The Legends of American Music postage stamp series was unquestionably an important project of the United States Postal Service. Without a doubt, I have always been surprised and frustrated by how few music stamps have been issued by the United States. While other countries like Germany, Austria, Czechoslovaka, and the Soviet Union have issued hundreds of music stamps, for a very long time there were only a handful from my home country
However, that began to change in 1993 with the introduction of the Legends stamps. By the end of the decade, more than seventy musicians would appear on commemorative stamps.
The series kicked off in 1993 with the famous Elvis Presley postage stamp issued, of course, on his birthdate of January 8. Subsequently, six other rhythm & blues artists and rock & roll musicians would be honored that year. Over the coming years, the series would include important figures in classical music, and, significantly, giants of popular music genres.
However, the series has significant problems ranging from some of the stamp designs to the choice of artists included. This main page is an opportunity to discuss altogether the strengths and weaknesses of the Legends series. Furthermore, from here, you can link to specific articles on this blog about the stamps of individual artists.
Giving Popular Music Its Due
Undoubtedly, the most remarkable aspect of this set is that it pays tribute to American popular music. Although opera singers and conductors are included, the vast majority of the stamps feature pop musicians.
In fact, I believe that the most important cultural contribution of the United States has been its music. Indeed, musical genres such as Jazz, R&B, Country & Western, Soul, Folk, Rock & Roll, Hip Hop, and more, will only gain in importance in the future. Similarly, musicians who created and perfected these genres will stand alongside musical geniuses across all times.
Consequently, the appearance of the Legends of American Music stamp series was confirmation pop music had “arrived.” In earlier eras, such artists were considered unimportant or bad influences. Yet, celebrating the musicians on national postage stamps was validation that they were the equal of so-called “high” artists.
Honoring Diversity
The series was important for another reason. For one thing, the series depicts a significant number of Black men and women. More Black musicians were featured in the Legends series than appeared on stamps in total before that point. Of the more than 70 stamps in the set, approximately thirty feature Black artists. For example, stamps in the series depict musicians ranging from Louis Armstrong, to Lead Belly, and Mahalia Jackson. In addition, the entire group of ten jazz musicians features Black men. This was remarkable, even though it would be impossible to honor American music without featuring Black musicians.
In the same way, the Legends stamps series includes many women musicians. Undeniably, the contributions of women to all fields has been woefully under represented on stamps. Overall, seventeen of the Legends stamps depict women. This ranges from country stars like Mother Maybelle Carter and Patsy Cline, to songwriter Dorothy Fields, and, of course, Blues singer Ma Rainey. In particular, all four of the stamps devoted to gospel singers feature Black women.
First Day Cover, Sept. 16, 1995
Design
Legends of American Music postage stamp series
1994
All things considered, the set is extremely important, but has some problems. Firstly, the designs of some of the stamps are flat and border on being caricatures. While most of the stamps feature close portraits of the artists, their quality is unequal. In particular, the country music set and the popular singers are not very attractive.
Other Problems
The strangest thing about the entire set is that it includes more than seventy musicians, and a set of four Broadway musicals. Obviously, musical theater is a great American Art form. However, no other works of art were included. One could easily justify major works like “Rhapsody in Blue,” or albums like “A Love Supreme.”
I really do not think they should have issued specific sets devoted to genres. While some groups, particularly the jazz set, is very strong, others, like rock & roll is tremendously weak. What was the division between the jazz artists and the bandleader set? Why have another category for “jazz and blues singers?”
I really question the inclusion of a “set” of opera singers. While individual singers definitely deserve the honor, are contributions from Americans to opera enough to warrant a set? It is a real shame that this set does not include Marian Anderson, whose performance on the steps of the Lincoln Monument was an important moment in American history. She only died in 1993 and so was not eligible for a stamp yet. Many of the classical musicians were not born in the United States, even though they later were “adopted” by the country. It seems strange to include the opera singer Lily Pons (born in France), the conductor George Szell (from Hungary), or the movie composer Erich Korngold (from Austria) in this project.
Omissions
The other quibble I have with the series is that there are many towering figures in American music that were not included, because they had already appeared on stamps. I can understand the rationale, but I disagree. If the idea was a set of stamps celebrating American artistic greatness, then new stamps celebrating Scott Joplin, Duke Ellington, and Jimmie Rodgers, should have been commissioned. Besides, George Gershwin deservedly was included in this series with his brother Ira, even though he already was on a 1973 stamp.
Other monumental figures of American music were ineligible for inclusion because of the rule that a person needed to be dead for ten years before appearing on a stamp. For newer genres such as rock & roll and country, this eliminated some towering figures. Even so, there are some major omissions. Perhaps most egregiously are the omissions of Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin given their importance to rock music. Also, why only four stamps for country music?
