Lynn L. Sams papers
Collection
0039-SCPA-ABA
A founding member of the American Bandmasters Association, Lynn L. Sams (1896-1990) was also a businessman and leader in the music industry. For many years, he served as editor of the ABA newsletter and as the ABA historian--both in official and unofficial capacities. Over his lifetime, Sams collected biographical and photographic materials documenting the history of the band in America and the prominent people in the band world. The collection consists of correspondence, notes, photographs, sound recordings, and publications related to Sams' research on the 20th century band movement and development of the American Bandmasters Association, and for his unfinished manuscript "History of School Bands." Correspondents include Harold B. Bachman, Jaroslav "Jerry" Cimera, Herbert L. Clarke, Merle Evans, William P. Foster, Karl L. King, Caesar LaMonaca, Frank Mancini, Williams Santelmann, Al Wright, and Paul Yoder.
The collection is open for research use. Materials from this collection must be used in the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library's Irving and Margery Morgan Lowens Special Collections Room during SCPA’s operating hours. Please contact the curator for an appointment or if you have questions related to digital access of the materials.
Copyright was not transferred to the University of Maryland with the gift of any copyrighted materials. All rights remain with the creators and rights holders. The University of Maryland Libraries is granted permission for the use in scholarly research by the Libraries’ patrons under fair use in Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act.
To inquire about duplication of materials for research or for publication, please contact SCPA’s curator.
33 Linear Feet
The Lynn L. Sams papers cover the period from 1913 to 1990; the bulk of the materials date from 1940 to 1985. The papers consist of correspondence, notes, photographs, sound recordings, and publications related to Sams' research on the 20th century band movement and development of the American Bandmasters Association, and for his unfinished manuscript "History of School Bands." Correspondents include Harold B. Bachman, Jaroslav "Jerry" Cimera, Herbert L. Clarke, Merle Evans, William P. Foster, Karl L. King, Caesar LaMonaca, Frank Mancini, Williams Santelmann, Al Wright, and Paul Yoder.
Lynn L. Sams (b. April 4, 1896 — d. March 17, 1990) was a founding member of the American Bandmasters Association (ABA), and a leader in the music industry. He served as editor of the ABA newsletter for many years and also served as that organization's historian - both in official and unofficial capacities. Over his lifetime, Sams collected biographical material and photographs documenting band history in America and prominent people in the band world.
Sams began his music career as a traveling salesman for the Conn Corporation, eventually becoming president of the company. Sams' early days as a traveling salesman became the basis for the character Professor Harold Hill in Meredith Wilson's musical The Music Man. Sams became an activist in the musical instrument industry and was instrumental in the 1965 repeal of the excise tax on musical instruments. After leaving Conn in 1955, Sams became vice-president of Buescher Instrument Company. Sams' final years were devoted to the writing of a book, The History of School Bands, which was left unfinished at the time of his death in Napa, California.
This collection is organized into eight series:
The Lynn L. Sams papers were in the care of Charles Payne until given to the ABA Research Center at the University of Maryland in 1991. The Lynn Sams portrait collection [Appendix] was originally deposited by Sams at the University of Michigan. Sams withdrew the collection on 16 May 1983, at which time it was transferred to the University of Maryland.
Part of the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library