Bluestein.
| Folder 2 |
Study Guide for The American Folksong. 1958 #20379, Subseries: "2.1. The American Folksong Television Series, 1958." Folder 2 |
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Subseries 2.2. On American Folk Poetry and Music Lecture, 1979.
An open reel video recording of a 45-minute lecture and demonstration by Gene Bluestein and his son, Evo Bluestein, from Jan Loring's class on 21 November 1979.
| Videotape VT-20379/1 |
"On American Folk Poetry and Music." 1979 #20379, Subseries: "2.2. On American Folk Poetry and Music Lecture, 1979." VT-20379/11/2" Open Reel Video |
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Subseries 2.3. Folk Sources in American Culture Television Series. 1986.
Arrangement: In order as received.
Processing information: VT-20379/15-23 were added to the finding aid in December 2016.
Folk Sources in American Culture is a series of programs hosted by Gene Bluestein and taped at California State University, Fresno, in April 1986. The programs feature the Bluestein Family singing Black spiritual music, Richard Hagopian and folk music of Armenia, Lydia Mendoza and Mexican American folk music, Evo Bluestein on the history and significance of the fiddle in folk music, Nona Beamer and Hawaiian folk music, Jean Ritchie with folk songs in America, and Kenny Hall and his influence on traditional folk music. When the program was recorded, Jean Ritchie was a Resident Folk Artist at California State University, Fresno. The programs were recorded on Betamax video. Some of the programs appear to be duplicates of different combinations of programs, while others appear to be dubs on VHS.
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Subseries 2.4. American Folk Music Lecture.
A lecture given by Gene Bluestein on American Folk Music, recorded on open reel audio tape.
| SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20379/11476 |
"American Folk Music," side 1-part one, side 2-part three #20379, Subseries: "2.4. American Folk Music Lecture." FT-20379/114761/4" Open Reel Audio |
| SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20379/11477 |
"American Folk Music," side 1-part two, side 3-part four #20379, Subseries: "2.4. American Folk Music Lecture." FT-20379/114771/4" Open Reel Audio |
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Subseries 2.5. Frontier Music Lecture.
A lecture with musical performance by Gene Bluestein on the music of the American frontier, recorded on open reel audio tape.
| SFC Audio Open Reel FT-20379/11478 |
"Frontier Music" #20379, Subseries: "2.5. Frontier Music Lecture." FT-20379/114781/4" Open Reel Audio |
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Series 3. Bluestein Family, 1956-2002 and undated.
Arrangement: By format.
Processing information: FT-20379/12737-13755, FS-20379/7656, FS-20379/7661, FS-20379/7663, FS-20379/15088, and VT-20379/24 were added to the finding aid in December 2016.
From his early days of teaching, Gene Bluestein combined singing and playing the banjo with his lectures. At home, he often played and sang with his four children, Joel, Evo, Jemmy, and Frayda. It was not until 1974, however, when the family was living in France during Bluestein's sabbatical there, that he formed a folk music band with his children. They first performed together in public in Paris and quickly became known as Les Bluesteins. They later recorded six albums together as the Bluestein Family and toured Japan, China, Israel, Finland, and the United States. Even after the children had grown and several had moved from the area, they continued to perform together at an Annual Reunion Concert (sometimes referred to as an Annual Farewell Reunion Concert) in California. This series encompasses performances by the Bluestein Family in concert; on commercially produced albums, CDs, and video; and at recording sessions. It also includes performances and recordings by members of the family individually, in smaller combinations, or in other groups. Occasionally the recordings include other performers, most notably Jean Ritchie. Also included are field notes (folder 3) found with select outtake recordings of Evo Bluestein (FT-20379/12753-12755).
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Subseries 3.1. Open Reel tapes, 1967-1986 and undated.
Arrangement: In order as received.
Processing information: FT-20379/12737-13755 added to finding aid in December 2016.
The open reel recordings include the earliest recordings of the Bluestein Family and of individual family members. Of particular note is a recording of Gene Bluestein at Alview School in 1967 and one of a Les Bluesteins concert in France in the 1970s. The Bluestein Family Annual Reunion Concerts are represented with recordings from 1980, 1984, 1985, and 1986. There are several tapes of the Bluestein Family recording for a record, including an undated recording of California's a Garden of Eden, which is marked as "an early attempt at recording an LP," as well as appearances by the Bluestein Family and family members on radio station KVPR.
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Subseries 3.2. LPs, 1978-1986.
