Association for Recorded Sound Collections

Association for Recorded Sound Collections

For more information about the Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC), sponsor of these awards, click here.

2010
Best Research in Recorded Blues, Gospel, Rhythm & Blues, or Soul Music
Best work
Chuck Berry international directory by Morten Reff
Certificate of merit
Give my poor heart ease : voices of the Mississippi blues by William Ferris
Certificate of merit
Hand me my travelin' shoes : in search of Blind Willie McTell by Michael Gray
Best Research in Recorded Classical Music
Best work
Kirill Kondrashin : his life in music by Gregor Tassie
Certificate of merit
Othmar Schoeck : life and works by Chris Walton
Best Research in Recorded Country Music
Best work
Man of constant sorrow : my life and times by Ralph Stanley and Eddie Dean
Certificate of merit
The songs of Jimmie Rodgers : a legacy in country music by Jocelyn R. Neal
Best Recorded Folk, Ethnic, or World Music
Best discography
La musique antillaise en France discographie 1929-1959 / French-Caribbean Music in France a Discography 1929-1959 by Alain Boulanger, John Cowley, and Marc Monneraye
Best history
Wildman of rhythm : the life and music of Benny Moré by John Radanovich
Certificate of merit
Ramblin' Jack Elliott : the never-ending highway by Hank Reineke
Best Research in General History of Recorded Sound
Best work
How does it sound now? : legendary engineer and vintage gear by Gary Gottlieb
Certificate of merit
Selling sounds : the commercial revolution in American music by David Suisman
Best Research in Record Labels
Best work
Three score & ten : topic records at 70 by David Suff
Certificate of merit
King of the Queen City : the story of King Records by John Hartley Fox
Best Research in Recorded Jazz Music
Best history
Jade visions : the life and music of Scott LaFaro by Helene LaFaro-Fernández
and
The ghosts of Harlem : sessions with jazz legends by Hank O’Neal
Certificate of merit
From Harlem to Hollywood : my life in music by Van Alexander and Stephen Fratallone
Best Research in Recorded Rock and Popular Music
Best work
American dance bands on record and film, 1915-1942 by Richard J. Johnson and Bernhard H. Shirley
Best history
Perry Como : a biography and complete career record by Malcolm Macfarlane and Ken Crossland
Certificate of merit
Sonic boom : the history of Northwest rock, from "Louie Louie" to "Smells like teen spirit" by Peter Blecha
Certificate of merit
Record makers and breakers : voices of the independent rock 'n' roll pioneers by John Broven

2009
Best Research in Recorded Blues, Rhythm & Blues, or Soul Music
Best discography
I got two wings : incidents and anecdotes of the two-winged preacher and electric guitar evangelist, Elder Utah Smith by Lynn Abbot
Certificate of merit
Texas blues : the rise of a contemporary sound by Alan B. Govenar
Best Research in Recorded Classical Music
Best Discography
Boston Symphony Orchestra : an augmented discography by James H. North
Best history
Charles Ives omnibus by James Mack Burk
Certificate of merit
After the golden age : romantic pianism and modern performance by Kenneth Hamilton
Certificate of merit
Sprechstimme in Arnold Schoenberg's Pierrot Lunaire : a study of vocal performance practice by Aidan Soder
Best Research in Recorded Country Music
Best work
Linthead stomp : the creation of country music in the Piedmont South by Patrick Huber
Certificate of merit
Working girl blues : the life and music of Hazel Dickens by Hazel Dickens and Bill C. Malone
Certificate of merit
Liner notes to "Merle Haggard: Concepts Live…1968-1976" by Deke Dickerson
Best Recorded Folk, Ethnic, or World Music
Best work
Mexican American mojo : popular music, dance, and urban culture in Los Angeles, 1935–1968 by Anthony Macias
Certificate of merit
Lemko folk music on wax cylinders and American recordings, 1901-1930 by Bogdan Horbal and Walter Maksimovich
Best Research in General History of Recorded Sound
Best work
Den talande maskinen : de forsta inspelade ljuden i Sverige och norden (The talking machine : the first recorded sounds in Sweden and Scandinavia) by Tony Franzén, Gunnar Sundberg, and Lars Thelander
Certificate of merit
Sound media : a theory of live journalism and musical recording by Lars Nyre
Best Research in Record Labels
Best Discography
Montgomery Ward records : a discography by Allan Sutton
Best history
Revolutionizing children's records : the Young People's Records and Children's Record Guild Series, 1946-1977 by David Bonner
Certificate of merit
The Edison discography (1926-29) by Raymond R. Wile
Best Research in Recorded Jazz Music
Best work
The John Coltrane reference by Chris DeVito, David Wild, Yasuhiro Fujioka, and Wolf Schmaler; edited by Lewis Porter
Best history
A power stronger than itself : the AACM and American experimental music by George E. Lewis
Certificate of merit
Backstory in blue : Ellington at Newport '56 by John Fass Morton
Certificate of merit
Playing the changes : Milt Hinton's life in stories and photographs by Milt Hinton, David Berger and Holly Maxson
Certificate of merit
Miles Davis, Miles smiles, and the invention of post bop by Jeremy Yudkin
Certificate of merit
Luck's in my corner : the life and music of Hot Lips Page by Todd Bryant Weeks
Certificate of merit
Delightfulee : the life and music of Lee Morgan by Jeffrey McMillan
Certificate of merit
Monk's music : Thelonious Monk and jazz history in the making by Gabriel Solis
Best Research in Recorded Rock and Popular Music
Best work
Sgt. Pepper and the Beatles : it was forty years ago today by Olivier Julien
Certificate of merit
Mondo exotica : sounds, visions, obsessions of the cocktail generation by Francesco Adinolfi
Certificate of merit
So you want to be a rock 'n' roll star : The Byrds day-by-day, 1965-1973 by Christopher Hjort
Certificate of merit
Hot burritos : the true story of The Flying Burrito Brothers by John Einarson and Chris Hillman

