Holdings Fine Arts and Applied Arts University Bands Gregory Heath Papers Finding Aid Holdings Fine Arts and Applied Arts University Bands Gregory Heath Papers Finding Aid By Rory Grennan
Title: Gregory Heath Papers, 1971-2023
ID: 12/9/135
Primary Creator: Heath, Gregory "Flea" (1947-)
Other Creators: York, Alan R.
Extent: 2.5 cubic feet
Arrangement:
Materials are arranged into three series:
Series 1) Gregory Heath Business Records is arranged in 3 Sub-Series: 1) Client Files, 2) Videos, and 3) Business Contact Information. Sub-series 1 is further arranged into 4 sub-sub-series: 1.1) Subject Files, 1.2) Colors Unlimited Files, 1.3) Celebrations Files, and 1.4) Fundraisers.
Series 2) Gregory Heath Personal Papers is arranged in 3 Sub-Series: 1) Personal Memorabilia, 2) Sound Recordings, 3) Posters.
Series 3) Alan York Personal Papers is arranged in 2 Sub-Series: 1) Personal Memorabilia and 2) Sound Recordings.
All material follows original order, except where noted at the Series or Sub-Series level.
Date Acquired: 02/28/2014. More info below under Accruals.
Subjects: Blues-rock music, Carbondale, Illinois, Danville, Illinois, Farm Aid, Music - United States, Music business, Olympics, Popular Music--Illinois--Urbana-Champaign, REO Speedwagon, Rock Music, Rock musicians United States
Formats/Genres: Business Records, Papers, Photographs, Posters, Sound Recordings
Languages: English
Consists of photographs, news clippings, contracts, audio and video recordings, address books, and posters documenting Gregory "Flea" Heath's work as a concert promoter in Carbondale, IL in the 1970s, and as owner of Celebrations, a Central Illinois music booking agency during the 1980s and 1990s. Includes materials related to music ensembles active in central and southern Illinois such as Head East, REO Speedwagon, the Finchley Boys, One-Eyed Jacks, and Pork and the Havana Ducks. Also consists of photographs, news clippings, flyers, and audio recordings documenting Alan York's involvement in the music scene during the same era.
Gregory "Flea" Heath (1947- ) is a longtime resident of Danville, Illinois and an avid music lover. After attending Woodstock (1969) and the Kickapoo Creek Music Festivals (1968, 1969, and 1970), Heath ventured into the music industry. In 1971 Heath became a concert promoter in Carbondale, IL. He founded Colors Unlimited to promote local musicians in the early 1970s. Through this work he made connections with many Illinois-area rock bands including The Buckinghams, Captain Rat and the Blind Rivets, Coal Kitchen, the New Colony Six, Appaloosa, and the Hard Core Blues Band. He also booked several international touring acts including Ravi Shankar, Chuck Berry, Rufus and Chaka Khan, and Maynard Fergusson. In the 1980s, he founded Celebrations, a music booking agency, in Danville, Illinois. This led to his arranging enterainment for the 1986 Illinois Special Olympics. Celebrations operated until the early 2000s. Between 2014 and 2015, he contributed objects within his collection to the Bob Zimmerman documentary Out of Nowhere, about the Champaign-Urbana rock scene.
Blues-rock music
Carbondale, Illinois
Danville, Illinois
Farm Aid
Music - United States
Music business
Olympics
Popular Music--Illinois--Urbana-Champaign
REO Speedwagon
Rock Music
Rock musicians United States
Repository: The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Initial gift made by Gregory Heath on February, 28, 2014.
A second gift was made by Gregory Heath on October 13, 2015. This included materials from Alan York, which were integrated into the Gregory Heath Collection as Series 3, the Alan York Papers.
Additional photographs, posters, and news clippings were donated on March 18, 2024.
Acquisition Source: Gregory Heath
Acquisition Method: Gift
Promotional photographs for All Star Frogs, Apaloosa, Beowolf, Bloody Williamson, Cain, Catfish & Crystal, Fletcher, Gadzooks, Gilbraltor, Haymaker's Riot, HeadBand, Maathias, Mother Goose, Mule, New Life, Pontiac Jones, Shakey Jake, Shastain Cole, Blytham Limited, T.S. Truck, Thunderpussy, 303.
Contracts for Catfish & Crystal, Fletcher, Maathias, Mother Goose, T.S. Truck, Thunderpussy, Bittersweet, Boneyard, K.C. Jones, Jammy & James Trio, Outlaw, Rolls Hardly, Uno.
Contemporary Talent articles on Luther Allison.
Greg Heath Agency (Colors Unlimited) band list: Mother Goose, Pontac Jones, Smoke Signal, Boneyard, Thunderpussy, Outlaws, Cain, Sterling, Catfish & Crystal, Chariot, T.S. Truck, Truth, Slaughterhouse, Effic, Fletcher, Jehova, Maathias, Uno, Head East, Volcano, Spice, Dynoflo, Turtle, K.C. Jones, Marz, Stonewood, Arrow Smith, Gilbralter, Rolls Hardly, Black & White, Molasses, Head Band, Morning Morning, Argus, Birth, Apaloosa Band.
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