Billy Harper Collection MSS.0376


Descriptive Summary
	Creator	Harper, Billy
	Title:	Billy Harper Collection
	Dates:	1943-1989
	Identification:	MSS.0376
	Quantity:	1.0 Linear feet, One thin document box
	Language:	Materials are in English.
	Repository:	Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library

Biographical Note

Born in Houston in 1943, Billy Harper grew up in a musical, religious family and played saxophone at school. He began singing at the age of 3, mimicking Ella Fitzgerald. Mr. Harper studied at North Texas State, which was renowned for its music department. There, he frequently practiced 8 hours per day. While in Denton, he collaborated with David "Fathead" Neuman, Dewey Redman, and Julius Hemphill. During graduate school, Mr. Harper left for New York, where he worked with Gil Evans and Art Blakely prior to organizing his own quartet.

Scope and Contents

The material in the Billy Harper Collection chronicles Mr. Harper’s musical career from his childhood to 1989. The collection consists of an oral history interview fully transcribed to 32 pages and promotional materials.


Arrangement
	The oral history tapes are housed with the Oral History Collection under the numbers OH 464 separate from MSS 376 [the] Billy Harper Collection. Series 1: Oral History Interviews Series 2: Promotional Materials

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

None.

Use Restrictions

Permission to publish or reproduce materials from the Billy Harper Collection must be obtained from the Houston Metropolitan Research Center or the appropriate copyright holder.


Index Terms

		Blakely, Art
		Campbell, Carl, 1933-1993
		Douglass Elementary School (Houston, Tex.)
		Evans, Gil, 1912-1988
		Harper, Billy
		Jack Yates High School (Houston, Tex.)
		Morgan, Lee
		University of North Texas
		African American families—Texas
		America—Civilization—African influences
		First Ward (Houston, Tex.)
		Jazz musicians—Texas—Houston
		Musical meter and rhythm
		Musicians—New York (State)—New York
		Saxophonists
		Spirituality