Chris Strachwitz
30 LPs
A1998-048
1890-1945 (unknown)
Originally Strachwitz's idea of making records grew out of his hobby of collecting 78 rpm recordings of various vernacular traditions, which began shortly after his arrival in the US from Germany as a teenager in 1947. Strachwitz was a fan and collector of swing, jazz, blues, Cajun, zydeco, Mexican rancheras, and old-time country and gospel records. In 1959 discovering that Lightin' Hopkins was alive in Texas and making music in beer joints in Houston, Strachwitz traveled to Texas to record him. Hopkins left for California as Strachwitz settled in Texas to start his production company. Mack McCormick, who introduced Strachwitz to Lightin' Hopkins in Houston came up with the name, Arhoolie, which means field holler. The name stuck and the first LP from the pressing plant was 250 copies of Mance Lipscomb LP # 1001. Strachwitz and Arhoolie Records has put out over 350 albums. Many of the regional music would never had national exposure without Arhoolie. The Smithsonian acquired the Arhoolie label from Strachwitz and his partner, Tom Diamant in 2016 to assure that his recordings would survive and remain available to future generations. The Arhoolie Records collection will be made available via the Smithsonian Folkways web in October of 2016. South Texas Archives was fortunate to be gifted with this collection of recordings from Strachwitz in 1997.
The collection consists of 30 LPs of Texas artists/rare & out of print; 28 LPs of Texas/Mexican Music; 1 LP Box set; 1 video “Chulas Fronteras”; 3 CDs Mexican/American; 1 C( 9019/20 Corridos; 1 CD 9041/4 Mexican Revolution; 30 photos & booklets; and 42 CDs - Mexican American.
The LPs , CDs, and photographs are arranged in the order they were donated.
South Texas Archives, James C. Jernigan Library, Texas A&M University-Kingsville
Open for Research
Permission to publish, reproduce, distribute, or use by any and all other current or future developed methods or procedures must be obtained in writing from South Texas Archives, James C. Jernigan Library, Texas A&M University-Kingsville. All rights are reserved and retained regardless of current or future development or laws that may apply to fair use standards.
Arhoolie Production Inc. Record Collection,A1998-048.XXXX, South Texas Archives, James C. Jernigan Library, Texas A&M University-Kingsville
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Gift from Chris Strachwitz
A1998-048 Processed by Cecilia Aros Hunter in 1998, Finding Aid created by Lori Atkins, EAD document created by Matt Tallant and Daniel Thacker