Collections

The Paul Oliver Collection (Blues)

The Paul Oliver Collection of African American Music and Related Traditions is held on a custodial basis by agreement with the European Blues Association and Paul Oliver. Also known as the Blues Collection or the Paul Oliver Archive, this extensive collection of books, papers, recordings, visual material and other artefacts represents and enormously valuable resource in teaching and research and is of international significance.

Dr Paul Oliver, formerly of Oxford Brookes University (1978-1988 Associate Head of the School of Architecture), is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (1999) and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Gloucestershire (2007). He is one of the world’s leading authorities on the blues. Among his many publications are Blues Fell This Morning, The Story of the Blues, and Blues Off The Record. His work, which began in the 1950s, includes interviews, field work and research in recording and printed sources tracing the origin and development of African American music and culture from the time of slavery through to the Twentieth Century.

The collection is not only of interest to the generic Blues fan but is of great value to students and researchers working in American and African American History, American Studies, Cultural Studies, Music and Popular Music Studies, Anthropology and Transatlantic Studies. Students on courses at the University of Gloucestershire in Popular Music, American History, American Literature and Sociology already use this great resource. It is also available upon request to external researchers and to members of the public. The collection is available for reference only.

For further information please contact archives staff on 01242 714815 or email archives@glos.ac.uk

For further information regarding research please contact Professor Neil Wynn on 01242 714697 or email nwynn@glos.ac.uk

Other useful sources:

www.bluesworld.com/PAULOLIVER

www.bluefrontbluesroom.org

www.gloucesterblues.co.uk