ARHOOLIE FOUNDATION COLLECTIONS:Audio Interviews
Audio interviews by Chris Strachwitz during his research into the music he was recording for his label Arhoolie Records as well as for his radio programs on KPFA-FM (Berkeley, CA) in the 1960’s through 1980’s, and by Dr. Manuel Peña during his research for his several books on Mexican American music.
T-Bone Walker Interview – Blues
“To be the best, I’d have to stick with my style. I can’t get away from it. That’s the reason why I don’t do rock-n-roll, which they’ve been trying to get me to do it, but I’ll get away from my style.”
Listen HereSunny Ozuna Interview
Little Joe’s fiercest rival in the Onda Chicana field, Ildefonso, or “Sunny,” Ozuna, was born in a west side barrio of San Antonio, Texas, in 1943.
Listen HereTejano Musician Andres Berlanga
“I started playing guitar, I didn’t know nothing about guitar, I was hard labor man working on construction and all that then I come to think, this man can do it I guess I can do it too and I tried it and I tried it and I got on it.”
Listen HereAdolph Hofner Interview
“There wasn’t very many such things as guitars back in community I lived with, it was all brass and drums and tubas and vice-versa; but what got me interested in that was the steel guitars, I like the way they whine, you know? Also, see them in the Sears Roebuck catalogue and I figured it could be easy to play.”
Listen HereClifton Chenier Interviews
“Well, you see in 1955 I used to play nothing but rock music on accordion. Then I got so, I said “Well there’s too many rock groups.” I said, “I’m going to change this a little.” That’s why I got it down to put French in the rock music. See, how it goes.”
Listen HereEddie Shuler – Goldband Records
“Of course I had a good band, The Hackberry Ramblers were backing me up on all that stuff. You know Luderin Darbone, he’s hard to beat when it comes to playing that Cajun fiddle that he’s got. Do you know they’re going to go play at the World’s Fair this year?…”
Listen HereMoise Robin Interview – Cajun
“[My daddy] had an accordion and I would go to school and when I would come back from school instead of make my lesson. I was more interested in accordion … and I learned when I was nine years of age.”
Listen HereMoses Asch – Folkways Records
Moses Asch was the founder of Asch Records, Folkways Records, and Disc Records. Listen to his 1981 interview with Arhoolie Foundation’s Chris Strachwitz.
Listen HereBig Mama Thornton Interview
“…I would like very much to do spirituals. Because I feel that I got the voice. I feel like I got the power. I just feel like I could just do them. You would be surprised, mostly my occupation every morning is turn on my radio and listen to spirituals. I love those spirituals. I love good singing.”
Listen HereFred and Rose Maddox Interview
“I had about 10 pounds in my sack and I sat down and just started thinking…’Fred, what are you doing back there?’ I said, ‘I’m thinking.’ ‘What are you thinking?’ I said, ‘I’m thinking let’s go into the music business.”
Listen Here