Bill Gessner Papers
Collection Overview
Title: Bill Gessner Papers
ID: OGLMC1724
Primary Creator: Gessner, William (1947-2019)
Extent: 3.5 Linear Feet
Date Acquired: 04/23/2024
Subjects: Music, University of North Dakota - Alumni
Languages: English
Abstract
Scope and Contents of the Materials
The Bill Gessner Papers consist of his obituaries, CDs of his recorded songs, articles he wrote for the Cooperative Grocer Magazine, song lyrics and poems including songs printed in his church's Christmas newsletters, notebooks full of song lyrics and personal notes, Gessner genealogy, personal letters to his parents, and information about song writing workshops.
Series 1: Biographical Materials
Series 2: Song Lyrics and Poetry
Series 3: Notebooks
Series 4: Gessner Genealogy
Series 5: Songwriting Workshops
Collection Historical Note
"William 'Bill' Gessner died unexpectedly on the evening of January 14, 2019, at Courage Kenny Rehab Center in Golden Valley, Minnesota, following a stroke on November 27, 2018. Bill was born in Fargo, ND, on July 27, 1947. He graduated from Minot High School in 1965. He was the student manager of the 1965 state championship Magicians basketball team and active in Student Council. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity and graduated with a B.A. from the University of North Dakota in 1969. He began his longtime co-op career when he managed the Grand Forks Food Co-op during the late 1970s.
Bill was a much loved figure in three national communities: food co-ops, songwriters & musicians, and amateur tennis enthusiasts. He had an extremely active life based in Minneapolis and had created a network of friends nationwide due to these interests. He helped found several key co-op organizations and worked for more than twenty years with CDS Consulting Co-op. In 2012, he was honored by being inducted by his colleagues into the Cooperative Hall of Fame. They described Bill as being 'loyal, loving, generous, unassuming, humorous, playful, even quirky.' Bill recorded two CDs with his own compositions, 'Welcome to Gessnerville, Pop. 19' and 'Wild Life.' In the fields of co-ops, music, and tennis, it would be impossible to count the number of people who would say 'I wouldn't be where I am without Bill Gessner's support.'
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Royce and Elaine Gessner. He is survived by his seven cousins, Mike and David Hoopman, Judith Hains, Fred and Pete Challoner, Blaine Shepherd, Georgia Bond, and countless dear and treasured friends. His body will be cremated and buried next to his parents in the Walhalla Cemetery in eastern North Dakota. A celebration of Bill's life will be held in Minneapolis in May."
Source: Grand Forks Herald, 1 February 2019
Subject/Index Terms
Administrative Information
Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections
Access Restrictions: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.
Acquisition Source: Carolyn King, Grand Rapids, Minnesota
Acquisition Method: Donation; 2024-3507
Preferred Citation: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections, Chester Fritz Library, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.
Processing Information: Processed by Tamara Bordon, Special Collections Graduate Student Intern, in May 2024.
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1991-2019],
[Series 2: Song Lyrics and Poetry, 1973-2018],
[Series 3: Gessner's Notebooks, 1972-2003],
[Series 4: Gessner Genealogy, 1963-1995],
[Series 5: Songwriting Workshops, 1997-2018],
[All]
- Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1991-2019
The first series contains obituaries for Bill Gessner describing his educational, professional, and personal life, three CDs of recorded music, Box 1, Folders 1-2, as well as digital records* regarding the creation of Gessner's CDs.
The first series also contains thirteen articles* written by Gessner for the Cooperative Grocer Magazine dating 1991-2015 arranged chronologically. Articles can be found at https://archives.grocer.coop/articles?keys=&authors=6230&issue=All
* Contact University of North Dakota Special Collections for PDF copies of digital materials.
- Sub-Series 1: Obituaries, 2019
- The first sub-series includes Bill Gessner's Obituaries, Box 1, Folder 1. Obituaries are from the Grand Forks Herald dated February 1, 2019, Minot, and Star Tribune dated January 20, 2019.
- Sub-Series 2: CDs
The second sub-series contains three CDs of Bill Gessner's recorded music, Box 1, Folder 2, and digital records* regarding the creation of his CDs.
