Jack Penewell collection


Summary Information
Title: Jack Penewell collection
Inclusive Dates: 1897-1973

Creator:
  • Penewell, Jack
Unique Identifier: mml014

Quantity: Collection includes: papers; journal issues; sheet music; newspaper clippings; photographs; photograph negatives; photographic slides; 78 rpm audio discs; scrap book; photograph album; microfilm reel.
  • 2 Linear Feet
  • 1 document box, 1 record carton

Repository:
Archival Location:
UW-Madison Libraries, Mills Music (Map)

Abstract:
Materials compiled by Jack Penewell documenting his career and personal life. Penewell was a Minnesota-born, Wisconsin-based guitarist, composer and inventor. Materials include: photographs, newspaper clippings, slides, contracts, fliers, 78-rpm audio discs, correspondence, sheet music, and various issues of serial publications.

Language: English .

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-mus-mml014

Arrangement

Organized into three series: I. Manuscripts, II. Photographs, III. Sound Recordings.

Conditions Governing Access

Portions of this collection are in a format that is not immediately accessible. Please consult Mills Music Library in advance.

Conditions Governing Use

Collection materials may be subject to laws governing rights. Researchers are solely responsible for determining the rights status of the materials they use. Permission may be required for some uses such as publication or reproduction.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of William B. Penewell, 2001. Gift of Janette Randall, 2019.

Preferred Citation

[Title of item], Jack Penewell collection. Mills Music Library, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Scope and Contents

The Jack Penewell collection is housed in one document box and and one record carton. It is arranged in three series. Series have been designated for manuscript materials, photographs and sound recordings.

Series one contains five folders containing pages from a scrap book, business papers, correspondence, patent documents, periodical issues, published sheet music and press clippings. There is also a microfilm reel containing images of the scrap book pages.

Series two contains two folders of photographs and photograph negatives, a photograph album, and 12 photographic slides.

Series three contains 28 78 rpm audio discs, including commercial recordings, test pressings, and instanteous pressings.

Biographical / Historical

John (Jack) Bernard Penewell was born in in Arendahl, Minnesota in 1897. He moved to Madison, Wisconsin in 1915. He began playing steel guitar in high school, and started to tour Vaudeville variety shows in 1919, performing solo and with musicians such as Ray Pride and Harold Stockton. He was also one of the first performers to appear on the WIBA radio station in Madison. In the early 20s, Penewell patented the "Twin Six"; a double-necked guitar. In 1925, Penewell released his first commercial recordings on the Autograph label, and went on to release 78s on the Paramount, Broadway, Apex and Puritan labels. By the late 20s, Penewell began to teach steel guitar lessons, later becoming the lead instructor at the McKinney School of Hawaiian Guitar in Peoria, Illinois. He composed and published several pieces of sheet music from 1937 to 1956. Penewell continued to teach and play live music into the 1960s, performing with musicians such as Leo Aberle, Josh Salter, The Royal Palm Duo, and the Royal Palm Serenaders. Penewell died in 1973 in Madison, Wisconsin.