2008
Best Research in Recorded Blues, Rhythm & Blues, or Soul Music
Best discography
The gospel discography : a discography of post-war African-American gospel records from 1943 to 1970 by Cedric Hayes and Bob Laughton
Best history
How Britain got the blues : the transmission and reception of American blues style in the United Kingdom by Roberta Freund Schwartz
Certificate of merit
Cross the water blues : African American music in Europe, edited by Neil A. Wynn
Best Research in Recorded Classical Music
Best Discography
Joan Tower : the comprehensive bio-bibliography by Ellen K. Grolman
Best history
Moondog : the Viking of 6th Avenue : the authorized biography by Robert Scotto
Certificate of merit
Sigmund Romberg by William A. Everett
Best Research in Recorded Country Music
Best work
Country music originals : the legends and the lost by Tony Russell
Certificate of merit
Public cowboy no. 1 : the life and times of Gene Autry by Holly George-Warren
Certificate of merit
Charlie Monroe : I’m old Kentucky bound : his recordings, 1938-1956, liner notes by Richard K. Spottswood
Certificate of merit
Whiskey river (take my mind) : the true story of Texas honky-tonk by Johnny Bush with Rick Mitchell
Certificate of merit
The selling sound : the rise of the country music industry by Diane Pecknold
Best Recorded Folk, Ethnic, or World Music
Best discography
Hawaiian and Hawaiian guitar records, 1891-1960 by T. Malcolm Rockwell
Best history
Dub : soundscapes and shattered songs in Jamaican reggae by Michael E. Veal
Best Research in General History of Recorded Sound
The complete guide to vintage children’s records : identification and value guide by Peter Muldavin
Best Research in Record Labels
Best Discography
Beltona : a label listing and history by William Dean-Myatt
Best history
Horizons touched : the music of ECM by Steve Lake and Paul Griffiths
Best Research in Recorded Jazz Music
Best work
Lennie Tristano : his life in music by Eunmi Shim
Certificate of merit
Subversive sounds : race and the birth of jazz in New Orleans by Charles Hersch
Certificate of merit
The Original Hot Five recordings of Louis Armstrong by Gene H. Anderson
Certificate of merit
Ragtime : an encyclopedia, discography, and sheetography by David A. Jasen
Best Research in Recorded Popular Music
Best Discography
The complete New Zealand music charts, 1966-2006 : singles, albums, DVDs, compilations by Dean Scapolo
Best history
Lonely avenue : the unlikely life and times of Doc Pomus by Alex Halberstadt
Certificate of merit
Tearing down the wall of sound : the rise and fall of Phil Spector by Mick Brown
Best Research in Recorded Rock Music
The Beatles swan song : "She loves you" and other records by Bruce Spizer
Best history
Inside the music of Brian Wilson : the songs, sounds, and influences of the Beach Boys' founding genius by Philip Lambert
Certificate of merit
Jimmy Page : magus, musician, man : an unauthorized biography by George Case

