.
By Abena Ayisi, Kelly Cannon, Kyle Durango, Rosario Garcia, Tim Gintella, Colleen Hoke, Doxey Kamara, Taylor Moles, Chloe Rawlings, Izzy Sauer, Tyanna Waters, Zoe Wellik, Sydney Williams, Clare Zeller
Collection Overview
Title: Elizabeth "Lisa" Kliger Music and Personal Papers, 1926-2024
ID: 26/20/358
Primary Creator: Kliger, Elizabeth "Lisa" (1952-)
Extent: 6.0 cubic feet
Arrangement: Organized into three series: Series 1) Student Career, 1970-1990, Series 2) Teaching and Literary Career, 1978-2020, and Series 3) Musician Career, 1971-2011. The series are arranged in chronological order.
Date Acquired: 05/02/2025
Subjects: American folk music, Balalaika music, Banjo music, Music, Poetry, Puerto Rico
Languages: English, Spanish;Castilian, Russian
Scope and Contents of the Materials
Consists of research papers, field notes and logs, sound recordings, pamphlets, photographs, correspondence, theatre scripts, poetry, and music documenting Kliger's career as a student, teacher, editor, and musician between the 1970s and the 2000s. This includes materials relating to her studies at the University of Illinois and University of Hawi'i, music research in Puerto Rico, teaching forthe Peace Corps in Thailand, editing and writing for publishing houses, playwriting, and other ventures.
A large portion of this collection consists of materials relating to Lisa Kliger's original musical, Noodlehead! These materials include drafts of the script, newspaper clippings, original artwork, rehearsal notes, sponsorships forms, and donations to the production of the musical in Moscow, Idaho, and correspondence.
Biographical Note
Elizabeth “Lisa” Kliger was born in Evanston, Illinois in 1952 to her musically inclined parents who inspired her interests and careers. From 1970 to 1974, Kliger was an undergraduate student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She earned her degree in Independent Studies in Folk Music. While studying for her undergraduate degree, she learned the banjo and sang original songs with it at the Red Herring Coffee House. In 1975 she became a freelance folklorist for Rounder Records while in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. The following year she returned to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign for her Masters in Teaching English as a Second Language, which she completed in 1978. Kliger moved to Southern Thailand and was stationed as a Peace Corps volunteer in Songkhla. She taught university level English to Thai English teachers at Srinakharinwirot University. She often incorporated her banjo music into her teaching methods. At the end of her service, she married her longtime boyfriend Bruce Barnes and moved to Singapore in 1980. Kliger worked as a freelance writer and became an in-house editor and writer of children’s books and educational materials for FEP International Private Ltd (formerly McGraw-Hill). From 1986 to 1987, Kliger resided in Hilo, Hawaii for her husband’s job at the Mauna Kea Observatory. She attended the University of Hawaii to study music and theater. Her next destination was to New Mexico for her husband’s residence at the National Solar Observatory site in 1988. Kliger worked as a freelancer and edited books for publishing houses like Random House, Crown, Viking, and Penguin. She also began attending Denver Publishing Institute in 1989. Kliger moved to Ellensburg, Washington and continued her freelance publishing work while attending Central Washington University for musical education. At Central Washington University she began writing the musical Noodlehead! Noodlehead! is based on both the Russian poem “The Little Humpbacked Horse" and Lisa’s poem “Petya Noodlehead and the Pony of Light.” The hero of “The Little Humpbacked Horse" reminded her of her Ukrainian grandfather and inspired her own works. From 1996 to 2011 she had a variety of jobs working as an archivist, cataloger, and editor. In the most recent decade she has written for her community in Moscow, Idaho, where she composes poetry and letters to the editor.
Subject/Index Terms
Administrative Information
Repository:
The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Acquisition Source:
Lisa Kliger
Acquisition Method:
Gift
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[Series 1: Student Career, 1968-1990],
[
Series 2: Teaching and Literary Career, 1965-2020],
[
Series 3: Musician Career, 1971-2024],
[
All]
- Series 1: Student Career, 1968-1990
Consists of newspaper clippings of the "Daily Illini", coursework, original songs, and event flyers from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, working papers and music from Rounder Records, playwriting coursework and research from the University of Hawai'i at Hilo, early play drafts and orchestration coursework from Central Washington University documenting Lisa Kliger's life as a student, and her time as a freelance folklorist for Rounder Records in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. Arranged chronologically. Physical media described at item level; all other records described at folder level.
Items of note include materials about the Urbana-Champaign folk community performances at the Red Herring coffee shop in Urbana and a flyer from the First National Women's Folk Music Festival at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1974.
