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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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Collection Overview
| 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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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
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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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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Series Quick Links
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Series 1. Correspondence, 1976-2007.
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 #20434, Series: "1. Correspondence, 1976-2007." Folder 1 |
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Series 2. Scores, Sheet Music, and Song Lyrics.
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.
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Series 3. Other Papers.
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 12Folder 13Folder 14Folder 15 |
Printed materials #20434, Series: "3. Other Papers." Folder 12-15Includes 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 #20434, Series: "3. Other Papers." Folder 16Contains a copy of the press release and clippings for the 2004 reunion performance of the Weavers. |
Folder 17-18
Folder 17Folder 18 |
Other papers #20434, Series: "3. Other Papers." Folder 17-18Includes 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 #20434, Series: "3. Other Papers." XOP-20434/1 |
| Extra Oversize Paper XOP-20434/2 |
Poster of Lucinda Williams #20434, Series: "3. Other Papers." XOP-20434/2 |
| Extra Oversize Paper XOP-20434/3 |
Poster for the film Calypso Heat Wave #20434, Series: "3. Other Papers." XOP-20434/3 |
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Series 4. Photographs.
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 #20434, Series: "4. Photographs." PF-20434/1 |
| Image Folder PF-20434/2 |
The Weavers #20434, Series: "4. Photographs." PF-20434/2 |
Image Folder PF-20434/3-5
PF-20434/3PF-20434/4PF-20434/5 |
The Weavers in Israel #20434, Series: "4. Photographs." PF-20434/3-5 |
| Image Folder PF-20434/6 |
Musical Americana Tour negatives, 1954 #20434, Series: "4. Photographs." PF-20434/6 |
| Image Folder PF-20434/7 |
Photographs of unidentified musicians #20434, Series: "4. Photographs." PF-20434/7 |
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Series 5. Moving Image Materials.
| Digital Video Disc DVD-20434/140 |
Isn't This A Time! press screener #20434, Series: "5. Moving Image Materials." DVD-20434/140 |
| Videotape VT-20434/1 |
It's Weavermania! In Concert #20434, Series: "5. Moving Image Materials." VT-20434/1 |
| Videotape VT-20434/2 |
El Perrate de Utrera; Diego del Gastor; La Fernanda de Utrera; La Bernarda de Utrera #20434, Series: "5. Moving Image Materials." VT-20434/2 |
| Videotape VT-20434/3 |
La Carboneria #20434, Series: "5. Moving Image Materials." VT-20434/3 |
| Videotape VT-20434/4 |
Flamenco: an interview with Chris Carnes #20434, Series: "5. Moving Image Materials." VT-20434/4 |
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Series 6. Autobiography Project Recordings and Related Materials.
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.
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Series 7. Recorded Music.
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.
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Series 8A. The Ballad of Vilma (Willie) Kurtzer, undated (Addition of 2015)
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 #20434, Series: "8A. The Ballad of Vilma (Willie) Kurtzer, undated (Addition of 2015)" Folder 19 |
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Series 9A. Santa Fe, N.M. Poster, 1992 (Addition of December 2019)
Acquisitions Information: Accession 103746
Artwork by Erik Darling.
| Oversize Paper Folder OPF-20434/1 |
"Santa Fe, N.M.," 1992 #20434, Series: "9A. Santa Fe, N.M. Poster, 1992 (Addition of December 2019)" OPF-20434/1 |
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Items Separated
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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