2007
Best Research in Recorded Blues, Rhythm & Blues, or Soul Music
The blues discography 1943-1970, comp. Les Fancourt; Encyclopedia of the blues, edited by Edward Komara
Certificate of merit:
Presence and pleasure : the funk grooves of James Brown and Parliament by Anne Danielsen
Best Research in Recorded Classical Music
Best Discography:
New York Philharmonic : the authorized recordings, 1917-2005 : a discography by James H. North
Best history:
Lionel Tertis : the first great virtuoso of the viola by John White
Certificate of merit:
Women composers and music technology in the United States : crossing the line by Elizabeth Hinkle-Turner
Best Research in Recorded Country Music
Best discography:
Old Shep : the Red Foley recordings 1933-1950, liner notes by Cary Ginell
Best history:
How Nashville became Music City, U.S.A. : 50 years of Music Row by Michael Kosser
Certificate of merit:
No one to cry to : a long, hard ride into the sunset with Foy Willing of The Riders of the Purple Sage by Sharon Lee Willing
Best Recorded Folk, Ethnic, or World Music
Best discography:
West Indian rhythm : Trinidad Calypsos, 1938-1940, discography by John Cowley, Donald R. Hill, Dick Spottswood
Best history:
The dawn of Indian Music in the West by Peter Lavezzoli
Certificates of merit:
Arsenio Rodriguez and the transnational flows of Latin popular music by David F. García; America's polka king : the real story of Frankie Yankovic and his music by Bob Dolgan; Texas zydeco by Charles Roger Wood

2006
Blues/Rhythm & Blues/Soul
Dream boogie : the triumph of Sam Cooke by Peter Guralnick
Certificate of merit:
Dewey and Elvis : the life and times of a rock 'n' roll deejay by Louis Cantor
Classical
Best discography:
While spring and summer sang : Thomas Beecham and the music of Frederick Delius by Lyndon Jenkins
Best history:
Rachmaninoff : life, works, recordings by Max Harrison
Country
King of the cowboys, Queen of the West : Roy Rogers and Dale Evans by Ray White
Folk/Ethnic/World
Bob Marley and the Wailers : the definitive discography by Roger Steffens and Leroy Jodie Pierson
Certificate of merit:
The encyclopedia of native music : more than a century of recordings from wax cylinder to the Internet by Brian Wright-McLeod
Rap/Hip hop
Can't stop won't stop : a history of the hip-hop generation by Jeff Chang
Rock
Grit, noise, and revolution : the birth of Detroit rock 'n' roll by David Carson
Certificate of merit:
Soft Machine : Out-bloody-rageous by Graham Bennett
Certificate of merit:
Dream a little dream of me : the life of "Mama" Cass Elliot by Eddi Fiegel
Jazz
Best discography:
Stan Getz : an annotated bibliography and filmography with song and session information for albums by Nicholas Churchill
Best history:
Take five : the public and private lives of Paul Desmond by Doug Ramsey and Paul Caulfield (discography); The last Miles : the music of Miles Davis 1980-1991 by George Cole
Certificates of Merit:
Pioneers of jazz : the story of the Creole Band by Lawrence Gushee; Bix : the definitive biography of a jazz legend : Leon "Bix" Beiderbecke (1903-1931) by Jean Pierre Lion; The uncrowned king of swing : Fletcher Henderson and big band jazz by Jeffrey Magee
Labels/General history
Best history:
Echo and reverb : fabricating space in popular music recording, 1900-1960
Best discography:
Edison blue Amberol cylinders by Allan Sutton

