- Collection:
- Laurraine Goreau Interviews and Recordings
- Title:
- LG043 Interviews and Recording: George Wein; Thomas A. Dorsey; Cylestine "Polly" Fletcher; The Wild Magnolias
- Contributor to Resource:
- Goreau, Laurraine
Dorsey, Thomas Andrew
Fletcher, Cylestine
Wein, George
Wild Magnolias (Musical group) - Publisher:
- New Orleans, La. : Tulane University Digital Library
- Date of Original:
- 1973-04-11
1973-04-14 - Subject:
- Gospel singers
Blues (Music) - Location:
- Japan, 35.68536, 139.75309
- Medium:
- sound recordings
- Type:
- Sound
- Format:
- audio/mpeg
- Description:
- Side 1: Interview with George Wein on 1973-04-11 in New Orleans, Louisiana conducted by telephone. Interview with Thomas A. Dorsey on 1973-04-11 in Chicago, Illinois. Recording of The Wild Magnolias performing "Brother John," "Shallow Water O Mama," and "ho na nae." Side 2: Conversation with Polly Fletcher on 1973-04-14. Abstract for Wein, Dorsey, and Fletcher: [00:00–24:26] On LG043Goreau_Side1, speaking from New Orleans on April 11, 1973, George Wein relays his memories of Jackson. He discusses the film Jazz on a Summer's Day, revealing his being upset with the amount Jackson was paid for her contribution – 06:58. Wein discusses his role in booking Jackson's tour of Japan – 18:14 and Goreau shares Jackson's meeting with Indira Gandhi – 21:10. [24:27–41:08] Speaking from Chicago, Illinois, Thomas A. Dorsey recalls his work with Jackson. He speaks about how gospel singers drew crowds for different politicians, including aldermen William Dawson and Louis B. Anderson, and Mayor Richard Daley. Goreau asks Dorsey about rivalry among singers in the early days – 29:45. Dorsey relates his feelings about the power in music and tells a story about Ma Rainey attracting a herd of cattle with her voice – 35:07. [00:00–01:01:18] LG043Goreau_Side2 begins mid-interview with Polly Fletcher, Jackson's close friend and longtime assistant. Fletcher speaks about Jackson's condition before her death, stating that if she had been there she would have never authorized her final surgery – 09:30. Fletcher explains the inadequate treatment Jackson received at the hospital, including that doctors operated on her without informing her family – 16:15. She speaks about issues Jackson faced with earlier doctors and hospitalizations – 19:43 and the people who tried to visit, including Minters, Jackson's second husband, which the two debate if Jackson intended to remarry – 25:29. Fletcher discusses Jackson's temple – 43:27 and how close Jackson was to her aunts and family – 48:28. The interview ends with Fletcher refusing to clarify the break in their friendship in the later years of Jackson's life – 52:01 and her role as manager at Jackson's beauty shop – 56:16.
Audio distortion: interviewee inaudible [00:00-41:08].
This recording was digitized in 2020 as part of a Recordings at Risk grant funded project administered by CLIR, "Tell the real story of me": Mahalia Jackson and Black Gospel Quartets in the South.
specialcollections@tulane.edu
LG043 Interviews and Recording: George Wein; Thomas A. Dorsey; Cylestine "Polly" Fletcher; The Wild Magnolias, Laurriane Goreau collection, HJA-059, Tulane University Special Collections, Howard-Tilton Memorial Library, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA. - Metadata URL:
- https://digitallibrary.tulane.edu/islandora/object/tulane:122671
- Language:
- eng
- Additional Rights Information:
- Copyright to portions of this collection has been transferred to Tulane University Special Collections. Tulane University can grant permission to publish for materials to which it holds the copyright. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or owner’s heir for permission to publish where Tulane University Special Collections does not hold the copyright. For permission to publish collections material to which TUSC holds intellectual property rights, please contact Research Services at specialcollections@tulane.edu.
- Extent:
- 1 cassette (1 hr., 56 min., 50 sec.)
- Contributing Institution:
- Amistad Research Center
- Rights:
-
