Details

ARC-0012

collection

Stan Cornyn Papers

1950-2002, undated

10.16 (Linear feet)

The Stan Cornyn Papers span the years 1950 to 2002, with the bulk of the material dating between 1996 and 2002. The collection consists of annotated manuscript drafts of Cornyn's book, Exploding: The Highs, Hits, Hype, Heroes, and Hustlers of the Warner Music Group; galley proofs; audiocassettes of interviews; VHS video tapes; a CD-R; and notes, email, and memoranda between Cornyn and his editors. The collection represents the attempts of a longtime music industry insider to chronicle the increasing commercialization of popular music in the United States. Cornyn focused particularly on the departure of Mo Ostin from Warner Brothers as a hallmark of the industry's decline. As the collection includes a substantial amount of Cornyn's research material, notes, and edited drafts, the researcher may find noteworthy information and historical anecdotes that did not make it into the final publication.

Stan Cornyn spent 34 years working for the various incarnations of Warner Brothers Records. Over the course of his career, Cornyn worked as executive vice president of Warner Brothers Records, senior vice president of the Warner Music Group, and founder and CEO of Time-Warner's Warner New Media division. He won a Grammy for Best Album Notes in 1966 for Frank Sinatra's September of My Years and again in 1967 for Sinatra at the Sands. He is the author of Exploding: The Highs, Hits, Hype, Heroes, and Hustlers of the Warner Music Group.

1933: Born in Oxnard, California.

1958: Begins working for Warner Bros.

1966: Wins Grammy Award for Album Notes for Frank Sinatra's <title render="italic">September of My Years</title>.

1967: Wins Grammy Award for Best Album Notes for <title render="italic">Sinatra at the Sands</title>.

2002: Publishes <title render="italic">Exploding: The Highs, Hits, Hype, Heroes, and Hustlers of the Warner Music Group</title>.

Citation: [Identification of item], Stan Cornyn Papers, Library and Archives, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

Processing Information: Processed by Christine Borne, Project Archivist. Completed July 2, 2010. Descriptive sources and standards used to create this inventory: DACS and local processing manual.

Acquisition Note: The Stan Cornyn Papers were received by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, Inc. on November 20, 2004, as a gift of Cornyn. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, Inc. transferred the collection to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc. on March 31, 2011.

Separated Materials: Some publications have been transferred to the library collection. Please search for the "Stan Cornyn Papers" in the library catalog for a list of donated titles. If you are unable to find what you are looking for, consult the Library and Archives staff to ensure these materials are available.

Collection is open for research. Patrons must sign the Acknowledgment of Legal Responsibility and Privacy Rights statement on the Researcher Registration form before using this collection. The condition of some of the materials in this collection has not yet been determined for playback purposes. Access copies of these materials may have to be created prior to use. Some of the materials in the collection are confidential and are, therefore, RESTRICTED. Consult the Library and Archives staff in advance of your visit to ensure access to these materials is available.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc. owns right, title, and interest in the works of authorship embodied in the materials in this collection. The transfer of Donor's literary and other property rights does not include works of other individuals and organizations contained in the gift. For more information, please consult the staff of the Library and Archives.