* Contact University of North Dakota Special Collections for PDF copies of digital materials.
- Folder 1: Digital Records Regarding CD Creation, 2001-2017
Digital records regarding CD organization and creation.
Item 1: Letter to Ralph Murphy at ASCAP, June 14, 2001
Item 2: Bill Gessner's Business Plan, August 14, 2001
Item 3: Notes about Estelle's CD, May 1, 2017
Item 4: Gessnerville and Traditions Playlist, October 4, 2003
Item 5: Promotion Introduction
- Folder 1: Digital Records Regarding CD Creation, 2001-2017
- Sub-Series 3: Cooperative Grocer Magazine Articles, 1991-2015
The third sub-series contains thirteen articles* written by Gessner for the Cooperative Grocer Magazine dating 1991 - 2015 arranged chronologically. Articles can be found at https://archives.grocer.coop/articles?keys=&authors=6230&issue=All
* Contact University of North Dakota Special Collections for PDF copies of digital materials.
Item 1: "Preparing for Expansion" March-April 1991
Item 2: "Project Management for Cooperatives", May-June 1993
Item 3: "The Co-op Empowerment Stream", March-April 1996
Item 4: "Clarifying Board and Management Roles in Expansion/Relocation Projects", July-August 1999
Item 5: "Conducting Member Loan Campaigns", January-February 2000
Item 6: "Your New Store: Meeting First Year Challenges", March-April 2002
Item 7: "The Spirit of Generosity", March-April 2004
Item 8: "Avoid Post-Expansion Burnout: The Board of Director's Role", September-October 2005
Item 9: "Co-op Expansions Raise the Bar", November-December 2005
Item 10: "Capitalization Strategies for New and Existing Co-ops", March-April 2007
Item 11: "Additional Stores: Expanding 'The Co-op'", January-February 2008
Item 12: "The Spirit of Generosity", May-June 2015
Item 13: "Getting Started with Expansion Planning", September-October 2015
- Sub-Series 1: Obituaries, 2019
- Series 2: Song Lyrics and Poetry, 1973-2018
The second series contains typed and hand-written song lyrics by Bill Gessner arranged alphabetically by song title, Box 1, folders 3-398. Some folders contain several drafts while some only contain one. Most papers contain only lyrics while some include music notes.
It also contains poetry by Gessner, Box 2, Folder 1, as well as digital copies* of lyrics and poetry, some of which are unique to the physical copies.
Also included are Christmas songs* arranged chronologically from 1978-2007, Box 2, Folders 44-74. Some, if not all, of the songs were published in his local church's Christmas newsletter.
* Contact University of North Dakota Special Collections for PDF copies of digital materials.
- Sub-Series 1: Song Lyrics, 1973-2018
The first sub-series contains copies of song lyrics by Bill Gessner arranged alphabetically, Box 1, Folders 3-398.
It also contains digital copies* of song ideas with lyrics arranged alphabetically for those with obvious titles. Some are unique to the physical copies contained at University of North Dakota Special Collections.
* Contact University of North Dakota Special Collections for PDF copies of digital materials.
