.
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. More info below under Accruals.
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
Administrative Information
Repository:
The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Accruals:
Two photographs acquired July 22, 2024.
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 Photographs, undated
Mounted photo of Lothar and the Handpeople.
Additional two photographs acquired 7/22/24. Photograph 1: Jack Davis, Gary Henderson (who worked for Emerson Piano and Organ and sometimes roadied for the group), and Frank Eiter, the group's drummer, at the Red Lion, onstage on break, eating pizza. Photograph 2: Another shot from the train series of Lothar and the Handpeople. Information provided by Jack Davis.
- 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]
Holdings 
Email us about these papers
Print this information