Sam Hinton Papers

Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego

9500 Gilman Drive

La Jolla 92093-0175

spcoll@ucsd.edu

URL: http://libraries.ucsd.edu/collections/sca/index.html

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.

Items available online

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

Accession Processed in 2009

CORRESPONDENCE

Scope and Content of Series

Series 1) CORRESPONDENCE: Letters between Hinton and UC San Diego personnel, fellow musicians and fans. Includes correspondence between Hinton and folksinger Pete Seeger during the 1960s and 1970s.

Box 1, Folder 1

American Federation of Musicians 1963-2002

Box 1, Folder 2

Cohen, Ronald 1992-1993

General note

Letters between Hinton and Ronald Cohen, professor at the Department of History at Indiana University Northwest, regarding a project compiled by Cohen entitled Political Folk Recordings, 1923-1953.

Box 1, Folder 3

Fan mail 1963-2006

Box 1, Folder 4

I Hear America Singing Exhibit 2000-2003

Box 1, Folder 5

Instruments 1964-1993

Box 1, Folder 6

Library of Congress 1938-1970

Box 1, Folder 7-8

Miscellaneous 1937-2006

Box 1, Folder 9

Palm Springs Desert Museum 1981-1997

General note

Includes a Palm Springs Desert Museum announcement written and illustrated by Hinton.

Box 1, Folder 10

Publications 1957-2001

Box 1, Folder 11

Research 1940-2003

Box 1, Folder 12

Seeger, Pete 1956-2000

Box 2, Folder 1

Sherline, Phee and Ken Graydon 1983-1987

Box 2, Folder 2

United States. Department of Interior 1963-1966

Box 2, Folder 3

University of California 1959-1999

Workshops and performances

Box 2, Folder 4-5

1937-1975

Box 2, Folder 6

1980-2003

SONGWRITING AND RECORDING

Scope and Content of Series

Series 2) SONGWRITING AND RECORDING: Arranged in two subseries: A) Songwriting and B) Recording.

A) Songwriting: Sheet music, compositions, song drafts and lyrics written by Sam Hinton.

B) Recording: Album reviews, recording contracts, discographies and correspondence between Hinton and various record labels.

Songwriting

Box 2, Folder 7

Songs by Sam Hinton

General note

Includes correspondence and contract information for songs written by Hinton.

Recordings

Box 2, Folder 8

Discography

Box 2, Folder 9

Album Reviews

Album Titles

Box 2, Folder 10

Folksongs of California and the Old West 1951

Box 2, Folder 11

Singing Across the Land 1955

Box 2, Folder 12

A Family Tree of Folksongs 1956

Box 2, Folder 13

The Real McCoy 1957

Box 2, Folder 14

How the West Was Won 1960

Box 2, Folder 15

The Song of Men 1961

Box 3, Folder 1

Whoever Shall Have Some Good Peanuts 1961

Box 3, Folder 2

Newport Folk Festival Album 1963

Box 3, Folder 3

The Wandering Folksong 1967

Box 3, Folder 4

I'll Sing You a Story 1972

Box 3, Folder 5

Cowboy Songs 1976

Box 3, Folder 6

Personal Recordings 1981-1983

General note

Includes liner notes for albums recorded personally by Hinton. These albums were of live performances and were given to friends as gifts or momentos.

Box 3, Folder 7

Of Frogs and Dogs and Such 1991

Box 3, Folder 8

Sam Hinton: The Library of Congress Recordings, 1947- 1999

General note

These songs were originally recorded in 1947 at the Library of Congress, but were not released until 1999 by Bear Family Records.

Box 3, Folder 9

Sam Hinton: Master of the Solo Diatonic Harmonica 2005

Record Companies

Box 3, Folder 10

Decca Records - Contracts and Correspondence 1952-1957

Box 3, Folder 11

Folkway Records - Correspondence 1960-1986

PERFORMANCES

Scope and Content of Series

Series 3) PERFORMANCES: Brochures, programs, flyers and other memorabilia from folk music festivals and workshops. Includes Hinton's performance calendar and set-lists.