Digital copy of song ideas dated 1997-2013:
Item 1: All I Want is a Little Bit More, May 2007
Item 2: Another Day in Paradise, May 2007
Item 3: Against My Better Judgment, May 2010
Item 4: Awesome, January 2007
Item 5: Baby Boy, 1997
Item 6: Baby, Why Do You Deceive Me, August 2008
Item 7: Better Judgment, May 2009
Item 8: Big Baby Boss, March 2010
Item 9: Bumpity, Bumpity, Bump, May 2008
Item 10: Celebrity Jail, August 2008
Item 11: Colleen: Laying-in Hospital, May 2013
Item 12: Consumer Confidence, June 2008
Item 13: Dealer's Choice, March 8, 2003
Item 14: Difference-Maker, August 2012
Item 15: Ditto, February 2007
Item 16: Don't, April 2011, October 2011
Item 17: Dwelling in the Wonderment, April 2011
Item 18: Efficiency Expert, January 2011
Item 19: Endangered Species, July 2007
Item 20: Every Day is Earth Day, March 2010
Item 21: Every So Often, May 2010
Item 22: Every Time That I Spend Time with You, May 2012
Item 23: Everything About Flowers is True, July 2012
Item 24: Everywhere I Go, September 2010
Item 25: Expert Witness, April 2008
Item 26: Extra, February 2007
Item 27: Falling in Like, May 2008
Item 28: Garbage or Trash, May 2008
Item 29: Gorgeous George (The Human Orchid), November 2013
Item 30: Hugged, October 2011
Item 31: I Love it When You Snore, June 2007
Item 32: I Love Tennis (What More Can You Ask For?), May 2013
Item 33: If I Had a Real Good Friend, February 2007
Item 34: If Time Stood Still, June 2008 Item 36: I'm Barkin' Up the Wrong Tree, January 2009
Item 37: Invisible, October 2009
Item 38: Infant in My Arms, May 2013
Item 39: Is it Possible to Be, 1997
Item 40: It Goes Something Like This, January 2008
Item 41: Jump to a Conclusion, December 2006
Item 42: Keep Me Around, December 2008
Item 43: Lefty Loosey, Righty Tighty, August 2008
Item 44: Live-In Lover, April 15, 2004
Item 45: Lowest Common Denominator, June 2007
Item 46: Maybe, December 2008
Item 47: Maybe She Would Like Me, August 2008
Item 48: Minnesota Blues, March 2009
Item 49: Money and Me, February 2007
Item 50: Move On, , March 2009 Item 51: My Endless List of Things to Do, March 2007
Item 52: Next to Nothing, June 2008
Item 53: Nicola Gordon, December 2007
Item 54: Old Rising Road, June 2008
Item 55: One Thing, December 2006
Item 56: Optimism as Disease, May 2008
Item 57: Parliamentary Procedure, May 2008
Item 58: Parts, April 2014
Item 59: Permanent Record, May 2013
Item 60: Perpetuity, May 2008
Item 61: Plastic Island, May 2009
Item 62: Push it Down the Line, May 2010
Item 63: Recipientes of Mist, 1997
Item 64: Renter's Rights, January 2009
Item 65: Remote Control, May 2013
Item 66: Retirement, August 2008
Item 67: Rising Road, June 2008
Item 68: Saturday, March 2010
Item 69: Scapegoat, May 2010
Item 70: Shall We Feast, May 2010
Item 71: She's Got Her VCR, April 2009
Item 72: Significance, May 2010
Item 73: Skunk Song, November 2007
Item 74: Slow Learner, August 2007
Item 75: Standard of Living, 1997
Item 76: Still Working, August 2008
Item 77: Stream of My Youth, 1997
Item 78: Surface Tension, November 2013
Item 79: Surrender, May 2008
Item 80: Talking Machine, January 2007
Item 81: The All-In-One-Machine, December 2008
Item 82: The God of Evolution, May 2010
Item 83: The Late Piano, 1997
Item 84: The Lowest Common Denominator, May 2007
Item 85: The Mountain of Surrender, March 2010
Item 86: They Mysteries of Life, August 2008
Item 87: The Number, The Count, The Total, January 18, 2002
Item 88: The Phone Booth, March 22, 2003
Item 89: The Rising Road, June 2008
Item 90: The Queen of Christmas, December 2008
Item 91: The Victor and the Victim, August 2008
Item 92: Things I Don't Understand, February 2008
Item 93: To Love Someone, January 2008
Item 94: Too Proud, January 8, 2002
Item 95: Two Days After Christmas, December 2006
Item 96: Undo--Can't Undo--Undone, December 2007
Item 97: Unnecessary Roughness, May 2010
Item 98: Unsheepishly, December 2008
Item 99: Wake-Up Call, September 2009
Item 100: What Do I Do Now?, January 21, 2002
Item 101: What Happened to the Second Hand?, July 2009
Item 102: Whimsical, March 2007
Item 103: Yield, May 2009
Item 104: You Really Make a Difference in My Life, August 2012
Item 105: You've Just Got to Be Kidding Me, June 2009
- Folder 1: $17,452.35
- Folder 2: A True Aficionado
- Folder 3: Across the Lake, 1982
- Folder 4: Adult Situations
- Folder 5: Advance Praise
- Folder 6: Afraid
- Folder 7: Africa, Africa
- Folder 8: After All, 1978
- Folder 9: Alameda County Fair, 1978
- Folder 10: Alcohol is Poison
- Folder 11: All in All
- Folder 12: All She Ever Wanted
- Folder 13: All That Fine Debris
- Folder 14: Almost Nowhere, 2002
- Folder 15: Along the Sweet Banks of the Hudson
- Folder 16: Alphabetical Order
- Folder 17: Animal Rock & Roll
- Folder 18: Anyone but Me
- Folder 19: As Long as I Have You, 1998
- Folder 20: ATM
- Folder 21: Baby Blue, 1978
- Folder 22: Baby Boy
- Folder 23: Baby, Dote on Me
- Folder 24: Baby, Why do You Deceive Me?
