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Collection Number: 20434

Collection Title: Erik Darling Papers, 1950s-2008

This collection has use restrictions. For details, please see the restrictions.

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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Size 4.0 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 500 items)
Abstract Erik Darling (1933-2008) was a white American songwriter and folk music artist, born in Baltimore, Md., and raised in Canandaigua, N.Y. In the 1950s, he formed with Bob Carey and Alan Arkin what became the Tarriers. In 1956, the Tarriers' "Banana Boat Song" sparked a craze for calypso music. In 1958, Pete Seeger left the Weavers singing group, and Darling was asked to take his place; he stayed with that group until 1962. Darling then formed the Rooftop Singers, which popularized the 12-string guitar in its recording of "Walk Right In." Darling subsequently released several solo albums, wrote many instrument instruction books, and compiled his 2008 autobiography. The collection contains correspondence, scores, sheet music, song lyrics, photographs, moving image materials, audio recordings, and other items related to Erik Darling and his musical career. Correspondence discusses song writing and other activities. Correspondents include Fred Hellerman, Don McLean, Al Perrin, Pete Seeger, and other folk artists and friends. Also included are handwritten and photocopied scores with annotations by Darling; song lyrics by Darling and various collaborators; and printed and photocopied versions of sheet music. There are also clippings relating to the 2004 reunion performance of the Weavers; photographs of both the Tarriers and the Weavers; negatives from the 1954 Musical Americana Tour; several DVDs and videotapes that relate to various groups; recordings of phone interviews conducted by Darling with friends and associates, including Billy Faier, Guy Carawan, and Pete Seeger, while in the process of writing his autobiography I'd Give My Life: A Journey by Folk Music (2008) and compact discs containing notes for and chapters from the autobiography; and recordings of music by Darling and others, including commercially released audiodiscs, demos, dubs, mixes, and masters of commercial and non-commercial recordings. The Additions consist of artwork by Erik Darling.
Creator Darling, Erik.
Curatorial Unit University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Folklife Collection.
Language English
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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Information For Users

Restrictions to Access
No restrictions. Open for research.
Restrictions to Use
Use of audio or visual materials may require production of listening or viewing copies.
Copyright Notice
Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], in the Erik Darling Papers #20434, Southern Folklife Collection, Wilson Special Collections Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Acquisitions Information
Received from Joan Darling and Bill Svanoe in October 2008 (Acc. 101047); from Meghan O'Connell in April 2015 (102205) and December 2019 (Acc. 103746) .
Sensitive Materials Statement
Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, the North Carolina Public Records Act (N.C.G.S. § 132 1 et seq.), and Article 7 of the North Carolina State Personnel Act (Privacy of State Employee Personnel Records, N.C.G.S. § 126-22 et seq.). Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill assumes no responsibility.
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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Processing Information

Processed by: Jennifer Thompson, October 2009

Encoded by: Jennifer Thompson, October 2009

Revisions by: Jodi Berkowitz, October 2015; Nancy Kaiser, January 2020; Dawne Howard Lucas, May 2021

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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expand/collapse Expand/collapse 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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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Biographical Information

Erik Darling was a white American songwriter and folk music artist. He was born 25 September 1933 in Baltimore, Md., and grew up in Canandaigua, N.Y. During his teenage and early adult years, Darling became a talented guitar and banjo player. In the 1950s, he formed the Tunetellers with Bob Carey, but soon changed the group's name to the Tarriers. Darling and Carey were seeking a stable third member when a young actor, Alan Arkin, left Los Angeles, Calif., to join their group. In 1956, the Tarriers "Banana Boat Song" sparked a craze for calypso music. The popularily of this song led to the Tarriers being featured in the film Calypso Heat Wave. In 1958, Pete Seeger left the Weavers singing group, and Darling was asked to take his place; he stayed with the group from 1958 to 1962. Darling then formed the Rooftop Singers in 1962 specifically to update "Walk Right In," originally recorded by Cannon's Jug Stompers in the 1920s. Darling arranged the song for twin 12-string guitars. "Walk Right In" became a number one hit, and Darling was credited with sparking the popularity of 12-string guitars. Darling subsequently released several solo albums and wrote many instrument instruction books. Before his death on 3 August 2008, he completed his autobiography, I'd Give My Life: A Journey by Folk Music.

