The Hugo Keesing Collection on Roy Orbison
Abstract
The Hugo Keesing Collection of Popular Music and Culture consists of books, serials, recordings, sheet music, clippings, and memorabilia related to 20th century American popular music, in particular rock 'n' roll. Collected by Hugo A. Keesing, a professor at the University of Maryland and a popular culture scholar, with his brother Wouter Keesing, the bulk of the collection covers the period from the 1950s through the 1990s. The Collection has been separated into five record groups. The collection consists of clippings and magazines, ephemera, recordings and miscellaneous documents. These materials span the length of Orbison's career.
Important Information for Users of the Collection
The collection is open for research use.
The Hugo Keesing Collection on Roy Orbison, Special Collections, University of Maryland Libraries.
Materials from this collection must be used in the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library's Irving and Margery Morgan Lowens Special Collections Room, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Contact the curator for an appointment: http://www.lib.umd.edu/scpa/contact
This collection is PROCESSED.
Historical Note
Roy Orbison (April 23, 1936 - December 6, 1988) was an award-winning singer-songwriter who is considered a pioneer of rock and roll. His career spanned from 1954-1988. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1987) and posthumously into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame (1989). Orbison had an ongoing relationship with the Beatles, including touring with them and later working with Harrison in with the "super-group" The Traveling Wilburys that also included Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, and Jeff Lynne. Orbison maintained his success through the popular music craze known as the "British Invasion," and broke into the Top 10 with his hit single "Oh, Pretty Woman" in 1964.
Scope and Contents of the Collection
The Hugo Keesing Collection on Roy Orbison covers the period from 1961 to 1992; the bulk dates of the materials are concentrated in three main periods, 1961 to 1962, 1967 to 1979, and 1981 to 1992. The collection consists of clippings and magazines, ephemera, recordings and miscellaneous documents. These materials span the length of Orbison's career.
Custodial History and Acquisition Information
Gift of Hugo Keesing received in shipments beginning in September 1996, and is ongoing (as of 2009).
Processing Information
Mary Crauderueff, December 2012
EAD markup created using EAD database in Microsoft Access. Markup completed by Mary Crauderueff, February 2009.
Arrangement of Collection
This collection is organized into six series.
Detailed Description of the Collection
Series 1: Realia, undated (4 items)
This series contains realia including t-shirts. Materials are arranged by type.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rock and Roll T-shirts: Roy Orbison On Tour, undated | series 1 | box 1 | folder 1 | |
| Rock and Roll T-shirts: The Roy Orbison Story, undated | series 1 | box 1 | folder 2 | |
| Rock and Roll T-shirts: 2 Roy Orbison concert t-shirts, undated | series 1 | box 1 | folder 3 | |
| pin: Only the Lonely: The Roy Orbison Story, undated | series 1 | box 1 | folder 4 | |
Series 2: Ephemera, 1967, 1994-1995 undated (4 items)
This series contains ephemera, including memorabilia from The Fastest Guitar Alive. Materials are arranged by type.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | Item | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bumper Sticker and other stickers, undated | series 2 | box 1 | folder 5 | ||
| The Fastest Guitar Alive, 1967, undated | series 2 | box 1 | folder 6 | ||
| Press Book, undated | series 2 | box 1 | folder 6 | item 1.0 | |
| 3 black and white photos, undated | series 2 | box 1 | folder 6 | item 2.0 | |
| 8 Movie stills, 1967 | series 2 | box 1 | folder 6 | item 3.0 | |
| The Roy Orbison Story at the Whitehall Theatre, November 1995 | series 2 | box 4 | folder 9 | ||
| Only the Lonely The Roy Orbison Story at the Picadilly Theatre, ca. 1994 | series 2 | box 4 | folder 10 | ||
| The Legendary Roy Orbison, undated | series 2 | box 4 | folder 11 | ||
Series 3: Clippings, 1974-1975, 1977, undated (0.50 linear feet)
This series contains magazines and newspaper clippings about Roy Orbison, as well as Top 40 charts.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Top 40 charts (from Netherlands), 1 Billboard chart, undated | series 3 | box 2 | folder 1 | |