- Folder 25: Back Home in Baraboo
- Folder 26: Bakers Bridge and Bullheads
- Folder 27: Ballad of Billie Jo Dupree
- Folder 28: Barely Gettin' By
- Folder 29: Baseball Blues, 1978
- Folder 30: Beneath the Minnesota Moon
- Folder 31: Big Baby Boss
- Folder 32: Big Boxes
- Folder 33: Big Foot
- Folder 34: Big Ol' Mess
- Folder 35: Big Wish, 2005
- Folder 36: Blew into Town
- Folder 37: Blue Horizon
- Folder 38: Blue Lake, Blue Lake
- Folder 39: Bonehead Move
- Folder 40: Bridges
- Folder 41: Busy Man
- Folder 42: Carolina Morning, 1997
- Folder 43: Catch Me at Park Rapids, Minnesota, 1983
- Folder 44: Cedar Waxwing
- Folder 45: Chartreuse
- Folder 46: Clothes Make the Man
- Folder 47: Color-Coded World
- Folder 48: Coney Island
- Folder 49: Consider This
- Folder 50: Constipated Blues
- Folder 51: Continuity, 1978
- Folder 52: Crocodile Tears
- Folder 53: Cruel Memories
- Folder 54: Cruise Control, 1978
- Folder 55: Currency of Motion
- Folder 56: Damaged Goods, 2004
- Folder 57: Darcy's Diner
- Folder 58: David and Oprah
- Folder 59: Dead End Row, 1978
- Folder 60: Decorative Pillows
- Folder 61: Denial
- Folder 62: Depreciation
- Folder 63: Depth of Field
- Folder 64: Discombobulated Blues
- Folder 65: Disillusioned Downbeat
- Folder 66: Ditto
- Folder 67: Don't Kick Sand in My Face, 1983
- Folder 68: Don't Let it Get You Down, 1978
- Folder 69: Don't Let Time Go
- Folder 70: Don't Thank Me Yet
- Folder 71: Double Lives
- Folder 72: Down Here, 1996
- Folder 73: Downwind from Washington, 2004
- Folder 74: Dwelling in the Wonderment
- Folder 75: Ebb and Flow
- Folder 76: Elephant in the Room
- Folder 77: Encryption Blues
- Folder 78: Enormous
- Folder 79: Equal Opportunity
- Folder 80: Estelle, The Bamboo Farmer
- Folder 81: Evelyn
- Folder 82: Fall, 1978
- Folder 83: Fee
- Folder 84: Fiddle All Night
- Folder 85: Fit Me In, 2015
- Folder 86: Flypaper
- Folder 87: For the Most Part, 2003
- Folder 88: Fragile
- Folder 89: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Folder 90: Fridge
- Folder 91: From One Thing to Another
- Folder 92: From Paradox to Paradigm, 2018
- Folder 93: From the Ground Floor Up
- Folder 94: From the Music
- Folder 95: Get it Done, 2016
- Folder 96: Give Voice to Joy, 2002
- Folder 97: Go to the Wedge, 1998
- Folder 98: God of This and That
- Folder 99: Going Up
- Folder 100: Gonna Graduate
- Folder 101: Gonna Pick Blueberries
- Folder 102: Growing Up, 2002
- Folder 103: Happy Birthday, Nicola
- Folder 104: Hear the Song
- Folder 105: Heaven and Earth
- Folder 106: Here Today Gone Tomorrow
- Folder 107: He's My Penis
- Folder 108: Hey, Hey, 2008
- Folder 109: Hey, I'll Be There, 1980
- Folder 110: Hey There, Baby
- Folder 111: Hidden Gem, 2002
- Folder 112: History Will Repeat Itself, 2011
- Folder 113: Hoo, Hoo, Hoo
- Folder 114: Human Error
- Folder 115: I Do
- Folder 116: I Find That I Find Myself Repeating Myself, 1978
- Folder 117: I Just Want to Keep on Loving You, 1998
- Folder 118: I Lost Some Friends
- Folder 119: I Love it When You Snore, 2007