Box 3, Folder 12

Idyllwild Arts Foundation circa 1956-1964

General note

Includes program schedules and correspondence Idyllwild Arts Foundation's Folk Music Weekends from 1956-1964.

Performance Engagement Calendars

Box 3, Folder 13

1937

Box 3, Folder 14-15

1985-1990

Box 4, Folder 1-5

1990-1992

Box 5, Folder 1-6

1993-1994, 1996

Box 6, Folder 1-3

1997-1999

Oversize MC-014-20

Poster - 7th Annual Berkeley Folk Music Festival 1964

Oversize FB-483-01

Posters

Box 6, Folder 4

Performance Reviews 1954-1977

Programs

Box 6, Folder 5

1939-1968

Box 7, Folder 1

1970-1999

Song Lists by Date

Box 7, Folder 2-5

1957-2002

Box 8, Folder 1

Not Dated

Song Lists Notebooks

Box 8, Folder 2

1951-1958

Box 8, Folder 3-13

1960-1991

Box 9, Folder 1-6

1992-1999

COLLECTED SONGS

Scope and Content of Series

Series 4) COLLECTED SONGS: Arranged in two subseries: A) Lyrics and Sheet Music and B) Song Titles.

A) Lyrics and Sheet Music: Sheet music written by Sam Hinton, arranged alphabetically within genres. Hinton's original ordering maintained.

B) Song Titles: Compilations of songs arranged according to subject matter (i.e. Cowboy Songs or Work Songs) or era (i.e. Depression Songs or Gold Rush Songs). Hinton used these compilations as set-lists, sheet music for workshops and as resources for others interested in folk music.

Lyrics and Sheet Music

Alphabetical by Title

Box 9, Folder 7-18

A - L songs

Box 10, Folder 1-4

M - P songs

Box 10, Folder 5-9

R - W songs

Box 10, Folder 10-11

Y - Z songs

Alphabetical by Subject

Box 10, Folder 12

Untitled Songs

Box 10, Folder 13

African Songs

Box 10, Folder 14

American Songs

Box 10, Folder 15

British Songs

Box 10, Folder 16

Canadian Songs

Box 10, Folder 17

Cowboy Songs

Box 10, Folder 18

Dust Bowl Songs

Box 10, Folder 19

French Songs

Box 10, Folder 20

German Songs

Box 10, Folder 21

Irish Songs

Box 11, Folder 1

Jewish Songs

Box 11, Folder 2

Lithuanian Songs

Box 11, Folder 3

Mexican Songs

Box 11, Folder 4

Miscellaneous European Songs

Box 11, Folder 5

Modal Examples

Box 11, Folder 6

Mormon Songs

Box 11, Folder 7

Native American Songs

Box 11, Folder 8

Negro Ballads and Spirituals

Box 11, Folder 9

North East U.S.A.

Box 11, Folder 10

Occupational Songs

Box 11, Folder 11

Railroad Songs

Box 11, Folder 12

Rounds

Box 11, Folder 13

Scottish Songs

Box 11, Folder 14

Sea Shanties

Box 11, Folder 15

Southern Mountain Songs

Box 11, Folder 16

Swiss Songs

Box 11, Folder 17

Welsh Songs

Box 11, Folder 18

Westward Expansion Songs

Box 11, Folder 19

White Spirituals

Compilations

Box 11, Folder 20

American Folksong Song Titles 1954-1958

Box 11, Folder 21

Miscellaneous

Box 12, Folder 1

Miscellaneous

Song Titles

Box 12, Folder 2

Albums

General note

Includes lists of albums and song titles that were released by other artists.