All of the LPs are commercial recordings by the Bluestein Family or by family members in other groups. Evo and Jemmy Bluestein, in particular, performed as professional musicians outside of the family group. In this series, they are recorded as part of the Roundtown Boys (with Daniel Bradbury and Terry Barrett) as well as the Bluestein Family.
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Subseries 3.3. Cassettes, 1956-1995 and undated.
Arrangement: In order as received.
Processing information: FS-20379/7656, FS-20379/7661, FS-20379/7663, and FS-20379/15088 were added to the finding aid in December 2016.
Audiocassette recordings of the Bluestein Family as well as of individual family members in performance. Evo and Jemmy Bluestein, in particular, performed as professional musicians outside of the family group. They performed together on Strange Affair (1988), a recording produced for commercial sale, and in concert at Alta Sierra in 1995. Evo Bluestein also made a few individual recordings as well, including one of an autoharp concert in the Mosenberg, Germany, Music Fest in 1993. The Bluestein Family Annual Reunion Concerts (sometimes referred to as Annual Farewell Reunion Concerts) are represented in recordings of the 1981, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, and 1990 performances. The 1984 Reunion Concert is particularly noteworthy for the inclusion of Jean Ritchie. The Bluestein Family tour of China is represented in a recording of a concert at the University of Changsha, Hunan, in 1989.
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Subseries 3.4. CDs, 1988-2002 and undated.
All of the CD recordings were commercially produced for sale. Recordings include the Bluestein Family as well as family members by themselves or in other groups. Evo and Jemmy Bluestein, in particular, performed as professional musicians outside of the family group. Evo Bluestein is represented in an individual recording, Evoharp, which was a re-release of an earlier album called Evo's Autoharp, and in the groups Lyquid Amber (with Hannsjoerg Scheid, Nino Moschella, and Kevin Hill) and Bad Boys Zydeco. Jemmy Bluestein was also a member of Bad Boys Zydeco, along with Mike Baloian, Sean Alderette, and Ben Leon. The Bluestein Family CDs consist of two recordings for children and a retrospective sampler of their earlier albums.
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Subseries 3.5. Videos, 1977-1997.
Arrangement: In order as received.
Processing information: VT-20379/24 was added to finding aid in December 2016.
Bluestein Family videos include two programs recorded at California State University, Fresno, and a commercially produced recording of one of the Annual Reunion Concerts. The two U-Matic tapes recorded at California State University, Fresno, by the university television station in 1977 and 1978 were presumably for television play. The Bluestein Family Reunion Concert recorded on VHS in 1997 is particularly noteworthy as it was a tribute concert for Gene Bluestein and the first time he was unable to perform with his children, Joel, Jemmy, Evo, and Frayda. Jean Ritchie joined the Bluestein Family as a special guest for this concert.
| Videotape VT-20379/12 |
Bluestein Family Music, Program A, 8 p.m. Magazine, CSUF-ITV. September 1977 #20379, Subseries: "3.5. Videos, 1977-1997." VT-20379/12U-Matic |
| Videotape VT-20379/13 |
Bluestein Family Music, Program B, CSUF-ITV. December 1978 #20379, Subseries: "3.5. Videos, 1977-1997." VT-20379/13U-Matic |
| Videotape VT-20379/14 |
The Bluestein Family Reunion Concert, Doghill Productions. 1997 #20379, Subseries: "3.5. Videos, 1977-1997." VT-20379/14VHS |
| Videotape VT-20379/24 |
Bluestein Family on Hiroshima Television #20379, Subseries: "3.5. Videos, 1977-1997." VT-20379/24VHS Added to finding aid in December 2016 |
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Series 4. Recordings of Other Performers/Concerts, 1910-1992 and undated.
Processing information: FT-20379/16542-16543, FT-20379/12729-12730, FT-20379/12732, FT-20379/12734, FT-20379/12756-12760, FT-20379/12762-12764, FT-20379/12766-12770, FS-20379/15089 FS-20379/7651, FS-20379/7653, FS-20379/7657-7660, FS-20379/7662, FS-20379/7664-7670, FS-20379/15090-15093, and VT-20379/25-27 were added to the finding aid in December 2016.
Gene Bluestein recorded a number of other folk musicians in performance.
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Subseries 4.1. Mike Seeger's Traveling Folk Festival, 1975-1977 and undated.
Arrangement: In order by format as received.
Processing information: FT-20379/12756, FS-20379/7665-7668, and FS-20379/15089 were added to the finding aid in December 2016.
