Billy Harper Collection:

An Inventory of Records at the 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.

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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.

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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.

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Related Material

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Billy Harper Collection. MSS 376. Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library.

Acquisition Information

Donated by Billy Harper, August 27, 1989.

Processing Information

Processed by Charles Stephenson and Tammy Jordan. Biographical Note written by Andrew Hempe and Tammy Jordan, 2007.

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Detailed Description

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