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Seymour (Tony) Papers
MSS 0749
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Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla 92093-0175
Title: Tony Seymour Papers
Creator:
Seymour, Tony, 1951-
Identifier/Call Number: MSS 0749
Physical Description:
7.6 Linear feet
(18 archives boxes, 1 card file box)
Physical Description:
1.97 GB
of digital files
Date (inclusive): 1965-2006
Abstract: Papers of poet Tony Seymour (1951- ), a contemporary San Francisco-based poet and performance artist. The collection contains
writings, drawings, photographs, ephemera, and recordings related to Seymour's life and literary career.
Languages:
English
.
William Anthony "Tony" Seymour was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1951. Seymour attended the University of New Mexico and the
University of Hawaii, and graduated with a B.A. in Communications.
A key event in Seymour's life was meeting Beat poet Bob Kaufman while working in the publicity department at City Lights Bookstore
in San Francisco. Kaufman's life and work significantly influenced Seymour, who studied his poetry and interviewed him over
a three year period. In 1976 Seymour initiated a "wave of publicity" for Kaufman with publications in California Living Magazine,
The Berkeley Bard, Players Magazine and the Black Panthers Party Newsletter. Following Kaufman's death in 1986, Seymour organized
a Bob Kaufman Day event at City Hall in San Francisco. Performers included Tony Seymour, Richie Havens, Ken Kesey, Jack Micheline,
Marty Matz, Joie Cook and other artists.
During the mid-1970s to mid-1980s, Seymour combined freelance journalism with poetry writing and research. He conducted interviews
with jazz composer Sun Ra, his friend and musician Richie Havens, and the spiritual leader Baba Ram Dass. Seymour's recordings
of
No Gods to Guide, No Herds to Follow: Bob Kaufman's Street-Bop-Zen includes an introduction by author Ken Kesey and features interviews by Kesey, Bob Kaufman, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Gregory
Corso, Jack Hirschman and Kunugh Stiles.
In 1997, Seymour self-published his collected works
Poems for Another Time. Evolution of a Soul. The Collected Works of Tony Seymour. Excerpts from his collected works are also featured in
Godzilla Verses Swan Blake, a dramatic poetry play collaboration with the poet and artist Blake More.
Tony Seymour currently lives in Hawaii.
Scope and Content of Collection
Papers of poet Tony Seymour (1951- ), a contemporary San Francisco-based poet and performance artist. The collection contains
writings, drawings, photographs, ephemera, and recordings related to Seymour's life and literary career. Also included are
materials related to his mentor, San Francisco Beat poet Bob Kaufman.
Arranged in six series: 1) BIOGRAPHICAL, 2) CORRESPONDENCE, 3) WRITINGS, 4) BOB KAUFMAN, 5), POETRY EVENTS & MISCELLANEOUS
MATERIALS, and 6) AUDIOVISUAL & DIGITAL MATERIALS.
Tony Seymour Papers. MSS 749. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE. ALLOW ONE WEEK FOR RETRIEVAL OF MATERIALS.
Publication rights are held by the creator of the collection.
Original media formats are restricted. Viewing/listening copies may be available for researchers.
The collection contains digital files described in the container list.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
American poetry -- California -- San Francisco -- 20th century
Seymour, Tony, 1951- -- Archives
Kaufman, Bob -- Archives