| Magazines/periodicals clippings (some in protective leaves), undated | series 3 | box 2 | folder 2 | |
| Newspaper clippings (some in protective leaves), undated | series 3 | box 2 | folder 3 | |
Series 4: Magazines, 1974-1990, 1995, undated (0.50 linear feet)
This series contains magazines as well as trade magazines which feature Roy Orbison.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collecting items: mail-order CD catalogs, price lists, trade magazines, etc. (trade magazines - 2 Goldmine, 1 DISCoveries, and 1 Record Collector), undated | series 4 | box 2 | folder 4 | |
| Fusion December, 1972 | series 4 | box 2 | folder 5 | |
| Guitar World March, 1989 | series 4 | box 2 | folder 6 | |
| Music Express February (three copies), 1989 | series 4 | box 2 | folder 7 | |
| Music Leader January 14, 1989 | series 4 | box 2 | folder 8 | |
| Newsweek December 19, 1988 | series 4 | box 2 | folder 9 | |
| Oor Magazine January 14, 1989 | series 4 | box 2 | folder 10 | |
| U.S. News December 19, 1988 | series 4 | box 2 | folder 11 | |
| People December 19, 1988 | series 4 | box 2 | folder 12 | |
| People June 18 (two copies), 1979 | series 4 | box 2 | folder 13 | |
| People January 9, 1989 | series 4 | box 2 | folder 14 | |
| People December 19, 1989 | series 4 | box 2 | folder 15 | |
| Pop Foto, 1989 | series 4 | box 2 | folder 16 | |
| Rolling Stone January 12, 1989 | series 4 | box 2 | folder 17 | |
| Rock and Roll Magazine, 1978 | series 4 | box 2 | folder 18 | |
| Spin February, 1989 | series 4 | box 2 | folder 19 | |
| The Story of Pop circa, 1975 | series 4 | box 2 | folder 20 | |
| Teen Life, 1967 | series 4 | box 2 | folder 21 | |
| Variety December 14-20, 1988 | series 4 | box 2 | folder 22 | |
| New Music Express December 17, 1988 | series 4 | box 2 | folder 23 | |
| Goldmine, May 5, 1989 | series 4 | box 2 | folder 25 | |
| Nin-O-One Network: The Sun Session: Together Again in Memphis, undated | series 4 | box 2 | folder 26 | |
| Rolling Stone, January 26, 1989 | series 4 | box 2 | folder 27 | |
Series 5: Recordings, 1961-1990, undated (0.25 linear feet)
This series contains recordings and related materials.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | Item | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 two record set CD boxes, several photocopies of CD covers, and 1 promotional poster (Mystery Girl CD cover), undated | series 5 | box 1 | folder 7 | ||
| Compact Disc: Bootleg Collection, undated | series 5 | box 3 | folder 1 | ||
| Compact Disc: Interview CD with Q&A, undated | series 5 | box 3 | folder 2 | ||
| Compact Disc: A Portrait of Roy Orbison, undated | series 5 | box 3 | folder 3 | ||
| Compact Disc: Studio 99 performs.... Roy Orbison, undated | series 5 | box 3 | folder 4 | ||
| Compact Disc: Only the Lonely - A Tribute to Roy Orbison, undated | series 5 | box 3 | folder 5 | ||
| Cassette: I Drove All Night, undated | series 5 | box 3 | folder 6 | ||
| Cassette: The Roy Orbison Collector's Edition, undated | series 5 | box 3 | folder 7 | ||
| Cassette: Roy Orbison: The Beginning Years, undated | series 5 | box 3 | folder 8 | ||
| Cassette: Roy Orbison: You Got It, undated | series 5 | box 3 | folder 9 | ||
| Cassette: Home Recordings, various dates | series 5 | box 3 | folder 10 | ||
| Cassette: Tone Soap x3, undated | series 5 | box 3 | folder 10 | item 1.0 | |
| Cassette: The Roy Orbison Story April 8, 1989 | series 5 | box 3 | folder 10 | item 2.0 | |
| Cassette: Roy Orbison: Birthday Tribute April 21, 1989 | series 5 | box 3 | folder 10 | item 3.0 | |
| Cassette: Profile: Roy Orbison! April 22, 1987 | series 5 | box 3 | folder 10 | item 4.0 | |
| VHS Home Recordings, various dates | series 5 | box 3 | folder 11 | ||
| DVD: Roy Orbison live at Austin City Limits, August 5, 1982 | series 5 | box 3 | folder 12 | ||
| 45rpm: MGM Celebrity Scene: Roy Orbison DJ Promo Set, 1967 | series 5 | box 3 | folder 13 | ||
| 45rpm: The Marys (The Day Roy Orbison Died), 1990 | series 5 | box 3 | folder 14 | ||
| 45rpm: Big 'O' (Cryin') Tribute to Roy Orbison, undated | series 5 | box 3 | folder 15 | ||
| 45rpm: Roy Orbison Sings.... "Candy Man", 1961 | series 5 | box 3 | folder 16 | ||
| 45rpm: Roy Orbison California Blue, 1989 | series 5 | box 3 | folder 17 | ||
| 45rpm: Roy Orbison and Friends Oh Pretty Woman, 1989 | series 5 | box 3 | folder 18 | ||
| 45rpm: Roy Orbison Breakin' Up is Breakin' My Heart (b-side: Wait), undated | series 5 | box 3 | folder 19 | ||
| LP: Roy Orbison and friends: A Black and White Night Live, 1989 | series 5 | box 4 | folder 1 | ||
| LP: Class of '55, 1986 | series 5 | box 4 | folder 2 | ||
