Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Arthur R. Watson papers
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Arthur R. Watson papers
- Date
- 1978-1996, undated (inclusive)
- Creator
- Watson, Arthur R.
- Extent
- 0.15 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- Alcoholism.
- Concert tours
- Drug abuse
- Drug addiction.
- Heavy metal (Music)
- Rock music.
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged chronologically. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
- Preferred Citation
- 2009ms132.0276: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Arthur R. Watson papers, 1978-1996, undated, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- Arthur R. Watson was born about 1959 and lived in Maryland and Florida.
- American Letters collector Wade Hall (1934-2015) was a native of Union Springs, Alabama. Starting in 1962, he lived in Louisville, where he taught English and chaired the English and Humanities/Arts programs at Kentucky Southern College and Bellarmine University. He also taught at the University of Illinois and the University of Florida. He held degrees from Troy State University (B.S.), the University of Alabama (M.A.), and the University of Illinois (Ph.D.). He served for two years in the U.S. Army in the mid-fifties. Dr. Hall was the author of books, monographs, articles, plays, and reviews relating to Kentucky, Alabama, and Southern history and literature. His most recent books include A Visit with Harlan Hubbard; High Upon a Hill: A History of Bellarmine College; A Song in Native Pastures: Randy Atcher's Life in Country Music; and Waters of Life from Conecuh Ridge.
- Scope and Content
- The Arthur R. Watson papers (dated 1978-1996, undated; 0.15 cubic feet, 6 folders) comprise letters, concert tickets, notes, and photographs that document the life of Watson in Maryland and Florida in the 1980s. The letters are from friends and family, mainly discussing Watson moving to Florida, getting intoxicated, performing with bands, encounters with the police, employment, and money concerns. The letters highlight the rise of hard drugs and heavy partying that became part of popular culture in the 1980s. Many of the letters include vulgar language and imagery on the margins. The concert tickets are for a variety of rock and metal bands, including Black Sabbath, Ted Nugent, Starship, Heart, The Outlaws, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. The notes comprise phone numbers of friends and businesses and fliers for parties and performances. The photographs include images of a house, friends and family.
- The Arthur R. Watson papers are part of the Wade Hall Collection of American letters, which includes correspondence and diaries from all over North America covering the time period of the Civil to Korean Wars. The materials were collected by Wade Hall and document everyday men and women.
Restrictions on Access and Use
- Conditions Governing Access
- Collection is open to researchers by appointment.
- Use Restrictions
- The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
Contents of the Collection
Letters to Arthur R. Watson, 1981-1984
Letters to Arthur R. Watson, 1985-1988, 1996
Letters to Arthur R. Watson, undated
Concert tickets, 1978-1987, undated
Notes, business cards, and fliers, 1979-1988, undated
Photographs, 1981, undated
UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.
Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.
Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.
Table of Contents
You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.
If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.
UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.
Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.
Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.
Requests
No items have been requested.
You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.
If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.