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Scope and Content

The collection contains correspondence, scores, sheet music, song lyrics, photographs, moving image materials, audio recordings, and other items related to Erik Darling and his musical career. Correspondence discusses song writing and other activities. Correspondents include Fred Hellerman, Don McLean, Al Perrin, Pete Seeger, and other folk artists and friends of Darling. There are handwritten and photocopied scores with annotations by Darling; song lyrics by Darling and various collaborators; and printed and photocopied versions of sheet music. There are clippings relating to the 2004 reunion performance of the Weavers and photographs of the Tarriers and the Weavers. There are also negatives from the Musical Americana Tour, presumably held in 1954. Moving image materials include Isn't This A Time! Press screener , It's Weavermania! In Concert, El Perrate de Utrera, La Carboneria , and Flamenco: an interview with Chris Carnes. There are also recordings of phone interviews conducted by Darling with various friends and associates, including Billy Faier, Guy Carawan, and Pete Seeger, while in the process of writing his autobiography I'd Give My Life: A Journey by Folk Music (2008), as well as compact discs containing notes for and chapters from the autobiography. Finally, there are recordings of music by Darling and his collaborators, including commercially released audiodiscs, demos, dubs, mixes, and masters of commercial and non-commercial recordings. The Additions consist of artwork by Erik Darling.

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Contents list

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Series 1. Correspondence, 1976-2007.

About 30 items.

Arrangement: chronological.

Correspondence discusses song writing and other activities. Correspondents include Fred Hellerman, Don McLean, Al Perrin, Pete Seeger, and other folk artists and friends of Erik Darling.

Folder 1

Correspondence, 1976-2007

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Series 2. Scores, Sheet Music, and Song Lyrics.

About 250 items.

Arrangement: alphabetical by song title.

Scores include handwritten and photocopied compositions with annotations by Erik Darling. Song lyrics are by Darling and various collaborators. Also included are song lyrics written by other artists, printed and photocopied versions of sheet music, and music for the Flamenco guitar.

Folder 2

Scores: "Ain't About To Turn Back Now"

Scores: "All Kinds Of Love Songs"

Scores: "A Long Line Of Woman"

Scores: "Banana Boat Song"

Scores: "Banjo Tune"

Folder 3

Scores: "The Check Is In The Mail"

Scores: "Child, Child"

Scores: "Don't Let Your Cowboys Grow Up To Be Babies"

Scores: "Far Through The Memory Shines The Happy Hour"

Scores: "Fields Of Bluegrass"

Scores: "Fire Prevention Songbook"

Folder 4

Scores: "God Knows She Ain't No Angel"

Scores: "I Come to Stay Awhile"

Scores: "I Love Naples (Naples Rotary Song)"

Scores: "It Doesn't Matter At All If It Rains"

Scores: "It Only Takes One"

Scores: "Merry Christmas (The Whole Wide World Around)"

Scores: "No Time To Talk"

Folder 5

Scores: "Our First Teacher Up In Space (Hang On To Your Dreams)"

Scores: "Papa Told Me Blues"

Scores: "The Revenge Of The Christmas Tree"

Folder 6

Scores: "Santa Clause is Comin'"

Scores: "Solea Per Buleria"

Scores: "Sunshine Baby"

Folder 7

Scores: "Trade Winds"

Scores: "Walk Right In"

Scores: "Walk Right In Blues"

Scores: "Where You Can Still Hear The Sound Of The Railroad"

Scores: "Your Own Song (The Dit Dit Song)"

Folder 8

Sheet music

Includes "Don't Fence Me In" by Cole Porter, "The Girl That I Marry" by Irving Berlin, "I'm an Old Cowhand" by Johnny Mercer, "150 Folk and Gospel Songs" as sung by Bill Clifton, and "The Rovin' Gambler" arranged by Nick Manoloff.

Folder 9-10

Folder 9

Folder 10

Song lyrics

Song lyrics by Erik Darling, various collaborators, and other artists.

Folder 11

"Flamenco Falsettas of Diego del Gastor-Moron de la Frontera," compiled by Evan Harrar

Music for the Flamenco guitar.

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Series 3. Other Papers.

200 items.

Includes printed materials, clippings, and posters. Printed materials include copies of Folksinger's Wordbook, compiled by Irwin Silber and "American Folklore and Left-Wing Politics, 1927-1957" by Richard A. Reuss. There are clippings that primarily relate to the 2004 reunion performance of The Weavers, among other items.