- Folder 120: I Love Tennis, 2016
- Folder 121: I Miss My Mother, and I Miss My Dad, 1978
- Folder 122: I Never Thought I'd Be a Multi-Millionaire, 2004
- Folder 123: I Stand to be Corrected
- Folder 124: I Subscribe, 1978
- Folder 125: I Used to Clean My Nails, 2002
- Folder 126: I Wanna Marry Donna
- Folder 127: I Was Her Father
- Folder 128: I Will Come for You, 1999
- Folder 129: I Wish Daddy Was a Singer, 1983
- Folder 130: I Wonder What He's Thinking Now, 2003
- Folder 131: Identity Theft, 2003
- Folder 132: If That's the Way You Feel
- Folder 133: I'm a Furnace
- Folder 134: I'm Barkin' Up the Wrong Tree
- Folder 135: I'm Playing My Melody
- Folder 136: I'm Run Down
- Folder 137: I'm the Judge
- Folder 138: In My Dim Confusion
- Folder 139: In the Heart of Summertime, 1983
- Folder 140: In the Web of My Hand
- Folder 141: Innocence
- Folder 142: It's All About Me
- Folder 143: It's Been a Great Year
- Folder 144: It's Hard Sending Music Through the Mail, 1978
- Folder 145: It's My Right (To Rock and Roll)
- Folder 146: It's Time to Put the Fun Back in Dysfunctional
- Folder 147: It's Window Washing Day in Fairfax County
- Folder 148: I've Done a Lot of Women Wrong
- Folder 149: I've Got a Secret, 2003
- Folder 150: I've Paid My Disco Dues
- Folder 151: Junk Runs Through My Veins, 2005
- Folder 152: Just Gimme Ernest Tubb
- Folder 153: Just in Time
- Folder 154: Just Like Life
- Folder 155: Keeping Time
- Folder 156: Kentucky I'm Home
- Folder 157: Lap of Luxury
- Folder 158: Lead Me to the Water
- Folder 159: Leaving
- Folder 160: Legroom
- Folder 161: Lenient and Imminent
- Folder 162: Let's Get Funky
- Folder 163: Little Boxes
- Folder 164: Little by Little, 1980
- Folder 165: Loose Ends
- Folder 166: Love for Sale, 1977
- Folder 167: Lovettsville Cooperative Market
- Folder 168: Loving You, 1977
- Folder 169: Lunch Hour
- Folder 170: Magazine
- Folder 171: Maggie and Ted, 1983
- Folder 172: Mannequin
- Folder 173: Marooned, 1978
- Folder 174: Mascot
- Folder 175: Maybe My Baby, 1980
- Folder 176: Mesaba Co-op Park
- Folder 177: Metro Burnouts, 1983
- Folder 178: Mine Pit Song, 1998
- Folder 179: Minneapolis Sound
- Folder 180: Monkey in a Jumpsuit
- Folder 181: Monogram Man
- Folder 182: More and More, Less and Less
- Folder 183: More Every Day, 1979
- Folder 184: Motion Sickness, 1980
- Folder 185: Motivated Mediocre Man, 2003
- Folder 186: Mr. Precision
- Folder 187: Mr. Right
- Folder 188: Muggy Minnesota, 1982
- Folder 189: Muscle Man
- Folder 190: Musical Chairs
- Folder 191: My Ancestors Are My Witness, 2014
- Folder 192: My Baby Really Likes It When It Rains
- Folder 193: My Dentist Went to Jail
- Folder 194: My Little Cottage in Connecticut
- Folder 195: Mystery Man, 2002
- Folder 196: Naming Rights
- Folder 197: Nervoustown
- Folder 198: Net Worth
- Folder 199: New Spun Gold
- Folder 200: Nine Months to Live
- Folder 201: No Good at Names
- Folder 202: No Holds Barred, 1978
- Folder 203: No One Else Will
- Folder 204: Nothing Else
