Overview

In 1949, immigrant recording engineer Moses Asch embarked on a lifelong project: documenting the world of sound produced by mankind, via a small record label called Folkways Records. By 1986, when Asch died, he had amassed an archive of over 2200 LPs and thousands of hours of tapes; so valuable was this collection that it was purchased by the Smithsonian Institute. This is an account of how he built this business, against all odds - and against all conventional thinking and common sense.

Full Product Details

Author:   Tony Olmsted
Publisher:   Taylor & Francis Ltd
Imprint:   Routledge
Dimensions:   Width: 15.20cm , Height: 1.90cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.490kg
ISBN:  

9780415937092

ISBN 10:   0415937094
Pages:   264
Publication Date:   24 June 2003
Audience:   General/trade ,  Professional and scholarly ,  College/higher education ,  General ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

Acknowledgments Preface, Michael Asch Introduction 1. Early Influences: 1870s to 1930s The Phonograph and Sound Recording Youth and Family Influences 2. Beginnings: Asch Records The Deal with Stinson First Recordings by Lead Belly, Pete Seeger, and Woody Guthrie 3. Broadening the Mandate: DISC Records of America New Products and Directions Bankruptcy 4. The Birth of Folkways Records The Business Model Overview of Asch's Businesses Building the Catalog 5. The Business of Making Records Manufacture Domestic Distribution Foreign Distribution Marketing and Sales Exploiting the Catalog: Licensing and Contracts 6. Finances Folkways Pioneer Record Sales Moe's Money 7. Easing the Burden: Folkways in the 1960s Reaching the Educational Market Reaching the Pop Market The Folk Revival and New Opportunities: RBF, Broadside, and the revival of DISC Records Return to Normal Operations 8 The Sale of Folkways Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index

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Author Information

Tony Olmstead is Professor of Anthropology at the University of Alberta, Canada. He has presented several papers on the music business, and is the recipient of several academic awards and fellowships.

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