Box 12, Folder 3

By Subject

Box 12, Folder 4

Songs I Know - Includes an alphabetical list of approximately 2,000 songs that Hinton knew as of January 9, 2005

TEACHING MATERIALS

Scope and Content of Series

Series 5) TEACHING MATERIALS: Syllabi, lecture notes, course outlines and correspondence detailing Hinton's teaching appointments through UC San Diego. Course titles include "Forms of Folklore", "Nature of American Folk Music" and "Hinton's Singing Through History". Arranged alphabetically according to course title.

Box 12, Folder 5

American Balladry and Folk Song - Lectures

Box 12, Folder 6

American Folk Music, LIT 106 - Outline and Syllabi 1964-1967

Box 12, Folder 7

Folk Music Class 1950-1951

Box 12, Folder 8

Folk Music in America 1970-1978

Box 13, Folder 1-2

Folk Musicians - Syllabi and Course Notes 1971-1973

Box 13, Folder 3

Folk Songs Around the World, MUS 446 - Schedule and Lectures 1964-1965

Box 13, Folder 4-5

Folks Songs in the Classroom 1989-1991 & 1993-1998

Forms of Folklore, LIT 161

Box 13, Folder 6

Outline and Syllabi circa 1956-1983

Box 14, Folder 1-4

Lectures 1978-1983

Box 14, Folder 5

Guitar for the Classroom Teacher, MUS 418 - Notes and Lectures circa 1979

Box 14, Folder 6

Miscellaneous Courses - Syllabi and Lecture Notes circa 1954-1974

Box 14, Folder 7

Miscellaneous Lectures 1969-2000

Nature of American Folk Music

Box 14, Folder 8

Outline and Correspondence 1967-1972

Box 15, Folder 1-2

Lectures

Box 15, Folder 3

Oceanography 400

Singing Through History

Sample Programs

Box 15, Folder 4

By Class Level

Box 15, Folder 5

By Subject

Box 15, Folder 6

Miscellaneous

General note

Includes miscellaneous song compilations and other research tools that Hinton utilized in his "Singing Through History" workshops.

Tape Lectures

General note

Includes written transcripts of tape lectures for Folk Music in the United States, compiled by Hinton in 1979.

Box 15, Folder 7

1979 - Part 1

Box 16, Folder 1

1979 - Part 2

WRITINGS

Scope and Content of Series

Series 6) WRITINGS: Drafts, manuscripts and research materials for Hinton's written works. Items of note include Longevity of Fishes in Captivity and A Naturalist in Show Business.

Box 16, Folder 2

A Bird in the Book (1964) 1964

Box 16, Folder 3

Book and Tape Reviews by Sam Hinton 1964-1993

General note

Includes album reviews written by Hinton for Sing Out!

Box 16, Folder 4

A Descriptive Account of the Harmonica (1987) 1977-1987

General note

Includes correspondence from the original paper written in 1977 for 25th Annual California Folklore Society Meeting.

Box 16, Folder 5

Distribution of Three Genera of Land Snails in California (1957)

Box 16, Folder 6

Exploring Under the Seas (1957) 1954-1963

Box 16, Folder 7

Folk Music in the United States - Chapter Ten Draft

Box 16, Folder 8

How to be a Seashore Animal

Longevity of Fishes in Captivity (1956)

Box 16, Folder 9

Drafts and Final (1956) 1956-1962

Box 16, Folder 10

Correspondence 1955-1964

Box 16, Folder 11

Research 1955-1956

Box 16, Folder 12

Miscellaneous

General note

Includes quotes and proverbs Hinton utilized as research for articles and essays.

Box 17, Folder 1-3

A Naturalist in Show Business

General note

These folders contain a final draft of Hinton's unpublished book, "A Naturalist in Show Business."

Box 17, Folder 4

The Nature of Folk Music

Box 17, Folder 5

Ocean World - Notes and Correspondence 1960-1989

Box 17, Folder 6

Poetry and Prose

Box 17, Folder 7

Research Materials

Box 17, Folder 8

The Sea is Their Home (1955)

Box 17, Folder 9

Seashore Life of Southern California (1969)

General note

This folder contains a "Master Copy" of the published book from 1969, as well as a CD-ROM containing a final copy of the third edition from 2003.

