Getting Better All the Time Singers (G-BATTS) Records

An Inventory of the Collection

Administrative History

The Getting Better All the Time Singers (G-BATTS) began as a group from the Austin area called the Baying at the Moon Society that met at full moon and performed various types of entertainment for one another. When Liz Carpenter, a member of the group, published her book Getting Better All the Time they renamed their group, rented a van and everyone went along on the book tour, singing funny songs about aging along the way. They then found that they were in demand to perform at benefits for senior groups and charities. The group had 12 to 17 members at any given time and the age range was from 50s-80s. They performed a mixture of original materials and old standards in a song and dance revue that celebrated growing old.

Members included:

• Liz Carpenter
• Jimmy Clark
• Martha Deatherage
• Sarah Jane English
• Coleen and Dick Hardin
• Jo Ann Hardy
• Harvey Herbst
• Henrietta Jacobsen
• Ken and Carol Robbins Koock
• Doyle and Colleen Moore
• Jim Patterson
• George and Lael Seagert
• Christian Smith
• Fred Ward, Jr.

Scope and Contents

The collection contains event programs and flyers, sheet music, correspondence, membership information and photographs that highlight the activities of the group from 1987 to 2000 when the G-BATTS donated their materials to the Austin History Center. The collection was arranged in folders by the organization and original order and folder titles were maintained. The majority of the collection consists of performance and publicity textual materials filed by year. These files contain minutes of G-BATTS meetings, event flyers and programs, internal correspondence about upcoming performances and rehearsal schedules, correspondence with people and organizations that were requesting appearances, and newspaper and magazine clippings about the group. In addition there are files that include membership rosters and sheet music. The visual materials include photographs of the group members and performances as well as photos with "celebrities" and a 1993 calendar featuring photographs of the G-BATTS.

Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

Open to all users.

Restrictions on Use

None.

Administrative Information

Custodial History

Bulk of the collection was donated by the G-BATTS at Austin History Center Association annual meeting in 2000. Liz Carpenter mailed a copy of the 1993 calendar in 2002.

Preferred Citation

Getting Better All the Time Singers (AR.2002.019). Austin History Center, Austin Public Library, Texas.

Acquisition Information

Donor #: DO/1984/126, DO/2002/064

Donation Date: 2000, 2002

Processing Information

Finding aid created and encoded by Molly Hults.

Detailed Description of the Collection