Research Guides
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Welcome to the guide for the Kearney Barton Collection of Northwest Music. From here you can search the Collection and listen to select recordings from its vast holdings.
About Kearney Barton: Seattle recording engineer Kearney Barton (1931-2012) began crafting sounds in the early 1950s. His portfolio arcs over genres: rock, opera, jazz, folk, bluegrass, classical, cabaret, gospel, and even the occasional accordion-infused Nordic novelty song. Most significantly, Barton is recognized with shaping the “Northwest Sound.” NW music historian Peter Blecha writes: "Seattle's Kearney Barton is the man whose audio engineering work can be credited with forging the powerful aural esthetic that became widely known as the 'original Northwest Sound'" (historylink.org).
If you have questions about the Collection, or want to learn more about how to support its preservation, please contact ethnoarc@uw.edu.