Subject Terms
Hawaiian guitar musicGuitar musicSound recordingsPatents -- United StatesMusical instrument makersPhotographsInventorsVaudevilleMusic teachersComposers -- United StatesNotated musicStockton, Harold (Musician); Pride, Ray (Musician); Aberle, Leo; Prince & Pride; Salter, Josh; Hawaiian Sextet; Royal Palm Duo; Jack Penewell's Palm Isle Serenaders; Royal Palm Serenaders
Contents List
1
Series: Manuscripts, 1916-1973
Box [89111707147]   1
  folder 1
Scrap book pages, 1916-1971
Language:
English.
Box [89111707147]   1
  folder 2
Business papers, 1919-1969
Language:
English.
Box [89111707147]   1
  folder 3
Periodicals, 1925-1959
Box [89111707147]   1
  folder 4
Sheet music, 1916-1956
Box [89111707147]   1
  folder 5
Press clippings, 1963-1973
Box [89111707147]   1
  reel 6
Scrapbook microfilm, 1916-1971
2
Series: Photographs, 1897-1971
Box [89111707147]   1
  folder 7
Small photographs, 1897-1971
Box [89111707147]   1
  folder 8
Large Photographs, 1897-1971
Box [89111707147]   1
  volume 9
Photograph album, 1897-1959
Box [89111707147]   1
  Box 10
Photographic slides, 1960-1971
3
Series: Sound recordings, 1917-1952
Subseries: Commercial recordings, 1917-1960
Box [89111707162]   2
  othertype 1
Marcheta ; That tumble down shack in Athlone (Autograph 609), 1924
Box [89111707162]   2
  othertype 2
I'll see you in my dreams ; Honest and truly (Autograph 615), 1925
Box [89111707162]   2
  othertype 3
Marcheta ; That tumble down shack in Athlone (Apex 710), 1924
Box [89111707162]   2
  othertype 4
Sometime ; Let us waltz as we say goodbye (Broadway 8016), 1921-1935
Box [89111707162]   2
  othertype 5
Hello Aloha ; Last night I was dreaming of you (Broadway 8018), 1921-1935
Box [89111707162]   2
  othertype 6
When Irish eyes are smiling ; The rosary (Broadway 8035), 1921-1935
Box [89111707162]   2
  othertype 7
Hawaii and you ; My rose of Honolulu (Broadway 8302), 1931
Box [89111707162]   2
  othertype 8
Sometime ; Let us waltz as we say good-bye (Paramount 33170), 1917-1932
Box [89111707162]   2
  othertype 9
Hello Aloha ; Last night I was dreaming of you (Puritan 9178), 1917-1929
Box [89111707162]   2
  othertype 10
Hen house blues ; Memphis blues (Puritan 11467), 1917-1929
Audio [89111707162]   2
  othertype 11
She's my sweetheart Leilani from Waikiki ; Organ solo ; What good is alimony? ; Franky Day (Jack Penewell E2KB-5802/E2KB-7397), 1952
Audio [89111707162]   2
  othertype 12
Hen house blues ; Penewell blues (Autograph 608)
Subseries: Test pressings, 1917-1960
Box [89111707162]   2
  othertype 12
Memphis, matrix number 672 1917-1929
Box [89111707162]   2
  othertype 13
Hen house blues, matrix number 682 1917-1929
Box [89111707162]   2
  othertype 14
Marcheta, matrix number 683 1924
Box [89111707162]   2
  othertype 15
Old Black Joe, matrix number 705 1917-1929
Box [89111707162]   2
  othertype 16
I'll see you in my dreams, matrix number 719 1925
Box [89111707162]   2
  othertype 17
Mighty like a rose, matrix number 790 1917-1932
Box [89111707162]   2
  othertype 18
Hen house blues, matrix number 791 1917-1932
Box [89111707162]   2
  othertype 19
Song of Hawaii, matrix number 792 ; Our yesterdays, matrix number 793 1917-1932
Box [89111707162]   2
  othertype 20
Aloha land, matrix number 794 ; Sailing along to Hawaii, matrix number 795 1917-1932
Box [89111707162]   2
  othertype 21
Hello Aloha, matrix number 2050 ; When all my dreams come true, matrix number 2057 1921-1935
Box [89111707162]   2
  othertype 22
She's my sweetheart Leilana (from Waikiki), WFOW 1951-1960
Subseries: Instantaneous pressings, 1926-1960
Box [89111707162]   2
  othertype 23
She's my sweetheart Lei Lani from Waikiki, 1951-1960
Box [89111707162]   2
  othertype 24
Ida ; Mother ; Waikiki ; Rose of Honolulu (RCA Victor Home Recording), 1930-1934
Box [89111707162]   2
  othertype 25
She's my sweetheart Leilani (from Waikiki) (Wilf Moise Studios), 1951-1960
Box [89111707162]   2
  othertype 26
She's my sweetheart Lei Lani (Midwestern Recorders), 1952-01
Box [89111707162]   2
  othertype 27
Farewell blues ; King's serenade (Speak-O-Phone), 1926-1945