[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][bsf-info-box icon=”Defaults-road” icon_size=”32″ icon_color=”#1e73be” title=”In June 2017 I was able to visit both Nashville and Los Angeles thanks to the BAAS Marcus Cunliffe Award, writes Janet Aspley. During this trip I was able to develop my ideas on country music clothing and authenticity by accessing an unpublished biography of tailor to the stars, Nudie Cohn.” pos=”square_box” box_border_style=”double” box_border_color=”#93a9bf”][/bsf-info-box][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]
In June 2017 I visited the USA as a result of my Marcus Cunliffe Award. My trip was divided between attendance at the International Country Music Conference at Belmont University, Nashville and the archive of Nudie’s Rodeo tailors at the Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles. Nudie Cohn was the major designer in my field of doctoral research; my PhD project is titled “Hillbilly Deluxe: Male Performance Wear and Authenticity in Country Music 1947 – 94”.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]At the conference, I gave a paper called ‘Clothed in Sin: Gram Parsons, his Gilded Palace of Sin Nudie Suit and the Conundrum of Authenticity’. This was the first time I had spoken on my subject to an audience of country music specialists and I was delighted by the reception that my paper received. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing the papers that other scholars presented on a wide range of topics, from the earliest days of commercial country music in the 1920s, through the post-war boom and the rockabilly of the 1950s, and to present day phenomenon of ‘hick hop’. Gender was a recurring theme, as were constructs of authenticity in country music; these are both themes of my own research, so I was fascinated to hear how they were reflected in the work of others. The conference was welcoming and relaxed. Participants were invited to bring their instruments and ‘pick’, so breaks were often accompanied by impromptu acoustic groups of musicians; it ended with a singalong of the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans classic Happy Trails.
My own trail then led happily to The Autry Museum of The American West in Burbank, CA. The Archive has recently moved and I was the first researcher to use the comfortable new reading room. During my five days in the library, I researched a range of customer file, billing ledgers and press cuttings and was able to read an unpublished biography of Nudie Cohn that is held there informally, having sought permission from the author to do so. It contained fascinating insights into Nudie’s journey from his birthplace, Kiev, as a refugee from Jewish persecution, as well into his life as a rhinestone tailor. At the weekend, I was able to visit the Grammy Museum, which fortuitously had an exhibition of memorabilia owned by the country singer, songwriter and guitar/mandolin virtuoso Marty Stuart, whom I interviewed for my project recently. The display included some exceptional suits made by Nathan Turk for the Maddox Family, known in their day as “The Most Colorful Hillbilly Band in America”.
On my return to Nashville, I was able to view garments in the archive of The Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum made for Hank Thompson, whose file in the Nudie’s archive I had found very rich. While at the ‘Hall’, I visited see a shirt that I made for the singer-songwriter Jim Lauderdale, under my label Dandy & Rose, on display in their ‘Featured Western Wear Designer’ exhibit. Of course I posed in front of it for a photograph! I also saw Lauderdale play with a smokin’ country band at The American Legion Post 82’s ‘Honky Tonk Tuesdays’ evening. Not only did the support band turn out to be led by Casey James Prestwood, whom I had been trying to contact to request an interview about a particular suit he has had made by the ‘Rhinestone Rembrandt’ Manuel, but he was also wearing the suit – and Manuel himself was present, and dancing. I approached Prestwood personally and he declared himself delighted to be involved in my project. I also fulfilled a long-held ambition by dancing the two-step for the first time; not necessary for my research, perhaps, but great fun nonetheless.
I would like to thank BAAS for giving me the opportunity to make this trip. I am sure that the contacts I made at ICMC will enrich my future work; the results of my archival research will enhance my PhD thesis considerably.
Janet Aspley is a PhD student at the University of Brighton.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”22639″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” onclick=”img_link_large”][/vc_column][/vc_row]
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