2005
Best research in recorded blues
Moanin' at midnight : the life and times of Howlin' Wolf by James Segrest and Mark Hoffman
Certificate of Merit:
Robert Johnson : mythmaking and contemporary American culture by Patricia R. Schroeder
Best research in recorded classical music
Best discography.
Leroy Anderson : a bio-bibliography by Burgess Speed, Eleanor Anderson, and Steve Metcalf
Best history.
Performing music in the age of recording by Robert Philip
Best research in recorded folk or country music
Country music records : a discography, 1921-1942 by Tony Russell
Best research in recorded world music
Git Zaman Gel Zaman by Cemal Unlu
Certificate of Merit:
Albanian urban lyric song in the 1930s by Eno Koco
Best research in general history of recorded sound
Lost sounds : Blacks and the birth of the recording industry, 1890-1919 by Tim Brooks
Certificate of Merit:
Capturing sound : how technology has changed music by Mark Katz
Best research in recorded jazz
Albert Ayler : holy ghost by Ben Young, editor
Certificate of Merit:
Tom Talbert : his life and times by Bruce Talbot
Certificate of Merit:
Queen : the life and music of Dinah Washington by Nadine Cohodas
Certificate of Merit:
The complete Columbia recordings of Woody Herman, 1945 -1947 by Loren Schoenberg
Best research in record labels
Discography of OKeh Records, 1918-1934 by Ross Laird and Brian Rust
Certificate of Merit:
Fonotipia Recordings : a centennial survey by Michael E. Henstock
Certificate of Merit:
Syrena Record : Poland's first recording company, 1904-1939 by Tomasz Lerski
Certificate of Merit:
Victor Red Seal discography, volume I : single-sided series (1903-1925) by John R. Bolig
Best research in recorded popular music
That moaning saxophone : the six Brown brothers and the dawning of a musical craze by Bruce Vermazen
Best research in recorded rhythm & blues, soul, or gospel music
People get ready : a new history of Black gospel music by Robert Darden
Certificate of Merit:
House on fire : the rise and fall of Philadelphia soul by John A. Jackson
Best research in recorded rock or rap music
Freddy Fresh presents the rap records by Freddy Fresh
Certificate of Merit:
Nirvana : the complete recording sessions by Rob Jovanovic

2004
Best research in recorded popular music
Best discography.
Paul Whiteman : pioneer in American music : volume 1, 1890-1930 by Don Rayno
Best history.
Sondheim on music : minor details and major decisions by Mark Eden Horowitz and Stephen Sondheim
Best research in recorded classical music
Performing Brahms : early evidence of performing style, edited by Michael Musgrave and Bernard D. Sherman
Best research in recorded rock, rhythm & blues or soul
The holy profane : religion in Black popular music by Teresa L. Reed; tied with Swinging the machine : modernity, technology and African-American culture between the world wars by Joel Dinerstein
Best research in recorded jazz music
Best history.
Good vibes : a life in jazz by Terry Gibbs and Cary Ginell
Best discography.
Jean “Django” Reinhardt : a contextual bio-discography, 1910-1953 by Paul Vernon
Best research in recorded blues and gospel music
Great God a’mighty! the Dixie Hummingbirds : celebrating the rise of soul gospel music by Jerome Zolten
Best research in record labels or manufacturers
Folkways Records : Moses Asch and his encyclopedia of sound by Anthony Olmstead

2003
Best Research in Recorded Popular Music
Encyclopedia of contemporary Christian music by Mark Allan Powell
Best Research in Recorded Folk or Ethnic Music
Reggae & Caribbean music by Dave Thompson
Certificate of merit:
Sam Manning : the Complete Output, 1924-1930, vols. 1 & 2 by John Cowley and Steve Shapiro, liner notes to Jazz Oracle CD set
Best Research in Recorded Country Music
Will you miss me when I'm gone? : the Carter Family and their legacy in American music by Mark Zwonitzer and Charles Hirshberg; tied with Country music sources : a biblio-discography of commercially recorded traditional music by Guthrie T. Meade, Richard K. Spottswood, and Douglas S. Meade
Best Research in Recorded Classical Music
George Crumb: a bio-bibliography by David Cohen; tied with Emanuel Feuermann by Annette Morreau
Best Research in Rock, Rhythm & Blues, or Soul
Every sound there is : the Beatles' Revolver and the transformation of rock and roll by Russell Reising; tied with Brown-eyed handsome man : the life of Chuck Berry by Bruce Pegg
Best Research in Recorded Jazz
Rat race blues : the musical life of Gigi Gryce by Noal Cohen and Michael Fitzgerald; tied with Something to live for : the music of Billy Strayhorn by Walter van de Leur
Certificate of merit:
A love supreme : the story of John Coltrane's signature album by Ashley Kahn
Certificate of merit:
Charlie Barnet : an illustrated biography and discography of the Swing Era big band leader by Dan Mather
Best Research in Recorded Blues and Gospel Music
Blues with a feeling : the Little Walter story by Tony Glover, Scott Dirks, and Ward Gaines
Certificate of merit:
Can't be satisfied : the life and times of Muddy Waters by Robert Gordon
Certificate of merit:
The Pilgrim Jubilees by Alan Young
Best Research in General Discography and History of Recorded Sound
Music inspired by art : a guide to recordings by Gary Evans
Best Research in Record Labels or Manufacturers
Motown : music, money, sex, and power by Gerald L. Posner

