UMKC Marr Sound Archives

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10800 N Congress Avenue

The Marr Sound Archives focuses on the American experience as reflected in recorded sound. and Mrs.

The Marr Sound Archives was established in 1986, with a foundation gift of 42,000 sound recording from Gaylord Marr and his wife Olga. An Associate Professor of Communication Studies at UMKC, Marr pioneered the use of historic audio/visual recordings in the classroom. “Why talk about the political climate of Munich in Sept., 1938,” Marr asked, “when students can hear the voices of the participants

and newscasters on the spot, reporting events as they unfold?” The Sound Archives is named in Marr’s honor. The collection quickly outgrew its original location in two rooms on the second floor of the General Library. When the library was renovated in 1992, the Sound Archives moved to the ground floor, adjacent to the Music/Media Library. The archives’ spacious new home and the 2010 construction of the RooBot, an automated storage and retrieval system, allowed for continued growth. Today the collection has grown to number over 350,000 recordings, with a focus on the American experience as reflected in recorded sound. The collection features a wide variety of music genres including jazz, blues, soul, country, popular music, rock and roll, folk, classical and opera. In addition historic voices and authors reading their own works and vintage radio programs make up a large part of the collection. The holdings encompass a wide range of historic formats including LPs, 78s, 45s, cylinders, transcription discs, instantaneous-cut discs and open-reel tapes. The Sound Archives serves the students, faculty, and staff of the University of Missouri-Kansas City, as well as local community members and scholarly researchers around the globe. Over the years, the Marr Sound Archives has contributed recording and reference services to a number of projects including Robert Altman’s Kansas City, Merchant-Ivory Films’ Mr. Bridge; Capitol Records 50th Anniversary; a complete reissue of the recordings of Julia Lee on the Bear Family label of Germany; documentaries on the Kansas City Monarchs, Walter Cronkite and Harry Truman; the radio show This I Believe; and the Mississippi Blues Trails.

05/04/2026

Happy May 4th from some gems in the Archives!

05/01/2026

Happy International Jazz Day from Marr Sound Archives!

04/14/2026

We are excited to spin this iconic Kansas City hardcore album from our Archives at the next Marr Session with the on April 23!

Season to Risk’s “In A Perfect World” is a colorful and concise example of the national and local post-punk hardcore scene. Experienced the anti-establishment attitude of punk-rock days past and present via The Listyning Room’s world class audio set-up.

Doors at 6:30, program starts at 7 p.m.
Tickets: $10, $5 (under 21)

04/10/2026

April Showers bring...new LP displays, featuring albums with a floral motif.

Currently listening: "Junk Culture" by Orchestral Manoeuvers in the Dark (OMD), 1984, Virgin Records.

Find more floral favorites at the Marr Sound Archives.

03/20/2026

The archives are safe with us! Click the link to see more!

The archives are safe with us

03/13/2026

Kansas City community and beyond! Have you used UMKC LaBudde Special Collections & University Archives or UMKC Marr Sound Archives services lately? Now through March 20, the UMKC Libraries are gathering feedback to plan for the Libraries' next chapter. We invite you to share your perspective via the 2026 Library Survey: https://umkc.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0j3kWYU2SgKLmT4
Photo credit: Coeds on Scofield Hall (Old Admin Building) Rear Stairs, 1936. UMKC University Archives.

03/06/2026

Learn about upcoming dates for our "The Marr Sessions" partnership with Center For Recorded Music.

Join us for the next session: March 26, 2026, 7-8 p.m.

The Marr Sessions - UMKC Libraries The Marr Sessions

03/03/2026

Library Special Collections and Archives Protect UMKC’s history by supporting Library Special Collections and Archives.

Live Jazz Tonite: The Photography of Beverly Rehkop Exhibit - UMKC Libraries

02/17/2026

Visit the 1st floor of the UMKC Libraries Miller Nichols Library to see an exhibit of historic photographs of Kansas City jazz musicians by photographer Beverly Rehkop with accompanying album covers sourced from the Marr Sound Archives. Now through May 2026.

Live Jazz Tonite: The Photography of Beverly Rehkop Exhibit - UMKC Libraries Live Jazz Tonite: The Photography of Beverly Rehkop Exhibit