Box 18, Folder 1

The Shape Note Hymns (1972) 1972

Box 18, Folder 2

Toward a Functional Classification of Traditional Mnemonics (1971) 1970-1971

General note

Contains Hinton's research on mnemonics, including writings by others and research from his students for his "Forms of Folklore," LIT 161 course in 1972.

Box 18, Folder 3

Verbatim Articles 1977-1984

Box 18, Folder 4

What Child is This? 1984-1986

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

Scope and Content of Series

Series 7) PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS: Arranged in three subseries: A) California Folklore Society, B) Other Organizations and C) Sing out! Magazine

A) California Folklore Society: Brochures, lecture topics and correspondence.

B) Other Organizations: Materials detailing Hinton's involvement with such programs as Gifted and Talented Educated (GATE), the Scripps Institution of Oceanography Aquarium, The California Traditional Music Society and the Scripps Shoreline, Knoll and Underwater Reserve Committee.

C) Sing Out!: Mission statements, strategic plans and other associational materials regarding Sing Out! Magazine.

California Folklore Society

Box 18, Folder 5

Brochures and Lectures 1970-1977

Box 18, Folder 6

General Correspondence 1972-1982

Box 18, Folder 7

Presentation Topics 1973

General note

Includes presentation topics for the California Folklore Society's 21 Annual Meeting. Hinton served as the Program Chairman for the event.

Other Organizations

Box 18, Folder 8

California Traditional Music Society 1988-1993

General note

Includes correspondence and contract information for a staff position held by Hinton.

Box 18, Folder 9

Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) 1981-1998

General note

Includes correspondence and programming schedules.

Box 18, Folder 10

Scripps Institution of Oceanography - Aquarium Museum 1955-1970

General note

Includes correspondence, newsclippings and aquarium plans and blueprints.

Box 19, Folder 1

Scripps Shoreline, Knoll, and Underwater Reserve Committee 1979-1989

General note

Includes correspondence and meeting minutes.

Sing Out!

Box 19, Folder 2

Writings by Sam Hinton 1963-1967

Box 19, Folder 3

General correspondence 1965-2002

Box 19, Folder 4

Publishing guidelines 1971-1986

Box 19, Folder 5

Board of directors meeting minutes 1983-1991

Box 19, Folder 6

Board member correspondence 1983-1991

Box 19, Folder 7

By-Laws and board of directors lists 1983-1991

Box 19, Folder 8

Newsletters 1984-1990

Box 19, Folder 9

NPR radio transcripts 1985-1986

Box 19, Folder 10

Song lists 1985-1997

Box 19, Folder 11

Mission statement and strategic plan 1988-1994

Collected reprints

Box 19, Folder 12

Part 1 1997

Box 20, Folder 1

Part 2 1997

ARTWORK

Scope and Content of Series

Series 8) ARTWORK: Arranged in two subseries: A) Calligraphy and B) Sketches and Drawings.

A) Calligraphy: Drafts of award templates and pamphlets designed by Hinton.

B) Sketches and Drawings: Published drawings which appeared in newspapers and magazines, as well as unpublished miscellaneous illustrations, drafts and portraits.

Calligraphy

Box 20, Folder 2

Gift tags

Mingei

Box 20, Folder 3

Finished works

Box 20, Folder 4

Tracing paper

Miscellaneous

Box 20, Folder 5

Finished works

Oversize MC-014-20

Finished works - Ellen and Roger Revelle Award 1983 October 18

Box 20, Folder 6

Tracing paper

Oversize FB-483-02

Tracing paper

UCSD

Box 21, Folder 1

Finished work

Box 21, Folder 2

Tracing paper

Box 21, Folder 3

Works by others

Sketches and Drawings

Box 21, Folder 4

Illustrations

Box OM-1, Folder 6

Illustration in blue marker on LP record sleeve for Is Freedom Academic?