2002
Best Research in Recorded General Popular Music
Bing Crosby : a pocketful of dreams — the early years, 1903-1940 by Gary Giddins
Best Research in Recorded Folk or Ethnic Music
Yellow music : media culture and colonial modernity in Chinese Jazz Age by Andrew F. Jones
Best Research in Recorded Country Music
Discography of Western swing and hot string bands, 1928-1942 by Cary Ginell and Kevin Coffey
Best Research in Recorded Classical Music
Best Discography.
Witold Lutoslawski : a bio-bibliography by Stanislaw Bedkowski and Stinislaw Hrabia
Best History.
Sviatoslav Richter : notebooks and conversations by Bruno Monsaingeon; translated by Stewart Spencer
Certificate of Merit.
Pietro Mascagni : a bio-bibliography by Roger Flury
Best Research in Recorded Rock, Rhythm & Blues, or Soul
Orbison by Colin Escott; discography by Richard Weize. liner notes to Bear Family CD set
Best Research in Recorded Jazz
Best History.
The Miller companion to jazz in Canada : and Canadians in jazz by Mark Miller
Best Discography.
Brilliant corners : a bio-discography of Thelonious Monk compiled by Chris Sheridan
Certificate of Merit.
Before Motown : a history of jazz in Detroit, 1920-1960 by Lars Bjorn with Jim Gallert
Best Research in Recorded Blues
Screamin' and hollerin' the blues : the worlds of Charley Patton by David Evans, John Fahey, Edward Komara, and Dick Spottswood, liner notes to Revenant CD set
Best General Research in Recorded Sound
Beyond recall : a record of Jewish musical life in Nazi Berlin, 1933-1938 by Rainer E. Lotz, Horst J. P. Bergmeier, and Ejal Jakob Eisler, liner notes to Bear Family CD set
Certificate of Merit.
Aural history : essays on recorded sound, ed. by Andy Linehan
Best Research in Record Labels or Manufacturers
Brunswick Records : a discography of recordings, 1916-1931 [in 4 volumes] by Ross Laird
Certificate of Merit.
Okeh race records : the 8000 "race" series by Laurie Wright (Self-published)
Best Research in the Preservation or Reproduction of Recorded Sound
Broadcast transcription discs by James R. Powell, Jr.; Phonographs with flair : a century of style in sound reproduction by Timothy C. Fabrizio and George F. Paul

2001
Best Research in Recorded General Popular Music
Popular American recording pioneers, 1895-1925 by Tim Gracyk and Frank Hoffmann
Certificate of Merit.
Mel Torme : a chronicle of his recordings, Books and Films by George Hulme
Best Research in Recorded Folk or Ethnic Music
Romancing the folk : public memory and American roots music by Benjamin Filene
Certificate of Merit.
Can't you hear me callin' : the life of Bill Monroe, father of bluegrass by Richard D. Smith
Best Research in Recorded Classical Music
Best Discography.
Tristan und Isolde on record : a comprehensive discography of Wagner's music drama with a critical introduction to the recordings by Jonathan Brown
Best History.
Meilensteine der Bach-Interpretation 1750-2000 : eine werkgeschichte im wandel by Martin Elste
Best Research in Recorded Rock, Rhythm & Blues, or Soul
The Who on record : a critical history, 1963-1998 by John Atkins
Certificate of Merit.
Race, rock, and Elvis by Michael T. Bertrand
Best Research in Recorded Jazz or Blues
Best History.
Kind of blue by Ashley Kahn
Best Discography/History.
Artie Shaw : a musical biography and discography by Vladimir Simosko
Certificate of Merit.
An unsung cat : the life and music of Warne Marsh by Safford Chamberlain
Certificate of Merit.
The half ain't been told : an Otis Spann career discography by Bill Rowe; revised and updated by Chris Smith and Howard Rye.
Best Research the General History of Recorded Sound
Off the record : the technology and culture of sound recording in America by David Morton
Best Research in Record Labels or Manufacturers
Best Discography.
The R & B indies by Bob McGrath
Best History.
Spinning the blues into gold : the Chess brothers and the legendary Chess Records by Nadine Cohodas
Certificate of Merit.
American record labels and companies : an encyclopedia (1891-1943) by Allan Sutton and Kurt Nauck
Certificate of Merit.
Suomalaitsen äänilevyjen luettelo, 1901-1945 by Rainer Strommer
Best Research in Phonographs
Discovering antique phonographs by Timothy C. Fabrizio and George F. Paul

