John Stubblefield Papers Now Available in Special Collections

Jimmy Katz

John Stubblefield

The University Libraries' Special Collections department has finished processing the John Stubblefield Papers, which are now available for the public to view and use any time the department is open. This collection was donated to the University Libraries by John Stubblefield's sister, Joyce Pattillo of Hot Springs Village, in 2012. 

"John Stubblefield is one of Arkansas' most famous jazz artists and composers," said Adam Heien, processing archivist and project lead. "His collection helps contribute to Special Collections' ongoing efforts to document the work of Arkansas' African-American musicians, whose numbers include Florence Price, Scott Joplin and William Grant Still." 

Born on February 4, 1945 in Little Rock, Arkansas, John Stubblefield was a prolific jazz musician and composer who performed with a wide array of musicians, including Pharaoh Sanders, Kenny Barron, Charles Mingus, Mary Lou Williams, Miles Davis, McCoy Tyner, Jerry Gonzales, and Billy Hart. Primarily a saxophonist, Stubblefield performed with a number of instruments throughout his career, including the flute and oboe. 

The collection includes a large collection of "sketch scores," or lead sheets, used by jazz ensembles for performances. The scores are from Stubblefield's own compositions and also from other jazz performers, including John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington and Herbie Hancock. Also included is documentation related to Stubblefield's career as a musical instructor and a large collection of musical performances recorded on tape cassettes. In addition to this, John Stubblefield's books about jazz music and a large collection of over 400 jazz LP records are being cataloged as a sub-collection in Special Collections' Arkansas Collection. It is anticipated that processing for the sub-collection will be completed by 2020. 

"Special Collections has long been committed to documenting the contributions of African-American musicians in Arkansas," said Lori Birrell, head of Special Collections. "These men and women have national and international significance, and it's our privilege to preserve their legacies." 

Students Chris Galindo and Rebekah Mason assisted Heien with the processing of this collection, which was completed on Feb. 28.