General

Recording by KPFA-Pacifica Radio. A documentary on the Free Speech Movement at the University of California, Berkeley in Fall 1964.

Box 21, Folder 5

Portraits

Box 21, Folder 6

Published work

Box 21, Folder 7

Science

Box 21, Folder 8

Sketch book

BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS

Scope and Content of Series

Series 9) BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS: Academic coursework materials, annual calendars, news clippings, photographs, diplomas and awards. A significant portion of this series contains Hinton's daily planners dating from the mid-1950s through 1999. Also includes promotional paraphernalia from Hinton's musical career.

Box 21, Folder 9

Awards and recognitions 1956-1988

Box 21, Folder 10

Biographical information

General note

Includes Hinton's yearbook from 1931, biographical blurbs and promotional material.

Daily Planners

Box 21, Folder 11

1950-1953

Box 22, Folder 1-6

1957-1966

Box 23, Folder 1-5

1966-1982

Box 24, Folder 1-5

1981-1987

Box 25, Folder 1-5

1987-1995

Box 25, Folder 6

1997-1999

Oversize FB-483-03

Diploma - UCLA 1942

Box 26, Folder 2

Genealogical Chart and Information

Box 26, Folder 3

Memoir Draft

Box 26, Folder 4

Hinton Family Newsletters 1998-2004

News Clippings

Oversize FB-483-04

Scrapbook - Contains newsclippings regarding Hinton's time with the Major Bowes Amateur Hour 1937-1939

Box 26, Folder 6

1940-2004

Photographs and Images

Box 26, Folder 7

Hinton with Others

Box 26, Folder 8

KOGO Radio Interview 2002

General note

This folder contains a CD-ROM with photographic images of Hinton from his radio interview with KOGO Radio in 2002.

Box 26, Folder 9

Photolithographic plate circa 1940

Box 26, Folder 10

Portraits - Promotional

Box 26, Folder 11

Portraits - Sam and Leslie Hinton

Box 26, Folder 12

Transcript of Adam Miller's Interview with Sam and Leslie Hinton 1999

Box 26, Folder 13-14

University Coursework - Includes scientific sketches done by Hinton for his zoological courses at UCLA

MISCELLANEOUS

Scope and Content of Series

Series 10) MISCELLANEOUS: Contains a scrapbook of signed photographs that Hinton collected while he was on the Major Bowes Original Amateur Hour. Also includes blueprints, sketches and written instructions on how to construct different musical instruments.

Box 27, Folder 1

Instruments - Plans and Diagrams

Box 27, Folder 2

Scrapbook of Signed Photographs of Performers circa 1939

Box 27, Folder 3

String Figure Game

Theodore Folsom Harmonica Patent

Box 27, Folder 4

Correspondence 1952-1963

Box 27, Folder 5

Patent - Second Ammendment

Box 27, Folder 6

First Draft

Box 27, Folder 7

Oscillator Notes

Pipe Harmonica Diagram

Box 27, Folder 8

Sketches, notes and diagrams undated

Oversize FB-483-05

Pipe harmonica diagram drawn by Theodore Folsom - Oversize 1959 May 27

Box 27, Folder 9

Pipe Harmonica Patent 1948-1960

Box 27, Folder 10

Promotional Material

Box 27, Folder 11

Research Materials

Box 27, Folder 12

Whistle Notes

AUDIOCASSETTES

Scope and Content of Series

Series 11) AUDIOCASSETTES: Tapes used by Hinton for a UC San Diego course titled "Forms of Folklore". The tapes contain different instruments, song examples and various cultural recordings from around the world.

Forms of Folklore, LIT 161 - Lecture Resource Tapes

General note

Includes audio cassette tapes used for the "Forms of Folklore," LIT 161 course. Tapes contain different instruments, song examples, and various cultural and ethnic recordings from around the world.

Box 28, Folder 1

Folk Music Style USA 1974