Folder 12-15

Folder 12

Folder 13

Folder 14

Folder 15

Printed materials

Includes copies of Folksinger's Wordbook compiled by Irwin Silber and "American Folklore and Left-Wing Politics, 1927-1957" by Richard A. Reuss.

Folder 16

Clippings

Contains a copy of the press release and clippings for the 2004 reunion performance of the Weavers.

Folder 17-18

Folder 17

Folder 18

Other papers

Includes receipts, notes, the schedule for the 1954 Musical Americana tour, the pilot outline for a television series entitled Confessions of a Truant Officer , lists of disc jockeys, and other materials.

Extra Oversize Paper XOP-20434/1

Poster of Tom Riker

Extra Oversize Paper XOP-20434/2

Poster of Lucinda Williams

Extra Oversize Paper XOP-20434/3

Poster for the film Calypso Heat Wave

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Series 4. Photographs.

About 100 items.

Photographs are chiefly of the Tarriers and the Weavers, but there are also photographs of unidentified musicians and negatives from the 1954 Musical Americana tour.

Image Folder PF-20434/1

The Tarriers

Image Folder PF-20434/2

The Weavers

Image Folder PF-20434/3-5

PF-20434/3

PF-20434/4

PF-20434/5

The Weavers in Israel

Image Folder PF-20434/6

Musical Americana Tour negatives, 1954

Image Folder PF-20434/7

Photographs of unidentified musicians

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Series 5. Moving Image Materials.

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Series 6. Autobiography Project Recordings and Related Materials.

25 items.

Recordings of phone interviews conducted by Erik Darling with various friends and associates while in the process of writing his autobiography I'd Give My Life: A Journey by Folk Music (2008). There are also compact discs containing notes for and chapters from the autobiography.

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10551

Joan Darling, 9 June 1991

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10552

Tommy Geraci, 28 June 1991

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10553

Art D'Lugoff

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10554

Billy Faier, 26 June 1991. Ed McCurdy, 31 July 1991

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10555

Ada Brown, 6 June 1991

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10556

George Sprung, Roger Sprung, Barry Kornfeld, 10 June 1991

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10557

Bob Gibson, 13 June 1991. Frank Hamilton, 14 June 1991

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10558

Dick Rozmini, 26 June 1991

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10559

Guy Carawan, 29 June 1991. Ethel Raim, 30 June 1991

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10560

Ed McCurdy, 9 June 1991

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10561

Danny Kalb, 14 September 1998

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10562

Danny Kalb, 29 September 1998

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10563

Tony Price

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10564

Bess Hawes, January 1993

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10565

Joan Darling, 24 March 1998

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10566

John Cohen, 22 April 1998

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10567

John Cohen, Mary Travers

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10568

Pete Seeger, 25 October 1998

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10569

Eric Weisberg

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10570

Tom Riker, 3 July 1997

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7812

Tracks for autobiography, Erik Darling

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7862

Travel, 12 October 2003

Notes for autobiography project.

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7863

Travel, December 2004

Notes for autobiography project.

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7864

Travel, April-May 2005

Notes for autobiography project.

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7865

Chapters, major backup

Notes for autobiography project.

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Series 7. Recorded Music.

73 items.

Recordings are primarily of music by Erik Darling and his collaborators. There are commercially released audiodiscs, demos, dubs, mixes, and masters of commercial and non-commercial recordings.

Note that, for the most part, original label titles have been maintained.

45-rpm Disc 45rpm-20434/8928

Cindy, oh Cindy / Only if you praise the Lord, Vince Martin and the Tarriers

Commercially released audiodisc.

45-rpm Disc 45rpm-20434/8929

The banana boat song / No hidin' place, The Tarriers

Commercially released audiodisc.