- Box 1
- Folder 1: Daily Illini and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Publications, 1968-1976
- Folder 2: University of Illinois, Red Herring Days, 1970s
- Folder 3: University of Illinois School of Music Recital Programs, 1972-1977
- Folder 4: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, First National Women's Music Festival, 1974
- Folder 5: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Undergraduate, English as a Second Language Masters of Arts, 1976-1978
- Of note is a copy of the book Christy's New Songster and Black Joker.
- Folder 6: Original Songs by Lisa Kliger, 1975-1999
- Folder 7: Rounder Records Correspondence, 1970-1987
- Folder 8: Puerto Rico music history and song type notes, undated
- Folder 9: Rounder Records Song Lyrics and Recording Information, 1975 June 17 - August 23
- Song lyrics include original Spanish and translated lyrics
- Folder 10: La Musica Folklorica de Puerto Rico by Francisco López Cruz, 1975
- Folder 11: Puerto Rico Music Notes, 1975
- Folder 12: Rounder Records Song Lyrics, Correspondence, and Notes, 1975 - 1976
- Of note is a wirebound notebook containing Lisa Kliger's notes for a Recording Techniques certification from Sunday Recording Studio in Urbana, Illinois.
- Folder 13: Puerto Rico and Rounder Records Music and Lyrics, 1975-1976
- Folder 14: Puerto Rico and Rounder Records, Including Photographs and Photographic Slides, 1975-1977
- Folder 15: Puerto Rico Working Notebook, 1975
- Includes addresses, contact information, and notes on types of music found in Puerto Rico
- Folder 16: Notes for Neat Fall, University of Hawai'i Hilo, 1987
- Folder 17: University of Hawai'i Hilo, Playwriting, 1987
- Folder 18: Central Washington University Music and Notes [Folder 1 of 2], 1990
- Includes early drafts of Noodlehead! songs, Kliger's original musical based "The Little Humpbacked Horse" by Pyotr Yershov
- Folder 19: Central Washington University Music and Notes [Folder 2 of 2], 1990
- Folder 20: Cental Washington University, Orchestration Class Notes and Music with Dr. John Mickel, 1996
- Box 5
- Item 1: "A Day at the County Fair Part 1" and "A Day at the County Fair Part 2" 78 rpm audio recording, 1928
Matrix Number: 15332-D
Performers: Fate Norris, Gid Tanner, Hugh Cross, Lowe Stokes, Clayton MC, K.D. Malone
Manufacturer: Columbia
- Item 2: "Dentist Blues" and "Root Man Blues" 78 rpm audio recording, 1935
Matrix Number: B-6040-A, B-6040-B
Performer: Walter Davis
Manufacturer: Bluebird
- Item 3: "Don't Get Trouble In Your Mind" and "Nine Pound Hammer" 78 rpm audio recording, 1928
Matrix Number: 15280-D
Performers: Frank Blevins and His Tar Heel Rattlers
Manufacturer: Columbia
- Item 4: "Hand Me Down My Walking Cane" and "Watermelon On The Vine" 78 rpm audio recording, 1926
Matrix Number: 15091-D
Performers: Gid Taylor And His Skillet-Lickers With Riley Puckett
Manufacturer: Columbia
- Item 5: "Here Comes Santa Claus (Down Santa Claus Lane)" and "An Old-Fashioned Tree" 78 rpm audio recording, 1947
Matrix Number: 37942, HCO 2587
Performer: Gene Autry
Manufacturers: Columbia
- Item 6: "Hungry Hash House" and "The Highwayman" 78 rpm audio recording, 1927
Matrix Number: 15160-D
Performers: Charlie Poole With The South Carolina Ramblers
Manufacturer: Columbia
- Item 7: "I Have No One To Love Me" and "Anchored in Love" 78 rpm audio recording, 1929
Matrix Number: V-40036-A and V-40036-B
Performers: Carter Family
Manufacturer: Victor
- Item 8: "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive" and "I Could Never Be Ashamed of You" 78 rpm audio recording, 1952
Matrix Number: 11366-A and 11366-B
Performer: Hank Williams
Manufacturer: MGM
- Item 9: "I Love You A Thousand Ways" and "If You've Got the Money I've Got the Time" 78 rpm audio recording, 1950
Matrix Number: 20739 (RHCO 4189)
Performer: Lefty Frizzell
Manufacturer: Columbia
- Item 10: "Pavel Nechiporenko balalaika Russian Folk Songs" 33 1/3 rpm audio recording, 1946
Matrix Number: D 6939
Performer: Pavel Nechiporenko
Manufacturer: Melodiya (USSR)
- Item 11: "Rainbow at Midnight" and "I Don't Blame You" 78 rpm audio recording, 1946
Matrix Number: 46018 A and 46018 B
Performer: Ernest Tubb
Manufacturer: Mecca
- Item 12: "Recital of P. Nechiporenko (balalaika)" 33 1/3 rpm audio recording, undated
Matrix: D-6939 and D-6940
Performer: Pavel Nechiporenko
Manufacturer: Melodiya (USSR)
- Item 13: "Ridin' Down to Santa Fe" and "Miss Molly" 78 rpm audio recording, 1949
Matrix: A48006
Performer: Shug Fisher and Tex Williams
Manufacturer: Capitol Records
- Item 14: "Seveteen Years Ago" and "Days Are Blue" 78 rpm audio recording, 1934
Matrix: 15668 and 17290
Performer: Callahan Brothers
Manufacturer: Perfect
- Item 15: "Sonny Boy" and "There's a Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder" 78 rpm audio recording, 1928
Matrix Number: 4033
Performer: Al Jolson
Manufacturer: The Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company
- Item 16: "Thirty-Two Feet-Eight Little Tails" and "(Hardrock, Coco, and Joe) The Three Little Dwarfs" 78 rpm audio recording, 1951
Matrix Number: 39543 (RHCO 4545)
Performer: Gene Autry
Manufacturer: Columbia
- Box 6
- Item 1: Rounder Records Sound Recording, 1 of 2, undated
- 1/4 inch polyester magnetic tape, 10 inch reel, contents unknown.
