Details
- Reference NumberARC-0024
- Level of descriptioncollection
- TitleMichael Ochs Collection
- Date1948-1997, undated
- Size29.64 (Linear feet)
- Scope and ContentsThe Michael Ochs Collection spans the years 1948 to 1994, with the bulk of the material dating between 1975 and 1985. The documents pertain to Ochs' career as a rock and roll photographer, his career as a publicist for Columbia Records, the courses he taught at UCLA, and his radio programs. Some prominent artists featured in the collection include Ella Fitzgerald, Fleetwood Mac, Jimi Hendrix, Dean Martin, Elvis Presley, The Rolling Stones, Bob Seger, and Grace Slick. The collection provides rich documentation of both Ochs' role in the rock and roll music industry and a history of the rock and roll genre itself. Ochs' research and interviews provide intricate details for those interested in the history of rock and roll music.
- Biography / Administrative HistoryBorn in Austin, Texas but raised in Ohio and New York, Michael Ochs knew from an early age that his main passion in life was rock and roll music. His career in the music business began after college when he became the manager for his brother, folk singer Phil Ochs. Over the course of his incredible career, Michael Ochs also worked as a record company publicist, a music journalist, a music consultant for films, and a rock photographer. He started the Michael Ochs Archives in 1977, a vast collection of photographs documenting the culture and artists of rock and roll music that quickly became the major source of photographs for record companies and music publications. In 2007, Ochs sold the archives to Getty Images for an undisclosed amount. He still remains active in the music world as a writer and professor of music at UCLA.
- NotesCitation: [Identification of item], Michael Ochs Collection, Library and Archives, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.
Acquisition Note: The Michael Ochs Collection was received by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, Inc. as a gift from Michael Ochs on December 2, 2002. 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.
Processing Information: Processed by Rachel Somerville, Project Archivist. Completed October 18, 2010. Revised by William Jackson, Public Services Assistant. Completed October 10, 2013. Revised by Patty Nagel, Volunteer, and Anastasia Karel, Archivist. Completed May 18, 2017. Descriptive sources and standards used to create this inventory: DACS and local processing manual.
Separated Materials: Some items are on exhibit. These items are noted at the file level. Consult the Library and Archives staff in advance of your visit for additional information.
Exhibition History: July 2018-January 2019, Woody Guthrie Center, Tulsa, OK: Mellencamp - AccessCollection 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. There are preservation concerns and defunct media throughout the audiovisual materials in the collection, and only in some cases has the condition of the audiovisual materials been determined for playback purposes, so there are RESTRICTED materials. Access copies of the audiovisual materials may have to be created prior to use. Consult the Library and Archives staff in advance of your visit to ensure access to these materials is available.
- UseThe copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc. For more information, please consult the staff of the Library and Archives.
- Associated Persons
- Associated Subjects
Hierarchy browser