Our Mission

Music Memory’s mission is to preserve audio recordings for present and future generations. We are continuing the work started by the collectors and researchers in the 1950s and ’60s. We share their passion to keep the history of our musical heritage from being forgotten and are committed to preventing that from happening. As of May 2013, we have digitized more than 15,000 records on location at the homes of several prominent record collectors. Our goal is to build a database complete with audio, discographical information, artist and composer biographies, song lyrics and notation. Our hope for this database is that it will serve as a musical Rosetta Stone for future generations by showing the links and cross-influences of the many musical styles captured on phonograph records in the first half of the 20th century.

In July 2011, Music Memory’s application for tax exempt status was granted by the Internal Revenue Service. Music Memory is exempt from Federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to Music Memory are deductible under section 170 of the Code.

The specific objectives and purposes of Music Memory are:
(1) to ensure the preservation and continued availability of historical and traditional American and international musical sound recordings and related media;
(2) to oversee and facilitate the digital transfer of analog sound recordings of historical and traditional American and international music;
(3) to oversee and facilitate the scanning of media, including publications and images, related to historic and traditional American and international music;
(4) to oversee and facilitate the construction of a database to deliver information regarding historic and traditional American and international music to researchers and students; and
(5) to engage in other activities and efforts related to educating the public about and promoting interest in historic and traditional American and international music.