University of Wyoming
James Hal Kemp was a big band leader, composer, and arranger. Kemp formed a jazz band at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the 1920s. In 1927 he and some of the other members turned professional. During the 1930s, the band was extremely popular and performed live, on the radio, and for motion pictures. Many of the arrangements were done by John Scott Trotter. Kemp’s success was cut short by his death after an automobile accident in 1940.
The collection includes scores of many of the band’s arrangements, commercial recordings, and recordings of radio broadcasts. Also included are correspondence, publicity, scrapbooks, business records, and photographs.
There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.
The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.
Hal Kemp papers are also housed at the Southern Historical Collection, Louis Round Wilson Special Collections Library, University of North Carolina.
This material was received from Burr G. Blair in 1972; from T.D. Kemp Jr. (brother) in 1974; and from Geoffrey Arend in 1983.
Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
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