Vernacular Music Research has developed an integrated archive of printed and recorded material on American music and dance from the 1820s -1960s, consisting of original sheet music, orchestrations, recordings, graphics, periodicals, and books.

The scope, focus and organization of the archive provide alternative avenues of discovery and ready responses to specific inquiries distinguishing it from collections of pictorial sheet music or limited-interest recordings.

The archive has served for writing, consulting and production work for the Smithsonian Institution, Rockefeller Foundation (New World Records) and others. The archive has been a resource for scholars, professional musicians and dancers, ASCAP members, publishers and producers of concerts and television.

To see our current items of interest please select ‘Features’ at the top of this page.