Frankly, I think if they had just issued individual stamps and avoided groupings altogether it would have been a more successful project. Then musicians could always have been added. However, as a collector and interested scholar, I think it is important to collect, examine, and critique these stamps. At the present time I have amassed nearly all of these stamps, often in multiple forms – covers, single stamps, and blocks.
The Legends of American Music Stamps
Rock & Roll / R & B musicians (1993)
Mark Stutzman and John Berkley, designers
| Elvis Presley | Scott Number 2724 | Otis Redding | Scott Number 2728 |
| Bill Haley | 2725 | Buddy Holly | 2729 |
| Clyde McPhatter | 2726 | Dinah Washington | 2730 |
| Ritchie Valens | 2727 |
Broadway Musicals (1993)
Wilson McLean, designer
| Show Boat | Scott Number 2767 | Oklahoma! | Scott Number 2769 |
| Porgy & Bess | 2768 | My Fair Lady | 2770 |
Country Musicians (1993)
| Hank Williams | Scott Number 2771 | The Carter Family | Scott Number 2773 |
| Patsy Cline | 2772 | Bob Wills | 2772 |
Popular Singers (1994)
| Al Jolson | Scott Number 2849 | Nat King Cole | Scott Number 2852 |
| Bing Crosby | 2850 | Ethel Merman | 2853 |
| Ethel Waters | 2851 |
Jazz Singers / Blues Singers (1994)
Howard Koslow and Julian Allen, designers
| Bessie Smith | Scott Number 2854 | Jimmy Rushing | Scott Number 2858 |
| Muddy Waters | 2855 | ‘Ma’ Rainey | 2859 |
| Billie Holiday | 2856 | Mildred Bailey | 2860 |
| Robert Johnson | 2857 | Howlin’ Wolf | 2861 |
Jazz Musicians (1995)
Thomas Blackshear II and Dean Mitchell, designers
| Louis Armstrong | Scott Number 2982 | Eubie Blake | Scott Number 2988 |
| Coleman Hawkins | 2983 | Charles Mingus | 2989 |
| James P. Johnson | 2985 | Thelonius Monk | 2990 |
| Jelly Roll Morton | 2986 | John Coltrane | 2991 |
| Charlie Parker | 2987 | Erroll Garner | 2992 |
Big Band Leaders (1996)
| Count Basie | Scott Number 3096 | Glenn Miller | Scott Number 3098 |
| Tommy & Jimmy Dorsey | 3097 | Benny Goodman | 3099 |
Songwriters (1996)
| Harold Arlen | Scott Number 3100 | Dorothy Fields | Scott Number 3102 |
| Johnny Mercer | 3101 | Hoagy Carmichael | 3103 |
Opera Singers (1997)
Mark English, designer
| Lily Pons | Scott Number 3154 | Lawrence Tibbett | Scott Number 3156 |
| Richard Tucker | 3155 | Rosa Ponselle | 3157 |
Conductors / Composers (1997)
| Leopold Stowkowski | Scott Number 3158 | Samuel Barber | Scott Number 3162 |
| Arthur Fiedler | 3159 | Ferde Grofe | 3163 |
| George Szell | 3160 | Charles Ives | 3164 |
| Eugene Ormandy | 3161 | Louis Moreau Gottschalk | 3165 |
Folk Musicians (1998)
| Lead Belly | Scott Number 3212 | Sonny Terry | Scott Number 3214 |
| Woody Guthrie | 3213 | Josh White | 3215 |
Gospel Musicians (1998)
Howard Paine, designer and Gary Kelly, illustrator
| Mahalia Jackson | Scott Number 3216 | Clara Ward | Scott Number 3218 |
| Roberta Martin | 3217 | Sister Rosetta | 3219 |
Hollywood Composers (1999)
| Max Steiner | Scott Number 3339 | Franz Waxman | Scott Number 3342 |
| Dimitri Tiomkin | 3340 | Alfred Newman | 3343 |
| Bernard Herrmann | 3341 | Erich Wolfgang Korngold | 3344 |
Broadway Composers (1999)
| Ira & George Gershwin | Scott Number 3345 | Rodgers & Hammerstein | Scott Number 3348 |
| Lerner & Lowe | 3346 | Meredith Willson | 3349 |
| Lorenz Hart | 3347 | Frank Loesser | 3350 |
I have some of these stamps — opera singers, classical composers and conductors — that have not been used. I am curious. Are these real stamps that can be used for mailing or are they only collectibles?
Yes, these are real stamps. They can be used in the mail, except you will have to add postage to them to get to the first rate required to mail a letter today. Enjoy them!
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