- Folder 205: Now and Then, I Think I Need a Friend, 1973
- Folder 206: Nowadays
- Folder 207: Nulla Nulla
- Folder 208: Obdurate and Obstinate
- Folder 209: Of Your Love
- Folder 210: Off the Record, 1978
- Folder 211: Office Supply, 1995
- Folder 212: Oh I Wonder What He's Thinking Now
- Folder 213: Old Dogs, New Tricks
- Folder 214: Old Drivers' School
- Folder 215: Ombudsman, 2004
- Folder 216: OMG
- Folder 217: On the Near Side of Death
- Folder 218: On the Other Hand
- Folder 219: On the Run
- Folder 220: One More Song for the Road, 1977
- Folder 221: One Plus One, 1990
- Folder 222: One Thing, 2007
- Folder 223: Only Me, Lonely Me, 1980
- Folder 224: Only One God, 2004
- Folder 225: Open My Blinds
- Folder 226: Ordinary Language, Ordinary Talk, 1978
- Folder 227: Our Family Christmas Song
- Folder 228: Out in the West
- Folder 229: Paisley Park Tonight
- Folder 230: Palm Pilot
- Folder 231: Panasonic Prairie Schooner
- Folder 232: Past Lives
- Folder 233: Peach Pie
- Folder 234: Perfectly Clear
- Folder 235: Permanent Record
- Folder 236: Per-per-per-pe-tu-i-ty
- Folder 237: Perpetual Emotion, 1998
- Folder 238: Playing Ball, 1982
- Folder 239: Polka Dot
- Folder 240: Poor Charlie, 1977
- Folder 241: Pot-Luck Ranch Style Blues, 1978
- Folder 242: Pot Pie Meridian
- Folder 243: Prairie Doggin' It
- Folder 244: Present to Win
- Folder 245: Pretty Bird
- Folder 246: Primal Mist
- Folder 247: Private Parts
- Folder 248: Program
- Folder 249: Put Us on the Payroll, 1976
- Folder 250: Queen for a Day
- Folder 251: Ready, Aim
- Folder 252: Recovery
- Folder 253: Red River Rising, 1978
- Folder 254: Regular Guy
- Folder 255: Relative, 2003
- Folder 256: Retirement
- Folder 257: Rhode Island
- Folder 258: Riding the Sargasso Sea, 1978
- Folder 259: Rigid
- Folder 260: Rising from the Blue
- Folder 261: Rubber Bullets (Pretty Please)
- Folder 262: Run That by Again (Please), 1979
- Folder 263: Sacred Trip
- Folder 264: Sad
- Folder 265: Sam I Am
- Folder 266: Sam Is Simply Splendid, 2003
- Folder 267: Sam's A Buzzin', 2006
- Folder 268: Saturday, 2010
- Folder 269: Say it with our Shirt
- Folder 270: Scars
- Folder 271: Scrutinizer
- Folder 272: Secret Admirer
- Folder 273: Self-Storage Unit
- Folder 274: Shall We Feast, 2011
- Folder 275: She Never Calls Me Bill
- Folder 276: She Sets the Standard
- Folder 277: She Talks
- Folder 278: She's a Head Trip a Minute
- Folder 279: Sign Your Name with Love, 1976
- Folder 280: Singing Woody Guthrie, 1977
- Folder 281: Six-Sixty-Six
- Folder 282: Slippery Slope, 2016
- Folder 283: Slow Motion
- Folder 284: Slow Simmer
- Folder 285: Small-Time Crook, 2003
- Folder 286: Smokey
- Folder 287: Soft Spot
- Folder 288: Softening Heart, 1998
- Folder 289: Some Strange Kind of Hepcat, 2001
- Folder 290: Somebody's Handgun
- Folder 291: Something in the Air
- Folder 292: Something's Wrong
- Folder 293: Somewhere in Between (Freezing Drizzle)
- Folder 294: Song of Souls
- Folder 295: Source
- Folder 296: Standard of Living
- Folder 297: Standin' in the Line, 1977