- Item 2: Rounder Records Sound Recording, 2 of 2, undated
- 1/4 inch polyester magnetic tape, 10 inch reel, contents unknown.
- Item 3: "Return on Wings of Pleasure" 33 1/3 rpm audio reocirding, 1978
Matrix Number: 5003 (32296)
Performers: Pedro Padilla y Su Conjunto
Manufacturer: Rounder Records
- Item 4: "Return on Wings of Pleasure" 33 1/3 rpm audio recording, 1978
Matrix Number: 5003 (32296)
Performers: Pedro Padilla y Su Conjunto
Manufacturer: Rounder Records
- Box 7
- Item 4: "American Music Tape 2", 1974-1978
- 60 minutes recording, 30 minutes per side.
- Item 5: "American Festival Music Tape 1", 1974-1978
60 minutes recording, 30 minutes per side.
Loosely wound tape.
- Item 6: "American Festival Music Tape 2", undated
- 60 minutes recording, 30 minutes per side.
- Item 7: "Cassy Culver First National Women's Music Festival, UI 1974", 1974
- 90 minutes recording, 45 minutes per side.
- Item 15: "Puerto Rico stuff - Dimas - some home tapes of Lisa", undated
- 60 minutes recording, 30 minutes per side.
- Item 16: Side 1: "Los Embajadores del Arte Recorded July 5, 1975. La Biblioteca de Observatoria de Arecibo, Arecibo, P.R." / Side 2:"Wedding - Arecibo Observatory, Aug. 2nd 1975. Los Embajadores del Artes.", 1975
- 90 minutes recording, 45 minutes per side.
- Item 17: Side 1: "Wedding - Arecibo observatory Pepito Lacomba Recording Studio Carrizales, Puerto Rico, Aug 2nd, 1975" / Side 2: "Pepito(con't.) Los Embajadores del Arte.", 1975
- 90 minutes recording, 45 minutes per side.
- Item 18: "Los Embajadores del Arte: practice session Arecibo Observatory. Rec. by Lisa Kliger, Aug 9, 1975, evening.", 1975
- 90 minutes recording, 45 minutes per side. Musicians present: Dimas Alvarez, Inocencio Segarra, Alfredo Pogón
- Item 19: "Fiesta de Cruz- June 15, 1975. Pearla - Old San Juan.", 1975
- 90 minutes recording, 45 minutes per side.
- Item 20: "Fiesta de Cruz- June 14, 1975", 1975
- 90 minutes recording, 45 minutes per side.
- Item 21: "Fiesta de Cruz- Tape 3", 1975
- 90 minutes recording, 45 minutes per side. Loosely wound tape.
- Item 22: "La Fiesta de Cruz- June 14, 1975", 1975
- 90 minutes recording, 45 minutes per side. Loosely wound tape.
- Item 26: Side 1: "El Gran Combo" / Side 2: "El Gran Combo y another from Arecibo", undated
- 90 minutes recording, 45 minutes per side. Loosely wound tape.
- Item 32: Tape 1 Side 1: "Lopez-Cruz Puerto Rican inst., Lopez-Cruz and group, Baile de Bomba"/ Tape 1 Side 2: "Fiesta de la Cruz, Lapimot, Cecil Fuentes group, Mayoro (Trinidad), Nevy + gravitas (party)", undated
- 90 minutes recording, 45 minutes per side.
