Lee Schreiber and Adelaide Robbins discuss their early lives in Las Vegas, including their experiences as a Jewish women, musicians, and social activists in Southern Nevada.
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Oral history interview with Ralph E. Donerly conducted by Patricia van Betten on June 30, 2006 for the History of Blue Diamond Village in Nevada Oral History Project. In this interview, Donerly, born in New Jersey, discusses his evolution as a musician. He spent his youth learning from prominent musicians in New Jersey and New York, until he moved to Los Angeles, California in his twenties. Eventually, Donerly moved to Blue Diamond, Nevada along with his mother and wife in order to pursue a musical career with big bands that performed at Las Vegas, Nevada hotels and casinos.
Archival Collection
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The Danny Cassella Papers are comprised of materials dating from 1934 to 1953, focusing on musician Danny Cassella and His Orchestra, who had performances in Las Vegas, Nevada. The materials include biographical information about Danny Cassella, photographs, newspaper clippings, correspondence, postcards, programs, articles and tune-dex cards.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Don Cunningham conducted by Claytee D. White on January 13, 2017, January 26, 2017, and February 10, 2017 for African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In the first interview, Cunningham discusses his upbringing in St. Louis, Missouri and his early interest in music. He talks about becoming a musician in the military, and traveling around the world to play in the military bands. In the second interview, Cunningham remembers the transition out of the military, becoming a freelance musician, and arriving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1969. In the final interview, Cunningham discusses his involvement with the Las Vegas Jazz Society, and receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Archival Collection
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Oral history interviews with Judy Corbisiero conducted by Dennis McBride on September 05, 2003; and April 21, July 02, and December 10, 2004 for the Las Vegas Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Archives Oral History Project. In the interviews, Corbisiero recalls her early childhood in New York City, New York, coming out in the late 1970s, and meeting her then-partner, Janice Summers. She describes forming Summercor, Incorporated (a portmanteau of their last names) with Summers to produce women musicians, with a focus on lesbian artists, while living in New York. Corbisiero also talks about musicians she worked with, running political fundraisers during music events, and meeting her next partner, Gudrun Fonfa. She then explains moving to Las Vegas, Nevada with Fonfa in 1983 to promote women's music and culture in Las Vegas and throughout the West Coast.
Archival Collection
The Joe Andre papers are comprised of scrapbook materials and feature articles collected by Joe Andre to document his life and career. Materials range from 1920 to 1980, with the focus of the materials on the 1920s to 1930s. The scrapbook documents Andre's career as a band leader in Nevada, and the articles trace his journey through Nevada as a musician, restaurant owner and shop owner.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview roundtable with the Austin Family and Chazz Young conducted by Claytee D. White on August 06, 2014 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: a Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, the Austin family discusses their dance school, Austin Dancers, which they brought with them when they moved to Las Vegas, Nevada from New York City, New York in 1993. Linda Austin discusses her early interest in drumming, which later lead to a successful career as a musician, where she performed for celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and Maya Angelou, and played with other musicians such as Quincy Jones. Charles "Chazz" Young also discusses his career as a dance teacher at Austin Dancers and the West Las Vegas Arts Center. The family discusses the cultural differences between Las Vegas and Harlem, where they came from in New York City, as well as the differences between teaching the children of Las Vegas compared to the children they taught in New York.
Archival Collection