Paul Bierley
Video
Oral History Information
Interview Date
Birth Date
Deceased Date
Job Title
Music Historian
Paul Bierley was a leading expert and author on the life and music of John Philip Sousa. A passionate fan of band music, Paul noticed several elements of Sousa’s career that were not documented. With his own publishing company, he penned several books on the March King’s life, including unearthed volumes of Sousa’s own photographs and manuscripts that otherwise may have been forever lost. Beginning in the 1960s, Paul began interviewing all of those he could locate who were associated with Sousa, from performers in his bands to the bandleader’s personal cook. What Paul discovered and wrote about often was Sousa’s charm and passionate personality.