It is with sadness I note the passing at 80 of ARSC member and personal friend Houston Maples. A memorial service was held for him yesterday.
His collecting interests covered operatic, and, to some extent, show and
film recordings by trained voices. His collection included a not-so-secret
horde of Lucy Marsh's output under many names, individual and group,
including her own. Having spent part of his youth in Moscow, he also had
many Russian records, strong in the MK period, which captured the voices of
many he heard at the Bolshoi and other Russian theatres. His musical
curiosity led him to collect many recorded musical curiosities, He was a
delight to chat with on the phone, even more to be with.
His close friend Elwood McKee is working on an obit, probably for the "Record Collector" magazine- the one about classical vocal music, not pop music.
Steve Smolian