Finding Aid for Jack W Davis Papers, 1918-1982, 2006 | The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

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Collection Overview

Title: Jack W Davis Papers, 1918-1982, 2006

ID: 26/20/197

Primary Creator: Davis, Jack W. (1945-)

Extent: 1.0 cubic feet

Date Acquired: 11/25/2014

Subjects: Alumni, Graphic Art, Popular Music--Illinois--Urbana-Champaign

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

Consists of photographs, production art, flyers, posters, and a personal journal documenting the careers of Jack W. Davis (BFA Graphic Design, 1969) as a musician and graphic artist in Champaign, Illinois. Includes graphic art produced for local talent agencies Blytham Limited, Irving Azoff and Associates, and Harry Washburn Management. Of particular note are concert posters for Jethro Tull, REO Speedwagon, and Black Sabbath.

Biographical Note

Jack Warren Davis earned a BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1969. Soon after, Davis established himself as a graphic designer in Champaign, creating graphics and logos for local businesses, bands, and University units, notably creating the Chief Illiniwek logo for the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics in 1980.

During and after his undergraduate studies, Davis played bass guitar with local rock bands including Lothar and the Handpeople, the W.C. Fields, the Ice Blue Secret, and Uncle Otto's General Store. One of his most recognizable bands, Lothar and the Hand People, formed in 1965 while Davis was temporarilly living in Orchard Downs after his appartment at the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house was destroyed in a fire. Davis and his roomate, Bill Geist, named the band after a character in the comic Mandrake the Magician. The group initially formed as a cover band that played at various fraternity and sorority parties and consisted of Bill Fiorio (lead guitar), Rick Bach (rhythm guitar), Steve Kniss (rhythm guitar), Lee Neher (vocals), Frank Eitler (percussion), and Davis (left-handed bass). During a rush event in 1965, Davis spoke with a highscool friend and prospective initiate, Tom Flye, who eventually formed his own band in Denver, Colorado, which was also called Lothar and the Hand People. Davis's Band would stay active through 1967.

In addition to his musical interests, Davis also created graphics for his own bands and for bands like REO Speedwagon and Jethro Tull. His skill as a graphic designer led him to design for several local talent agencies, including: Blytham Limited, Irving Azoff and Associates, and Harry Washburn Management.

Subject/Index Terms

Alumni
Graphic Art
Popular Music--Illinois--Urbana-Champaign

Administrative Information

Repository: The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

Acquisition Source: Jack W. Davis

Acquisition Method: Gift

Related Materials: See also Digital Library image ID 0003228

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Graphic Design Records, 1968-1982, 2006],
[Series 2: Jack Davis Personal Papers, 1918-1977],
[All]

Series 2: Jack Davis Personal Papers, 1918-1977

Consists of photographs and sound recordings documenting rock bands based in Urbana-Champaign. Davis was bass guitarist for some of the bands documented, including Lothar and the Handpeople, Ice Blue Secret, the W. C. Fields, and Uncle Otto's General Store. In addition there is published sheet music that was inherited by Davis from his grandmother.

Box 1

Folder 9: Lothar and the Handpeople Photographs, undated

Folder 10: Lothar and the Handpeople Photographs, undated

Folder 11: Lothar and the Handpeople Photographs, undated

Folder 12: Lothar and the Handpeople Photographs, undated

Folder 13: Lothar and the Handpeople Negatives, undated

Folder 14: Lothar and the Handpeople Photograph Cutouts, undated

Folder 15: Lothar and the Handpeople, Photocopies of Photographs, 1965-1967

Folder 16: Uncle Otto's General Store Photographs, undated

Folder 17: Uncle Otto's General Store Artwork and Photographs, ca. 1968

Folder 18: The Ice Blue Secret, Photocopies of Photographs, Summer 1967

Folder 19: Bob Graham, Red Lion, Bloomington, Photocopy of Photograph, 1970s

Folder 20: Photocopies of Band Photographs, 1965-66, undated

Folder 21: Published Sheet Music, 1918-1963

Item 1: A Little Birch Canoe and You, 1918: Composed by Roberts and Callahan
Item 2: Fascinating Rhythm, 1924: Composed by Gershwin and Levine
Item 3: Peter Gunn (Theme Music from the T.V. Series), 1958: Composed by Henry Mancini
Item 4: Catch a Falling Star, 1957: Composed by Vance and Pockriss
Item 5: Bumble Boogie, 1946: Composed by Fina (Busch, arr)
Item 6: Nola, 1959: Composed by Arndt and Skylar
Item 7: Harlem Nocturne, 1950: Composed by Hagen
Item 8: A Taste of Honey, 1960: Composed by Marlow and Scott
Item 9: Taking a Chance on Love, 1940: Composed by Duke, Latouche, and Fetter
Item 10: The Marine's Hymn, 1942: Arranged by Schaum
Item 11: Wives and Lovers, 1963: Composed by Bacharach and David
Item 12: Theme from "A Summer Place", 1959: Composed by Steiner
Item 13: Boogie Woogie Bugler, 1944: Composed by Black
Item 14: The Caissons Go Rolling Along (Song of the U.S. Field Artillery), 1945: Arranged by Schaum
Item 15: The U.S. Air Force, 1939: Composed by Crawford (Eckstein, arr)
Item 16: I Hear a Rhapsody, 1940: Composed by Fragos, Baker, and Gasparre
Item 17: Patricia, It's Patricia, 1958: Composed by Prado and Marcus
Item 18: Twilight Time, 1944: Composed by Ram, Nevins, Nevins, and Dunn
Item 19: My Happiness, 1933: Composed by Bergantine and Peterson
Item 20: Mack the Knife (from "The Threepenny Opera"), 1928: Composed by Weill and Blitzstein
Item 21: 77 Sunset Strip, 1959: Composed by David and Livingston
Item 22: I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter, 1935: Composed by Ahlert and Young
Item 23: Take Five, 1960: Composed by Desmond
Item 24: Colonel Bogey March, 1958: Composed by Alford
Item 25: American Patrol March, 1942: Composed by Meacham (Eckstein, arr)
Item 26: Ballad of Davey Crockett, 1954: Composed by Bruns and Blackburn
Item 27: Fools Rush In, 1940: Composed by Bloom and Mercer
Item 28: Zing a Little Zong!, 1952: Composed by Warren and Robin

Box 2

Item 1: Lothar and the Handpeople, ca. 1966-1967: 1/4" audio tape.
Item 8: Freewheelin', Freewheelin', 1979: Force Records. 12" phonograph disc. 11 tracks.
Item 9: Thirsty or Not...Choose Your Flavor, Coalkitchen, 1977: Epic Records/CBS, Inc. 12" phonograph disc. 10 tracks.

Box 3

Folder 1: Published Sheet Music, 1918

Item 1: Just a Baby's Prayer at Twilight (For Her Daddy Over There), 1918: Composed by Jerome, Lewis, and Young
Item 2: Girls of France, 1918: Composed by Bryan, Leslie, and Ruby

Folder 2: Lothar and the Handpeople Photograph, undated

Folder 3: Uncle Otto's General Store Photograph, 1966

Folder 4: Lothar and the Handpeople Photographs, 1966

Photographs by Jim Retzer.

Folder 5: Lothar and the Handpeople production art, undated

Electronic Folder 1

Item 1: Jack Davis Personal Journal, 1965-1968: Filenames: 2015-2620197-01.tif thru 2015-2620197-060.tif; 2015-2620197-061.pdf

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Graphic Design Records, 1968-1982, 2006],
[Series 2: Jack Davis Personal Papers, 1918-1977],
[All]