Blues (Archives): Photographs

The Blues Archive houses thousands of blues images. However, the university does not control copyright to the majority of these. Patrons are allowed to access photographs for research purposes, but will have to obtain permissions from the photographers/copyright holders in order to use most of the images.

Blues Photograph Collections

General Blues Photographs
This collection includes thousands of photographs of blues performers and blues-related subjects.
Marina Bokelman Collection
Open reel audio tapes, film, and photographic negatives & contact sheets of the blues-rock band Canned Heat. These materials were all recorded, filmed, and photographed by Marina Bokelman in 1967 and 1968.
Dick "Cane" Cole Collection
Photographs of disc jockey Dick "Cane" Cole and other WLOK (Memphis) radio staff and promotional photographs of blues, soul, funk, and gospel performers, many signed to Cole.
Martin Feldmann Collection
Photographs of blues musicians and performances in Europe and the United States.
Sidney Graves Collection
Sid Graves' personal and business correspondence, photographs, and other materials related to Clarksdale, Mississippi's Carnegie Public Library and Delta Blues Museum. There are also materials about the Mississippi Library Association and Mississippi literary figures.
Sheldon Harris Collection
Collection of recordings, sheet music, photographs and research materials gathered through Sheldon Harris' person collecting and research.
Walter Lyons Scrapbook
In 1967 Mrs. Walter Lyons wrote letters to a number of her husband’s favorite jazz musicians, asking them to surprise her husband by wishing him happy birthday. This scrapbook contains letters, postcards, and signed photographs extending birthday greetings to Mr. Walter Lyons. Musicians include Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles, Chuck Mangione, J. J. Johnson, Benny Golson, Sonny Rollins, Phil Woods, Wayne Shorter, and others.
Stefano Marise Collection
Photographs of Blues musicians and performances in Europe.
Tina Mayfield Collection
Collection of materials related to Percy Mayfield, Lowell Fulson, and Tina Mayfield.
Pertti Nurmi Collection
Photographs of blues musicians, performances and festivals in Finland.
John Richbourg Collection
Collection of recordings, clippings, correspondence and ephemera of WLAC disc jockey John Richbourg.
Gary Saretzky Collection
Collection of blues photographs, newsletters, event flyers, and more from photographer Gary Saretzky.
Renato Tonelli Collection
Photographs of blues musicians and performances in Europe and the United States.