Descriptive Summary
Digital Content
OFF-SITE STORAGE
Scope and Content of Collection
Acquisition Information
Biography
Restrictions
Preferred Citation note
Publication Rights
Related Materials
Descriptive Summary
Languages:
English
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla 92093-0175
Title: Sam Hinton Papers
Identifier/Call Number: MSS 0683
Physical Description:
16.8 Linear feet
(42 archives boxes, 2 card file boxes, and 6 oversize folders)
Date (inclusive): 1937-2006
Abstract: Papers of Sam Hinton, professional folk singer, illustrator, aquarist, and teacher of literature and folklore at UC San Diego.
Digital Content
Selected materials from the accession processed in 2015 have been digitized.
OFF-SITE STORAGE
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE. ALLOW ONE WEEK FOR RETRIEVAL OF MATERIALS.
Scope and Content of Collection
Papers of Sam Hinton, professional folk singer, illustrator, aquarist, and teacher of literature and folklore at UC San Diego.
The collection is arranged in two accessions. The accession processed in 2009 consists of music-related and professional files,
and includes Hinton's work with
Sing Out! Magazine, as well as drafts and research materials for Hinton's published articles and books. The accession processed in 2015 was
originally donated to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography Archives and contains artwork, including portrait caricatures
and drawings for Hinton's weekly newspaper column "The Ocean World," science materials and photographs.
ACCESSION PROCESSED IN 2009
Arranged in eleven series: 1) CORRESPONDENCE, 2) SONGWRITING AND RECORDING, 3) PERFORMANCES, 4) COLLECTED SONGS, 5) TEACHING
MATERIALS, 6) WRITINGS, 7) PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, 8) ARTWORK, 9) BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS, 10) MISCELLANEOUS and 11) AUDIOCASSETTES.
ACCESSION PROCESSED IN 2015
Arranged in seven series: 12) BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS, 13) CORRESPONDENCE, 14) PROFESSIONAL MATERIALS, 15) MUSIC, 16) ARTWORK,
17) WRITINGS and 18) PHOTOGRAPHS AND SLIDES.
Acquisition Information
Acquired 2004-2007.
Biography
Sam Duffie Hinton (1917-2009) was an American folk singer, illustrator, aquarist, and teacher of literature and folklore.
His musical career began as a young child, playing a button accordion, harmonica and pennywhistle for public audiences in
his hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Hinton performed with his two sisters under the group name "The Texas Trio" after moving
with his family to Crockett, Texas in 1935. In 1937 Hinton was hired to perform on the popular radio program
The Major Bowes Original Amateur Hour.
Hinton graduated with a degree in zoology from UCLA in 1937. He served as Director of the Palm Springs Desert Museum for three
years, before being hired as an illustrator for the University of California Division Of War Research in 1944. In 1946 he
was appointed Curator of the Thomas Wayland Vaughan Aquarium Museum at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. In 1965 he
was appointed Assistant Director of the department of Relations with Schools at UC San Diego. He served as Associate Director
of the same department from 1967 until his retirement in 1980. Hinton continued his musical career in retirement, performing
for local schools through his "Singing Through History" classroom program. He also travelled throughout the United States,
performing at national folk festivals and hosting musicians' workshops.
Over the course of his career Hinton wrote two books on marine biology,
Exploring Under the Sea and
Seashore Life of Southern California. Hinton also served on the board of directors for
Sing Out! Magazine, and wrote numerous articles for various science and folklore journals. Over the course of his musical career, Hinton recorded
twelve solo albums, which include
Singing Across the Land, 1956;
Whoever Shall Have Some Peanuts, 1964;
I'll Sing You a Story, 1972; and
Sam Hinton: Master of the Solo Diatonic Harmonica, 2005.
Restrictions
Audiocassettes in Series 11 are restricted. Researchers must request a listening copy to be produced.
Preferred Citation note
Sam Hinton Papers. MSS 683. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.
Publication Rights
Publication rights are held by the creator of the collection.
Related Materials
SIO Biographical Files, SAC 5. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Songs -- United States -- 20th century
Folk music -- United States -- 20th century
Folk singers -- United States -- 20th century
Musicians -- United States -- 20th century
Hinton, Sam, 1917-2009 -- Archives
California Folklore Society
Seeger, Pete, 1919-2014 -- Correspondence
Sing Out! Corporation