Fred Waring, born in Tryone, Pennsylvania in 1900, was a former member, Board of Trustees and Distinguished Alumnus of Penn State University.
Known as “the man who taught America how to sing,” his group the “Pennsylvanians” were a unique group of performers touring the United States and the world for almost seven decades, building an impressive list of accomplishments on stage, radio, motion pictures, television and music education.
He racked up many “firsts” along the way - he was the first to have a singing band, the first to use megaphones, to feature vocalists with an orchestra, to combine an orchestra with a glee club, to originate the show choir concept, to make one of the first full-length musical talking pictures, and the first to present weekly musical spectaculars on television.
In 1984, he designated Penn State to house his vast collection of memorabilia and musical archives. Part of the University’s Special Collection library, Fred Waring’s America is located on the third floor of Penn State's Pattee Library. This immeasurable resource of 20th century popular culture consists of Waring's entire musical library, original recordings, films, stage props and over 30,000 photographs. In addition, the collection houses more than 600 pieces of original cartoon art that Waring, an avid fan of the comics, accumulated over the years. The Waring Blendor, often a forgotten part of Fred Waring's legacy, also is on display.
Many materials in the collection are available to music educators, historians, researchers and the community. Fred Waring's America is accessible through the Penn State libraries online catalog at http://www.lias.psu.edu/, or by appointment by contacting Eileen Akin at esc3@psu.edu or (814) 863-2911.
For the In Motion video exploring Fred Waring's America at Penn State, visit http://x02.ur.psu.edu/video/in_motion/waring_collection.html online.
Go to a more detailed history of Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians.