Mike Seeger's Traveling Folk Festival performed in Santa Barbara, Calif., and Fresno, Calif., during 1975 and 1976 and possibly on a few other occasions. Tommy Jarrell, Blanton Owen, Mike Seeger, Dennis McGee, Sady Courville, Marc Savoy, Martin, Bogan, and Armstrong, the Rising Star Fife and Drum Band, John Jackson, Lily Mae Ledford, and the Balfa Brothers gave workshops and performed during these festivals that were recorded on open reel tape. Also included are audiocassettes that are likely dubs of open reel tapes found in the series.
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Subseries 4.2. Folk Artist in Residence Program, 1974-1979 and undated.
Arrangement: In order by format as received.
Processing information: FT-20379/12757-12760, FT-20379/12762-12763, and FS-20379/7669-7670 were added to the finding aid in December 2016.
While teaching English at California State University, Fresno, Gene Bluestein started and oversaw the Folk Artist in Residence Program. Sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, the program brought in a variety of well-known folk artists to perform, teach courses in their specialties, and visit local schools. The recordings in this series feature the Balfa Brothers, Bessie Jones, Kenny Hall, Richard Hagopian, Lydia Mendoza, and Jean Ritchie. Of particular interest is a Maestro-Apprentice final concert with Kenny Hall and Terry Barrett and an interview with Kenny Hall. Other artists joining in on some of the recordings include the Bluestein Family, Jemmy and Frayda Bluestein with Jean Ritchie, and Aly Bain and Cathal McConnell with Kenny Hall. With the exception of 7 open reel tapes, all the recordings are on audiocassette.
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Subseries 4.3. Other Performers, 1910-1992 and undated.
Arrangement: In order by format as received.
Processing information: FS-20379/7651, FS-20379/7653, FS-20379/7657-7660, FS-20379/7662, FS-20379/7664, FS-20379/15090-15093, FT-20379/12729-12730, FT-20379/12732, FT-20379/12734, FT-20379/12756, FT-20379/12759-12761, FT-20379/12764, FT-20379/12766-12770, FT-20379/16541-16543, VT-20379/25-27 added to finding aid in December 2016.
Recordings of other performers. Though these recordings are presumed to have all been made by Gene Bluestein, there is not enough information to determine whether some of them might be field recordings or part of the Folk Artist Program at California State University, Fresno. Of particular note are the Pete Seeger concerts from 1956 and 1957, during the time of Bluestein's doctoral research on folk music and narrative. There are also several recordings from the California State University, Fresno, including a 1969 benefit concert by the Fresno Folksong and Poetry Quartet (Gene Bluestein, Philip Levine, Robert Mezey, and Peter Everwine) for playwright and social activist Marvin X (also known as Marvin Jackmon and El Muhajir). Though most of the recordings appear to be of live performances, some of them may be dubs of other recordings. The recordings are on open reel tapes and audiocassettes. Also included are field notes (folder 4) found with an audio recording (FT-20379/16541) of Cajun music compiled by Mike Seeger for his lecture at California State University in Fresno, Calif.
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Series 5A. Papers, 1960s-1990s (Addition of October 2005).
Acquisitions Information: Accession 100235
The addition of October 2005 chiefly consists of subject files that include correspondence, writings, newspaper clippings, event flyers, articles, offprints, and other printed materials.
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Series 5A. Papers, 1970s-1990s and undated (Addition of March 2006).
Acquisitions Information: Accession 100338
The addition of March 2006 consists of various manuscript states of Bluestein's writings.
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Series 5A. Papers, 2002 (Addition of August 2019).
Acquisitions Information: Accession 103676
| Box 2 |
Memorial guest book and event flyer, 2002 #20379, Series: "5A. Papers, 2002 (Addition of August 2019)." Box 2 |
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Items Separated
Processed by: Elizabeth Matson, March 2004
Encoded by: Elizabeth Matson, March 2004
Revisions by: Anne Wells, December 2016; Jodi Berkowitz, January 2017; Nancy Kaiser, October 2019
Diacritics and other special characters have been omitted from this finding aid to facilitate keyword searching in web browsers.
Since August 2017, we have added ethnic and racial identities for individuals and families represented in collections. To determine identity, we rely on self-identification; other information supplied to the repository by collection creators or sources; public records, press accounts, and secondary sources; and contextual information in the collection materials. Omissions of ethnic and racial identities in finding aids created or updated after August 2017 are an indication of insufficient information to make an educated guess or an individual's preference for identity information to be excluded from description. When we have misidentified, please let us know at wilsonlibrary@unc.edu.
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