2000
Recorded General Popular Music
Sessions with Sinatra : Frank Sinatra and the art of recording by Charles L. Granata
Certificate of Merit.
Marigold : the music of Billy Mayerl by Peter Dickinson
Recorded Classical Music
More EJS : a discography of the Edward J. Smith recordings by William Shaman and William J. Collins
Recorded Rock, Rhythm & Blues, or Soul
Careless love : the unmaking of Elvis Presley by Peter Guralnick
Certificate of Merit.
The great alternative rock and indie discography by Martin Strong
Recorded Jazz
Groovin' high : the life of Dizzy Gillespie by Alyn Shipton; Jimmy Dorsey : a study in contrasts by Robert L. Stockdale
Recorded Blues
A blues life by Henry Townsend as told to Bill Greensmith
Recorded Folk or Ethnic Music
Klezmer! : Jewish music from old world to our world by Henry Sapoznik
General History of Recorded Sound
A spiral way : how the phonograph changed ethnography by Erika Brady
Record Labels or Manufacturers
The Columbia master book discography (4 vols.) by Tim Brooks and Brian Rust
Certificate of Merit.
Little Wonders records : a history and discography edited by Tim Brooks
Phonographs
Antique phonograph gadgets, gizmos, and gimmicks by Timothy Fabrizio and George Paul

1999
Recorded General Popular Music
"Lotte Lenya : a centenary tribute," by Richard Weize, Rainer E. Lotz, et al., liner notes to Bear Family CDs (1998)
Recorded Classical Music
"Budapest String Quartet", discography by Phil Hart in the ARSC Journal: Part 1 1924-1940, in vol. 28/2 (1997), Part 2 1941-1954, in vol.29/1 (1998), Part 3 1955-1966, in vol. 29/2 (1998)
Recorded Rock, Rhythm & Blues, or Soul
Elvis Presley : a life in music : the complete recording sessions by Ernst Jorgensen
Certificate of Merit.
The Deadhead's taping compendium, volume 1 : 1959-1974 by Michael M. Getz and John R. Dwork
Recorded Jazz, Blues, or Gospel
John Coltrane : his life and music by Lewis Porter
Certificate of Merit.
Dixonia : a bio-discography of Bill Dixon compiled by Ben Young
Recorded Country Music
The encyclopedia of country music : the ultimate guide to the music edited by Paul Kingsbury
Recorded Folk or Ethnic Music
Music of Hindu Trinidad : songs from the India diaspora by Helen Myers
Record Labels or Manufacturers
Making people's music : Moe Asch and Folkways Records by Peter D. Goldsmith