- Item 33: "Martha's Tapes", Lopez-Cruz Inst. & Group, undated
- 60 minutes recording, 30 minutes per side. Loosely wound tape.
- Item 34: "La Casa Blanco-Paquito López-Cruz and Group, Old San Juan, July 15, 1975"/"Bamba-Luiza Alden/Pedro Padilla, Aug. 29th, copy tape", 1975
- 90 minutes recording, 45 minutes per side.
- Item 35: "'Fiesta de Cruz'(last song), Lopimot, Cecil Fuentes Group, Mayoro Group."/"Mayoro group, con't[Nevy: Party after Fidel! 'Yo no Anarto', 'Cantar' Guarachos, Bolero.] Baile de Bomba - another source.", undated
- 60 minutes recording, 30 minutes per side. Loosely wound tape.
- Box 8
- Item 4: "Tape 2" From tapes by Martha Davis, San Juan, 1971
60 minute recording, 30 minutes per side.
Side 1: "Nery and guitars at party (000-076), Nery Lumbano at Fiesta del Cumpleones del compae (077-370), Concurso de Trevadores, Cerolina (372-475)"/Side B: "Canto del Coqui, Seis de Andino, Seis con Decimas, Aguinaldo de Navidad"
- Item 13: Pequito Lopez Cruz, undated
60 minute recording, 30 minutes per side.
Side A - Pequito Lopez Cruz/Side B - Martha's Tape
- Item 15: Pedro Padilla y su Conjunto, August 8, 1975
- 90 minute recording, 45 minutes per side.
- Item 16: Pedro Padilla y su Conjunto, August 22, 1975
- 90 minute recording, 45 minutes per side.
- Item 17: Pedro Padilla y su Conjunto, August 29th, 1975
90 minute recording, 45 minutes per side.
Side A - Pedro Padilla y su Conjunto, August 29, 1975/Side B - Pedro Padilla September 5.
- Item 18: Pedro Padilla (with Lisa - one song), August 24, 1975
90 minute recording, 45 minutes per side.
Side A - Pedro Padilla (with Lisa - one song) August 24, 1975/Side B Pedro Padilla October 3rd
- Item 19: Lisa's copy master demo Pedro Padilla: Vuelve en alas del Placer, undated
- 90 minute recording, 45 minutes per side.
- Item 22: Side 1: "Pedro Padilla, July 14th, Hortillo Fiesta Virgen de Carmen, Salsa band, Lisa Banjo" / Side 2: Pedro Padilla, July 18th - Arecibo WNIK Radio Program", undated
- 90 minute tape, 45 minutes each side
- Item 23: Side 1: "Pedro Padilla: Sept. 12th - WNIK, Arecibo" / Side 2: "Sept. 18th, Oct. 3rd #2", undated
- 90 minute cassette, 45 minutes each side.
- Item 24: "Pedro Padilla - Return on Wings of Pleasure - Rounder #5302", undated
- 90 minute tape, 45 minute each side
- Item 25: "Puerto Rico - Master Tapes, Tape of Pedro Padilla y su Conjunto", undated
- 90 minute tape, 45 minutes each side
- Item 26: "Pedro Padilla", undated
60 minute tape, 30 minutes each side
Note on tape: "use chrome switch"
- Box 9
- Item 1: "Return on Wings of Pleasure", 1997
- Rounder CD, songs by Pedro Padilla and his band. Barcode 0 11661-5003-2 7. LC: 3719.
- Item 2: Martha Davis Field Tape for Lisa, Puerto Rico, 1975
- Tape featuring "Lopimot," "Fiesta de la Cruz," "Cecil Fuentes group," "Mayoro group: Trinidad," "Martin Luther King," "Abraham (Ehr. song)," "Mi Lover Lost," "Carnival," "Nery + guitars (...)," "Yo no aparto, Cantar 045," "Guarachas" 075 & 109, "Bolero" 150, "Baile de Bomba," and an unknown name.
- Item 3: Lisa Kliger Tape A Sunday Studios, Urbana IL,, 1970s
- Tape containing the songs "My Time Is Your Time," "Jazzman" (690), and "Waltz on the Water."
- Item 4: Lisa Kliger Tape B Sunday Studios, Urbana, IL, 1970s
- Tape containing songs "Waltz on the Water" and "Cathy."
- Item 5: Unidentified item, undated
- 5-inch reel
- Box 10
- Folder 2: Daily Illini and UI Publications, 1968 - 1973
Browse by Series:
[Series 1: Student Career, 1968-1990],
[
Series 2: Teaching and Literary Career, 1965-2020],
[
Series 3: Musician Career, 1971-2024],
[
All]
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