Pillow, Faith (1954-2003) Papers, 1976-2001

Held by The Filson Historical Society

Creator: Pillow, Faith, 1954-2003

Title: Papers, 1976-2001

Rights: For information regarding literary and copyright interest for these papers, contact the Curator of Special Collections.

Size of Collection: 2 cubic feet

Location Number: Mss. A P642

Scope and Content Note

Sheet music, lyric sheets, recordings, photographs, promotional materials, periodical clippings, and a journal related to jazz musician Pillow’s career in Chicago, Los Angeles, the Netherlands, and Louisville. Contains recording charts for several of Pillow’s songs original compositions and two covers, “Natural Woman” (King/Goffin/Wexler) and “Blackbird” (Lennon/McCartney). Includes Pillow’s compact discs and LPs as well as a large number of photographs of Pillow taken by Chicagoan Lisa Ebright and contact sheets of photos taken by Dutch photographer Coerlien Hey.

Biographical Note

Faith Pillow was a jazz musician born and raised in Louisville. In the 1970s, after a series of singing gigs in Louisville, she moved to Chicago and began her career as a songwriter. In 1981, she released her self-titled, debut album. Eventually, she left Chicago, settling in Los Angeles and then Amsterdam. While in the Netherlands in the 1990s, she released four albums. In the mid-1990s, Pillow returned to Louisville and became a frequent performer in local clubs, and 2001 saw the re-release of her debut album (re-titled Live 1981 ) by a Japanese label. She died in 2003 following surgery at University of Louisville Hospital.

Folder List

Folder 1: Biography and Miscellaneous

Folder 2: “Blackbird” Charts

Folder 3: “Shady Lady” Charts

Folder 4: “Makes Me Know” Charts

Folder 5: “Come on Down” Charts

Folder 6: “Being Loved” Charts

Folder 7: “Melinda” Charts

Folder 8: “Sanity” Charts

Folder 9: “Natural Woman” Charts

Folder 10: Chord Sheets

Folder 11: Songbook

Folder 12: Lyrics I

Folder 13: Lyrics II

Folder 14: Lyric Notebook I

Folder 15: Lyric Notebook II

Folder 16: Lyric Notebook III

Folder 17: Lyric Notebook IV

Folder 18: Short Stories Notebook

Folder 19: Musings

Folder 20: Diary/Lyric Book

Folder 21: Lyric Book

Folder 22: Faith Pillow Song Book

Folder 23: Compact Discs – 1995-1996

Folder 24: Compact Discs – Amsterdam & Live 1981

Folder 25: Compact Discs – Archival

Folder 26: DAT Tapes

Folder 27: Photograph Album I

Folder 28: Photograph Album II

Folder 29: Binder I

Folder 30: Binder II

Folder 31: Journal

Folder 32: VHS – At the Rud, 4 December 1997

Folder 33: DVD – O’Brian, parts 1 and 2

Folder 34: Faith Pillow LP & Artwork (oversize)

Recordings List

Faith Pillow – LP (1981, folder 34)

Sanity – CD (1995, folder 23)

Hard to Sleep – CD (1995, folder 23)

Run in the Sunshine – CD (1996, folder 23)

“Run in the Sunshine” – CD single (1996, folder 23)

“Stuck in the Middle” – CD single (1996, folder 23)

Amsterdam (199?, folder 24)

Live 1981 (2001, folder 24 – reissue of Faith Pillow )

Sanity – Archival CD, no artwork

Run in the Sunshine – Archival CD, no artwork

Amsterdam – Archival CD, no artwork

Live 1981 – Archival CD, no artwork

The String-Amsterdam – Archival CD, no artwork

The String (2)-Amsterdam – Archival CD, no artwork

Studio-Various – Archival CD, no artwork

Subject Headings

African American women musicians

Ebright, Lisa

Kentucky Center for the Arts

Musicians – Photographs

Pillow, Faith, 1954-2003

Popular music

Reno (Nev.) – Description and travel