1998
Recorded General Popular Music
Hitler's airwaves : the inside story of Nazi radio broadcasting and propaganda swing by Horst J. P. Bergmeier and Rainer E. Lotz
Recorded Classical Music
The orchestra on record, 1896-1926 : an encyclopedia of orchestral recordings made by the acoustical process by Claude Arnold
Certificate of Merit.
The London Philharmonic discography by Philip Stuart
Recorded Rock, Rhythm & Blues, or Soul
American Bandstand : Dick Clark and the making of a rock 'n' roll empire by John A. Jackson
Recorded Jazz or Blues
The birth of bebop : a social and musical history by Scott DeVeaux
Certificate of Merit.
Space is the place : the lives and times of Sun Ra by John F. Szwed
Recorded Gospel Music
Roosevelt's blues : African-American blues and gospel songs on FDR by Guido van Rijn
Certificate of Merit.
Woke me up this morning : Black gospel singers and the gospel life by Alan Young
Recorded Country Music
Ramblin' Rose : the life and career of Rose Maddox by Jonny Whiteside
Certificate of Merit.
"Cliff Bruner and His Texas Wanderers," liner notes by Kevin Coffey to the 5-CD set (Bear Family Records [BCD 15932] 1997)
Certificate of Merit.
The Statler Brothers discography, compiled by Alice Y. Holtin
Recorded Folk or Ethnic Music
A day for the hunter, a day for the prey : popular music and power in Haiti by Gage Averill
Record Labels or Manufacturers
Soulsville U.S.A. : the story of Stax Records by Rob Bowman
Phonographs
The talking machine : an illustrated compendium by Timothy C. Fabrizio and George F. Paul

1997
Recorded General Popular Music
"Friedrich Hollander", liner notes by Viktor Rotthaler for the CD release by Bear Family Records (1996)
Recorded Classical Music
Otto Klemperer : his life and times by Peter Heyworth, discography by Michael Gray
Recorded Rock, Rhythm & Blues, or Soul
Doowop : the Chicago scene by Robert Pruter
Recorded Jazz, Blues, or Gospel
Stan Getz : a life in jazz by Donald L. Maggin
Recorded Country Music
Ernest Tubb : the Texas troubadour by Ronnie Pugh
Recorded Folk or Ethnic Music
"Songs for Political Action: Folk Music, Topical Songs and the American Left, 1926-1953," liner notes by Ronald D. Cohen and Dave Samuelson for the CD set issued by Bear Family Records (1996)
Record Labels or Manufacturers
Stage to studio : musicians and the sound revolution, 1890-1950 by James P. Kraft
Phonographs
Columbia phonograph companion, vol. 2 by Robert W. Baumbach

1996
Recorded General Popular Music
Tommy Dorsey : on the side by Robert L. Stockdale
Recorded Classical Music
Guillaume de Machaut : a guide to research by Lawrence Earp
Recorded Jazz, Blues, or Gospel
A life in ragtime : a biography of James Reese Europe by Reid Badger
Recorded Rock, Rhythm & Blues, or Soul
Rock Mr. Blues : the life and music of Wynonie Harris by Tony Collins
Recorded Country Music
The Waylon Jennings discography, compiled by John L. Smith
Recorded Folk or Ethnic Music
Ethnic and vernacular music, 1898-1960 : a resource and guide to recordings by Paul Vernon
Record Labels or Manufacturers
Berliner Gramophone Records : American issues, 1892-1900 by compiled by Paul Charosh

1995
Recorded General Popular Music
Television theme recordings : an illustrated discography, 1951-1994 by Steve Gelfand
Recorded Classical Music
Glyndebourne recorded : sixty years of recordings, 1934-1994 by Paul Campion and Rosy Runciman
Recorded Rock, Rhythm & Blues, or Soul
The Kinks, part one : you really got me, an illustrated world discography of the Kinks, 1964-1993 by Doug Hinman with Jason Brabazon
Certificate of Merit.
Last train to Memphis : the rise of Elvis Presley by Peter Guralnick
Recorded Jazz, Blues, or Gospel
Thinking jazz : the infinite art of improvisation by Paul F. Berliner
Recorded Country Music
Milton Brown and the founding of western swing by Cary Ginell
Recorded Folk or Ethnic Music
Cuba canta y baila : discografia de la musica Cubana, vol. 1 : 1898-1925 by Cristobal Diaz Ayala
Record Labels or Manufacturers (Histories)
Directory of American disc record brands and manufacturers, 1891-1943 by Allan Sutton
Record Labels or Manufacturers (Discographies)
EJS, discography of the Edward J. Smith recordings : the golden age of opera, 1956-1971 by William Shaman, William J. Collins, and Calvin M. Goodwin
Certificate of Merit.
His Master's Voice / Die Stimme seines Herrn : the German catalog (1898-1929), compiled by Alan Kelly.
Vintage Phonographs
The Edison cylinder phonograph companion by George Frow

