Special Collections
George Geelan Blues & Jazz Festivals Collection

Biographical Sketch Collection Finding Aid with Series Descriptions

The George Geelan Blues and Jazz Festivals Collection was gifted by Sara Geelan, niece of George Geelan, and delivered to Special Collections by Cindy Terwilliger in November of 2005. The collection contains over 1500 photographs, dating from 1995-2003, as well as nearly 90 rolls of film negatives. The majority of the photographs are from various blues and jazz festivals from around the area, including the Kansas City Blues and Jazz Festival; the King Biscuit Festival in Helena, AR; the Kansas City, Kansas, Street Blues Festival; and the Mardi Gras Blues Club Crawl. Some of the notable artists photographed are B.B. King, Wilson Pickett, Junior Kimbrough, and Ike Turner.

Additional material include articles and press releases about Kansas City musician Lawrence Wright – with whom Geelan had become close – as well as a eulogy for Wright written by Geelan; several posters from various blues and jazz festivals around the area; membership cards, postcards, business cards, pamphlets and calendars. The collection also contains material regarding the 2000 Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise – which Geelan went on – including email correspondence with other passengers, itineraries, tickets, and other ephemera. The collection also includes approximately 120 issues, dating from 1995-2005, of (Kansas City) Blues News, the official monthly publication of the Kansas City Blues Society, to which Geelan contributed. This material is housed with the Special Collections periodical collection and can be found using the library’s online catalog. A compact disc from the collection, entitled Hot Licks Cold Steel, Boogie Favorites, is housed in the Marr Sound Archives.

"I've met so many other people, like myself, who don't travel the super-highways of life, but who, instead, decided to make our way along the scenic route." ~ George Geelan

George Geelan and Connie Crash share a moment with blues piano legend Pinetop Perkins at the 1998 King Biscuit Blues Festival in Helena, Arkansas.

Blues guitarist John Hammond and Washboard Chaz perform together on stage at the 1998 Kansas City Blues & Jazz Festival.

George Geelan, seen here in front of an adorned wall at the old Grand Emporium, was a diehard supporter of the blues scene in Kansas City.

Special Collections is a non-circulating and non-browsing resource center. The Special Collections Reading Room is open to researchers Monday through Friday during the academic year. Public service hours for the current semester are listed at http://library.umkc.edu/spec-col/index.html#hours but researchers are encouraged to call ahead for verification of hours due to University intersessions and other events. Special Collections is located on the fourth floor of the Miller Nichols Library at 5100 Rockhill Road in Kansas City, Missouri. All inquiries concerning access to the collections should be addressed to Special Collections Library Information Specialists Teresa Gipson or Kelly McEniry.