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7813

Walk right in, 1 November 2006

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7814

Don't go mad until you got to, Erik Darling

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7815

Don't go mad: CD-R master, 16 December 2003

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7816

Don't go mad: Safety master, 6 May 2004

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7817

Don't go mad: Backup, 30 May 2007

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7818

Don't go mad: Reference, 10 July 2004

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7819

Don't go mad: Song

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7820

Go tell Aunt Rhody

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7821

Aunt Rhody's Christmas

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7822

Christmas, second session, 4 songs

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7823

Christmas, second session, WRI

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7824

Revenge of the Christmas tree, Erik Darling

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7825

Revenge of the Christmas tree: 24/44.1 for mastering, 10 June 2006

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7826

Revenge of the Christmas tree, 26 May 2006

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7827

Christmas bells / Santa Claus is coming: New roughs, 6 September 2006

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7828

Revenge of the Christmas tree

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7829

Revenge of the Christmas tree: With bass

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7830

Revenge of the Christmas tree

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7831

Revenge of the Christmas tree: Mix 2, 26 May 2006

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7832

Revenge of the Christmas tree: Remix, 4 November 2006

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7833

Revenge of the Christmas tree: First program. 2 November 2006

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7834

Santa Clause is comin', 2001

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7835

Silver zephyr overture, Erik Darling

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7836

Woody (Summer is coming), Erik Darling

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7837

Mix choices disc with alternate versions, Erik Darling

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7838

Carnegie Hall

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7839

J. J. Audabon

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7840

J. J. Audabon: Master

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7841

True religion / Train time: Kitchen mastered, 16 November 2006

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7842

True religion / Train time, Erik Darling, 1960

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7843

True religion / Train time, Erik Darling, 1960

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7844

True religion / Train time, Erik Darling

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7845

Dig my grave

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7846

Front row with Arkansas Red

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7847

An old dish rag, Fred Hellerman

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7848

Long long way, Freddie's version

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7849

A. Miller at Rave's

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7850

Possible songs for Carnegie

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7851

The ballad of Rod Skaggs, December 2006

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7852

Darling Corey and Goofing-off suite, Pete Seeger

Dub of commercial recordings.

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7853

Love calls home, Peggy Seeger

Dub of commercial recordings.

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7854

Goofing-off suite, Pete Seeger

Dub of commercial recordings.

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7855

Emmett Miller

Dub of commercial recordings.

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7856

Jazz corner, Hotlanta

Dub of commercial recordings.

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7857

Gamble Rogers

Dub of commercial recordings.

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7858

Unidentified.

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7859

Revenge of the Christmas tree: Revision 2, 7 November 2006

HDCD reference master.

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7860

Revenge of the Christmas tree: Revision 3, 16 November 2006

HDCD reference master.

Music Compact Disc CD-20434/7861

True religion / Train time: Revision 1, 16 November 2006

HDCD reference master.

Digital Audiotape DAT-20434/556

Border Town at Midnight, Erik Darling and Border Town

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10571

Soca Girl, Bryan Lee

Dub.

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10572

Almanac Singers 1941-1942 (dubs)

Dubs of Keynote and General Records releases.

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10573

Weavers on WNYC: Charter recordings 1949

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10574

Sunset: Omar, Chris, Erik

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10575

Tarantas

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10576

Songs from Ronnie

Music in my mother's house (Stuart Stott); I am willing; I ain't afraid (Holly Near).

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10577

Practice

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10578

Ain't About to Turn Back Now: Long Live Women

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10579

Ain't About to Turn Back Now: Idea, January 27 1996

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10580

1800s words, names, history

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10581

Never, Ever K to Q

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10582

Our First Teacher In Space: Demo

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10583

Our First Teacher In Space: Performance

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10584

Flamenco

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10585

Simple Song, Lyle Lovett

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10586

Tommy Geraci, Rooftop. Ada, Gift

Dubs.

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10587

Hurry Worry / Long Long Way

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10588

Never Ever: Erik's Heart Song

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10589

Japan #1

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10590

Japan #2

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10591

Full Stop, Erik Darling

Dub.

SFC Audio Cassette FS-20434/10592

Unidentified

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Series 8A. The Ballad of Vilma (Willie) Kurtzer, undated (Addition of 2015)

1 item.

Acquisitions Information: Accession 102205

The Addition of 2015 consists of an illustrated manuscript of "The Ballad of Vilma (Willie) Kurtzer" by Erik Darling.

Folder 19

Illustrated manuscript: "The Ballad of Vilma (Willie) Kurtzer," undated

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Series 9A. Santa Fe, N.M. Poster, 1992 (Addition of December 2019)

1 item.

Acquisitions Information: Accession 103746

Artwork by Erik Darling.

Oversize Paper Folder OPF-20434/1

"Santa Fe, N.M.," 1992

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Items Separated

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