News from the LOC

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington has made his annual selection of 50 sound recordings for the National Recording Registry. Under the terms of the National Recording Preservation Act of 2000, the Librarian is responsible for annually selecting recordings that are "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." Registry recordings must be at least 10 years old. In announcing the registry, the Librarian said, "The National Recording Registry represents a stunning array of the diversity, humanity and creativity found in our sound heritage, nothing less than a flood of noise and sound pulsating into the American bloodstream."

My personal favorites among this year's class of inductees: "Crazy Blues," Mamie Smith (1920), "Creole Trombone,".Kid Ory (June 1922), "Clock Jump," Count Basie and his Orchestra (1937), "Straighten up and Fly Right," Nat King Cole (1943), "Anthology of American Folk Music," Edited by Harry Smith (1952), "Blueberry Hill," Fats Domino (1956), "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," Jerry Lee Lewis (1957), "Be the Day," The Crickets (1957), "Time Out," The Dave Brubeck Quartet (1959), "Live at the Regal," B.B. King (1965), "Are You Experienced?" by Jimi Hendrix Experience (1967), "We're Only in it for the Money," Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention (1968), "Will the Circle Be Unbroken," Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (1972), "Songs in the Key of Life," Stevie Wonder (1976), and "Daydream Nation," Sonic Youth (1988).

The National Recording Preservation Board is accepting nominations of sound recordings to be included in the National Recording Registry. Please see criteria and nomination procedures and complete a nomination form. Although the board accepts nominations year round, we will only consider those submitted by July 1, 2006 for inclusion on the 2006 registry list.

Tom Heany