| LP: Roy Orbison: The Sun Years, 1984 | series 5 | box 4 | folder 3 | ||
| LP: Almost Eighteen, 1982 | series 5 | box 4 | folder 4 | ||
| LP: Crying, 1962 | series 5 | box 4 | folder 5 | ||
| LP: Roy Orbison: In Dreams, the Greatest Hits, 1987 | series 5 | box 4 | folder 6 | ||
Series 6: Miscellaneous, 1981-1992, undated (0.75 linear feet)
This series includes items such as discographies, photographs and posters.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Roy Orbison discography", undated | series 6 | box 1 | folder 8 | |
| Fan Club Mail - 17 envelopes, 2 postcards, undated | series 6 | box 1 | folder 9 | |
| Miscellaneous - 1 photo of Orbison's guitar, 2 photos of Orbison live in concert, 1 stolen newspaper from Orbison's house, hand-written personal notes, 4 ticket stubs circa 1981, 1982, and 1985, various dates | series 6 | box 1 | folder 10 | |
| Autographed program from Roy's last appearance in the DC area [August 24, 1988 at Wolf Trap, also signed by R&R Hall of Famer Carl Perkins]., 1988 | series 6 | box 1 | folder 11 | |
| 2 Wolftrap programs 1988 season, 1 Wolftrap 1988 schedule / info. pamphlet, 1988 | series 6 | box 1 | folder 12 | |
| Obituary (Chicago Tribune, December 8, 1988), 1988 | series 6 | box 1 | folder 13 | |
| "The Story of O" New Musical Express, December 20, 1980 | series 6 | box 1 | folder 14 | |
| "Four Decades of Roy Orbison: American/British Singles Discography" Hugo Keesing, undated | series 6 | box 1 | folder 15 | |
| Orbisongs: photocopied sheet music, undated | series 6 | box 1 | folder 16 | |
| Roy Orbison sheet music, undated | series 6 | box 1 | folder 17 | |
| Roy Orbison Discography (index cards by title of song), undated | series 6 | box 1 | folder 18 | |
| Oh, Pretty Woman sheet music, 1992 | series 6 | box 1 | folder 19 | |
| Dark Star: the Roy Orbison Story, Ellis Amburn, 1990 | series 6 | box 2 | folder 20 | |
| Envelope from Movie Poster Service with autograph, undated. Previously contained items from The Fastest Guitar Alive, undated | series 6 | box 2 | folder 24 | |
| Roy Orbison and others framed poster (autographed), undated | series 6 | box 4 | folder 7 | |
| Caricature of Roy Orbison and Hugo Keesing, 1990 | series 6 | box 4 | folder 8 | |
| Roy Orbison "Ganz einfach der beste Sanger in der Welt" ["Quite simply the best singer in the world"] brief biography and other information. In Dutch., undated | series 6 | box 4 | folder 12 | |
| Roy Orbison "Beiheft Zur LP" Welcome to the Party: Roy Orbison Live at the Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch/Essex, England. In Dutch., undated | series 6 | box 4 | folder 13 | |
| Rob Orbison Zur LP The Big O Live in Birmingham, Alabama. In Dutch., undated | series 6 | box 4 | folder 14 | |
| The Most Extensive Roy Orbison Songbook.. Compiled by Benjamin Koelewijn., 1989 | series 6 | box 4 | folder 15 | |
| The Roy Orbison Story. Compiled by Benjamin Koelewijn., 1988 | series 6 | box 4 | folder 16 | |
| Mystery Girl Piano and Vocal compositions, 1989 | series 6 | box 4 | folder 17 | |
| The Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 Sheet Music, 1989 | series 6 | box 4 | folder 18 | |
| Roy Orbison Song Book, undated | series 6 | box 4 | folder 19 | |
| Roy Orbison: 24 Classic hits, 1987 | series 6 | box 4 | folder 20 | |
Related Material
The Keesing Collection has been separated into five record groups. Three of these groups are materials of artists: Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, and The Beatles. One record group, Wouter Keesing, includes the research of Wouter Keesing, as well as material on Fats Domino, New Orleans, and Jazz/ R&B. The last record group is On Popular Music and Culture, materials that are not artist specific. The record groups contain specific material regarding the artists. This does not mean that there is no material of these artists in the rest of the collection - it is possible that in magazines and newspaper clippings there are related articles. What this does mean is that the collection does not have all of the material housed by type, but with the record group. This means that if a researcher is looking for all realia or ephemera, for example, they will need to look across the record groups to find all they are looking for. There are thousands of books from this collection that have been cataloged and are located in the Lowens Room using the prefix MKEESING. There are also thousands of LPs and records from this collection that will be cataloged.
For other related archival and manuscript collections, please see the following subject guides.