1994
Recorded General Popular Music
Frank Munn : a biodiscography of the golden voice of radio by Rodney Steiner and Thomas A. Delong
Recorded Classical Music
Adelina Patti : queen of hearts by John Frederick Cone
Recorded Rock, Rhythm & Blues, or Soul
Louie, Louie : the history and mythology of the world's most famous rock 'n' roll song by Dave Marsh
Recorded Jazz, Blues, or Gospel
Going to Cincinnati : a history of the blues in the Queen City by Steven C. Tracy
Recorded Country Music
The Stonemans : an Appalachian family and the music that shaped their lives by Ivan M. Tribe
Recorded Folk or Ethnic Music
Lydia Mendoza : a family autobiography, compiled and introduced by Chris Strachwitz and Jim Nicolopulos
Record Labels or Manufacturers
The Mercury Labels : a discography by Michael Ruppli and Ed Novitsky
Recording Technology
Playback equalizer settings for 78 RPM recordings by James R. Powell, Jr. and Randall G. Stehle
General Reference in the Field of Recorded Sound
The banjo on record : a bio-discography by Uli Heier and Rainer E. Lotz

1993
Recorded General Popular Music
Dino : living high in the dirty business of dreams by Nick Tosches
Recorded Classical Music
Early recordings and musical style : changing tastes in instrumental performance, 1900-1950 by Robert Philip
Recorded Rock, Rhythm & Blues, or Soul
England's dreaming : anarchy, Sex Pistols, punk rock, and beyond by Jon Savage
Recorded Jazz, Blues, or Gospel
"Louis Jordan," liner notes by Peter Grendysa to the Bear Family Records CD set (1992)
Recorded Country Music
"Johnnie & Jack," liner notes by Eddie Stubbs and Walt Trott to the Bear Family Records CD set (1992)
Recorded Folk or Ethnic Music
A passion for polka : old-time ethnic music in America by Victor R. Greene
Record Labels or Manufacturers
Trumpet Records : an illustrated history with discography by Marc Ryan
Cataloging and Access to Recordings
Archival information processing for sound recordings by David A. Thomas (MLA Technical Report no.21, Music Library Association, 1992)

1992
Recorded General Popular Music
A Gershwin companion : a critical inventory & discography, 1916-1984 by Walter Rimler
Recorded Classical Music
Igor Stravinsky--the composer in the recording studio : a comprehensive discography by Philip Stuart
Recorded Rock, Rhythm & Blues, or Soul
For discography: Positively Bob Dylan : a thirty-year discography, concert, and recording guide, 1960-1991 by Michael Krogsgaard
For historical research: Big beat heat : Alan Freed and the early years of rock & roll by John A. Jackson
Recorded Jazz or Blues
The song of the Hawk : the life and recordings of Coleman Hawkins by John Chilton
Recorded Country Music
"Johnny Horton," liner notes by Colin Escott to the Bear Family Records CD set (BCD 15470, 1991)
Recorded Folk or Ethnic Music
"Michael Coleman," liner notes by Harry Bradshaw to the Viva Voce 2-cassette set (Viva Voce 004, 1991) [Later released on CD: Gael-Linn/Viva Voce CEFCD 161]
Record Labels or Manufacturers
Chicago soul by Robert Pruter

1991
Recorded General Popular Music
The complete Judy Garland : the ultimate guide to her career in films, records, concerts, radio, and television, 1935-1969 by Emily R. Coleman
Recorded Classical Music
A Gregorian chant discography by Jerome F. Weber
Recorded Rock, Rhythm & Blues, or Soul
"The Classic Carl Perkins", liner notes by Colin Escott to the Bear Family Records CD set (BCD 15494, 1990)
Recorded Jazz or Blues
You got to be original, man : the music of Lester Young by Frank Buchmann-Moller
Recorded Country, Folk, or Ethnic Music
Ethnic music on records : a discography of ethnic recordings produced in the United States, 1893 to 1942 by Richard Spottswood
Recorded Spoken Word
"The Jack Kerouac Collection", liner notes by David Perry and James Austin to the Rhino WordBeat set (R 70939, 1990)
Record Labels or Manufacturers
His Master's Voice/La voix de son maître, the French catalog : a complete catalogue of French gramophone recordings made from 1898 to 1929 in France and elsewhere by the Gramophone Company Ltd. by Alan Kelly
Preservation or Reproduction of Recordings
A manual of sound archive administration by Alan Ward