Paul E. Bierley Papers, 1864-2002 | The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

The collection is arranged in seven series:

Series 1, Correspondence, ca.1960-2000: Sub-Series 1, Correspondence: Authors and Researchers; Sub-Series 2, Correspondence: Sousa Band Members; Sub-Series 3, Correspondence: Recording Companies and Record Collectors; Sub-Series 4, Correspondence: Libraries, Museums and Historical Societies; Sub-Series 5, Correspondence: Universities and Colleges; Sub-Series 6, Correspondence: Military and Government; Sub-Series 7, Correspondence: Publishers (Literary and Music); Sub-Series 8, Correspondence: Sheet Music Publishers and Collectors; Sub-Series 9, Correspondence: Loras Schissel; Sub-Series 10, Correspondence: Others.

Series 2, Sousa Research Materials, ca. 1892-1995: Sub-Series 1, Sousa Subject Files; Sub-Series 2, Sousa Band Personnel Files; Sub-Series 3, Oral Histories and Interviews; Sub-Series 4, Articles and Clippings; Sub-Series 5, Operetta Scores and Librettos; Sub-Series 6, Sousa Band Programs; Sub-Series 7, Willow Grove Programs; Sub-Series 8, Metronome Index and Sousa Library at Cicero; Sub-Series 9, Dissertations and Theses on Sousa and Band; Sub-Series 10, Original Sousa Novels and Other Books; Sub-Series 11, Original Sousa Newspaper Articles; Sub-Series 12, Original Photographs and Tour Maps; Sub-Series 13, Oversized Materials - Japan Sousa Society; Sub-Series 14, Oversized Material; Sub-Series 15, Sousa Correspondence; Sub-Series 16, Photobook Research Materials.

Series 3, American Band History Materials, ca.1900-2000: Sub-Series 1, Articles and Clippings; Sub-Series 2, Leonard B. Smith and the Detroit Concert Band; Sub-Series 3, Henry Fillmore Materials; Sub-Series 4, Hallelujah Trombone; Sub-Series 5, Robert Hoe V Materials; Sub-Series 6, Fillmore Correspondence.

Series 4, Paul Bierley Professional Papers, ca. 1953-2003: Sub-Series 1, Paul E. Bierley - Personal and Professional Papers; Sub-Series 2, Paul E. Bierley Honoraria; Sub-Series 3, Paul E. Bierley Publications; Sub-Series 4, Paul E. Bierley Organizational Memberships; Sub-Series 5, Paul E. Bierley Speaking Engagements.

Series 5, Audio Recordings, ca. 1925-2000: Sub-Series 1, Reel-to-Reel and Cassette Audio Tapes, LPs; Sub-Series 2, Reel-to-Reel Tape Recordings, North American Aviation Band.

Series 6, Photographs, ca. 1864-1964: Sub-Series 1, Digital Photographs, 1864-1964; Sub-Series 2, Barry Furrer Photographs, ca. 1900-1930; Sub-Series 3, Band Members; Sub-Series 4, Candids and Train Wrecks; Sub-Series 5, Performances, Operettas, Undated; Sub-Series 6, Sousa Band Photographs and Sousa with Others; Sub-Series 7, Non-Sousa Band Photographs and Portraits.

and Series 7, Press Books, 1882-1953. The material is organized either alphabetically by author (or recipient in the case of the correspondence), or chronologically when applicable

Paul E. Bierley (1926- ), tubist, engineer and band researcher, is recognized today as the foremost historian of the music and life of John Philip Sousa.  Spending over 40 years collecting material about Sousa's life, band, and music, Mr. Bierley conducted meticulous and wide-ranging research that led to the publication of two definitive works on Sousa: John Philip Sousa: A Catalogue of His Works, which provides a wealth of details about Sousa's musical and literary works, and his biography,  John Philip Sousa:  American Phenomenon. Other Sousa-related works by Mr. Bierley include Hallelujah Trombone (a biography of Henry Fillmore), The Music of Henry Fillmore and Henry Huff, Nineteenth Century American Musical Theater, Later Operetta, Part 1 (El Capitan), and the revised edition of Sousa's Marching Along. Bierley served as editor for the two volume set of William Rehrig's 1991 The Heritage Encyclopedia Band Music (Volume 3, Supplement, 1996), has published many Sousa-related journal articles about the Sousa Band, and has provided liner notes for numerous LPs and CDs.

Bierley was educated as an aeronautical engineer at Ohio State University. During his 35-year career designing airplanes and missiles, he pursued an active career as a musician as well. As a child he began playing the music of Sousa as a tubist in his high school band, and later played the tuba in such ensembles as the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and the Detroit Concert Band. To honor his 40 years of research and scholarly publications on Sousa and American Band History, Ohio Sate University awarded Bierley and honorary doctorate in 2001. He was also awarded the Academy of Wind and Percussion Arts Award from the National Band Association in the same year.