Research Guides: Music Dictionaries, Encyclopedias & Article Databases: Guide to Research and Resources: Biographies & Directories

Multidisciplinary Biographical Resources

General biographical resources can be gold mines for information on musicians of all types. The databases listed here can be particularly useful for music research.

American National Biography Online
Authoritative biographies of more than 18,000 deceased prominent people who lived in what is now the U.S.A. from the Colonial Period to the present, including many important musicians. A "must-see" if your subject was a reasonably prominent American.
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
50,000+ biographies of men and women from British history, including every important British music figure now deceased. A "must-see" if your subject is of British nationality.
Biography Reference Bank
Combines the content of five H. W. Wilson biographical databases, including the in-depth, original profiles of Wilson Biographies Plus Illustrated and Current Bibliography, plus the periodicals coverage of Biography Index, full-text articles, page images, and abstracts from the complete range of Wilson databases (including biographical profiles, feature articles, interviews, essays, book reviews, performance reviews, speeches, or obituaries).
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This unmatched resource offers the in-depth, original profiles of Wilson Biographies Plus Illustrated, and Current Biography, the thorough periodicals coverage of Biography Index, and the specialist biographical content of Junior Authors & Illustrators as well as biographical full-text articles, page images, and abstracts from the complete range of Wilson databases, licensed profiles from other respected sources, and articles from today’s leading magazines and journals.
World Who's Who
Basic biographical data on almost 60,000 prominent living or recently deceased individuals in all fields (including music) from around the world.
Biography and Genealogy Master Index
Combined index of international scope that identifies 13+ million entries in hundreds of biographical sources, including many on music. Updated twice yearly.

Key Print Biographical Sources

The Harvard Biographical Dictionary of Music by Don Michael Randel
Call Number: Reference (SV) ML 105 .H38 1996

Don't overlook these and other key print biographical resources on musicians--there is much important information still not online, and the resources listed here are still particularly useful.

Directories

Directory of Music Faculties in Colleges and Universities, U.S. and Canada
Call Number: Reference (SV) ML 13 .D57 (latest edition)
British & International Music Yearbook
Call Number: Reference (SV) ML 21 .M89493q (latest issue)
"Comprehensive companion to the UK classical music industry."

Biographical Sources

Contemporary Musicians (Online)
Call Number: Print vols. (1-64): Reference (SV) ML 385 .C66
Biographical information on noteworthy figures active in music mostly since the late 1980s, covering artists working in all musical genres, including classical, rock, jazz, pop, rap, rhythm and blues, folk, New Age, country, gospel, and reggae. Search for biographical entries on musicians under “Document Title.”
International Who’s Who in Classical Music
Call Number: Reference (SV) ML 105 .I549