Begun in conjunction with the Houston Blues Museum, the Houston Blues Museum Archive documents the history of the genre in the bayou city. The collections consist of oral histories, photographs, posters, and more.

Explore the digital and physical collections, rare book collection, or search for your favorite performer, band, or venue in the A to Z list at the bottom.

Big Walter "The Thunderbird" Price collection

The Big Walter "The Thunderbird" Price collection contains an interview and an oral history.

James Fraher photograph collection

This collection consists of photography by James Fraher, which documents members of the Houston blues and the Texas zydeco community. 

Jimmy Don Smith collection

This collection contains photographs, fliers, posters and more related to Jimmy Don Smith and other musicians.

Houston Blues Museum Archive oral histories

This collection contains oral histories from members of Houston’s Blues community.

Liberty Hall collection

This collection consists of photographs, oral histories, posters, and other ephemera related to the Houston music venue Liberty Hall.

Public News

This collection consists of 88 issues from the early years of Public News.

Ralph Fales photograph collection

This collection consists of photographs of musicians and other entertainers from a variety of performance venues in Houston.

Rockefeller's collection

This collection consists of event calendars from the Houston music venue.

Physical Collections

Rare Books

Search People and Venues

A

Abair, Kinney

Alexis, Bobby

B

Bell, Kenneth

Big Easy

Billy Blues

Blanchard, Carolyn

Bland, Bobby "Blue"

Bolden, James

Bouldin, Morgan

Bret, D.D.

Broussard, Iola

Brown, Clarence "Gatemouth," 1924-2005

Brown, Jewel

Brown, Leonard “Low Down”

Brown, Texas Johnny

Brown, Theodore

Burton, Williard "Piano Slim"

C

C. Davis Bar-B-Q

Caldwell the Tailor

Carlson, Charles “C.C.”

Carrier, Eugene

Carrier, Naomi

Chevis, Wilfred

Collins, Albert, 1932-1993

Collins, Big Roger

Continental Zydeco

Copeland, Johnny

Cormier, Alfred

Cormier, Curly

Cormier, Shedrick

D

Dan Electro's Guitar Bar

Dotson, Jimmy “Louisiana”

Dunham, Aubrey

E

Edwards, Gloria

El Nedo Café

Eldorado Ballroom

Embassy Ballroom

Evans, Verta Mae

F

Fraher, James

Fran, Carol

G

Gaines, Grady

Gaines, Roy

Gatlin, Vanessa

Gilliam, Earl

Gosey, I.J.

Gray, Jackie

Green, Clarence

Green, John

Greenleaf, Diunna

H

Halliburton, Joe

Hawthorne, Eugene

Hayes, Henry

Hill, Ken “Sugar”

Holliman, Clarence

Hollis, William “Candyman”

Hopkins, Lightnin'

Hopkins, Milton

Hughes, Joe "Guitar"

J

Jackson, Rayfield

James, Joe

James, Sonny

Johnson, Conrad

Johnson, Don

Johnson, Evelyn

K

Kesee, Don

L

Lewis, Bert

Lewis, Bobby

Lewis, Luvenia

Lipscomb, Mance

Lynn, Trudy

M

Mayes, Pete

McFarland, Wilbur

McIntyre, Donna “Lady D"

McLendon, Doris

Mills, Nelson, III

Miss Ann's Playpen

Moody, Eugene

Moore, Willie "Mo'e"

Morris, Leo

Moseley, Mickey

Mr. Gino's

Murphy, Robert “Skin Man”

Murray, Eugene “Spartiem”

Murray, Pearl

N

Nelson, Jimmy “T-99”

Newman, Melvin

O

O'Bear, Oscar

Ollison, Vern

Overstreet, Nathaniel “Pops”

Owens, Calvin

Owens, Don “Sweet D”

P

Perry, Oscar

Phelps, Robert

Prejean, Johnny

Price, Big Walter “The Thunderbird”

R

Reddi Room

Reynolds, Teddy

Roberts, Paul David

Robertson, Sherman

Robinson, Faye

S

Savoy, Ashton

Semen, Ivory Lee

Shady's Playhouse

Silver Slipper

Simmons, Hamp

Smith, Big Robert

Smith, Jimmy Don

Stephens, Robert Louis "Pee Wee"

Sweet Pea

T

Thomas, Richie Dell

Turner, Ardis

Turner, Ben

Turner, Martha

W

Washington, Little Joe

Webster, Katie

White, Lavelle

Williams, Andy “Too Hard”

Wilson, Lala

Wood, Roger