- Folder 298: Staring at the Ceiling, 1978
- Folder 299: Still Working
- Folder 300: Stormy Gal
- Folder 301: Strumming
- Folder 302: Stuck in the Spirit
- Folder 303: Stunt Man
- Folder 304: Summer Songs, 2001
- Folder 305: Sunshine Via Moonbeam
- Folder 306: Super Bowl Sunday
- Folder 307: Superglue
- Folder 308: Surface Tension
- Folder 309: Surveillance is Her Specialty
- Folder 310: Susan Thomas, 1978
- Folder 311: Swimming Lessons, 2002
- Folder 312: Swimmingly
- Folder 313: Taciturn Bill
- Folder 314: Take Aim
- Folder 315: Talk About the Art of Compromise
- Folder 316: Talking Machine, 2008
- Folder 317: Talking with Trees, 2005
- Folder 318: Tampa in the Fourteenth Row, 1978
- Folder 319: Teaching Tolerance
- Folder 320: Teamwork, 2004
- Folder 321: Tell Me I'm Nobody's Fool, 1979
- Folder 322: Tell Me Where the Mecca Is, 1977
- Folder 323: Ten, 2004
- Folder 324: Thanks (For Filling Me In)
- Folder 325: The Always Inn, 2002
- Folder 326: The Beauty of It All
- Folder 327: The Clock on the Wall, 1981
- Folder 328: The Dysfunctional Sea of Dysfunction
- Folder 329: The Eternal Question, 1976
- Folder 330: The Evidence
- Folder 331: The Eyes of Ages
- Folder 332: The Good Old Days
- Folder 333: The Grim Reaper
- Folder 334: The Number's Game, 1978
- Folder 335: The Organ Grinder's Money, 2006
- Folder 336: The Picture That I'm Painting
- Folder 337: The Queen of Christmas
- Folder 338: The Way It Is
- Folder 339: The Way You Look at Me, 1978
- Folder 340: The Women in My Life
- Folder 341: The Women's Club of Minneapolis (Hymn for Tiny Tim: 1932-1996)
- Folder 342: They Don't Make 'em Like They Used To
- Folder 343: This Love That We're In, 1980
- Folder 344: This Ol' Car
- Folder 345: Time Has Its Way
- Folder 346: To Make a Long Story Short
- Folder 347: Toaster Time
- Folder 348: Tolerance
- Folder 349: Too Proud, 2002
- Folder 350: Truth is a Long, Sad Goodbye
- Folder 351: Tuesday Night is Blue Light Night
- Folder 352: Tug of War
- Folder 353: Tugboat
- Folder 354: Turkey Talk-Line, 1982
- Folder 355: Two Heads
- Folder 356: Two on Two, 1977
- Folder 357: Two Peas in a Pod
- Folder 358: Unbirthday Party, 2003
- Folder 359: Unnecessary Roughness
- Folder 360: User-Friendly, 2004
- Folder 361: Various and Sundry, 2004
- Folder 362: Waking Up
- Folder 363: Walking Wounded
- Folder 364: Water in My Ear (Just from Crying), 1979
- Folder 365: Way Down Deep
- Folder 366: Way Out West, 1987
- Folder 367: Way Too Much
- Folder 368: We Belong
- Folder 369: Weaver Street Market, 1998
- Folder 370: Welcome to the Front Line
- Folder 371: Welcome to the Southeast CGA, 1998
- Folder 372: What Are Fools Made (Out) Of, 1982
- Folder 373: When the Evening Shadows Fall, 1980
- Folder 374: When's a Feller Like Me Gonna Learn?
- Folder 375: Where Does That Money Go?
- Folder 376: Where I Was Ten Years Ago
- Folder 377: Why Not
- Folder 378: Wiggly Bridge
- Folder 379: Wild Blue Cranberries
- Folder 380: Winter in Antarctica
- Folder 381: Wishing Well
- Folder 382: Wondering Who, 1983
- Folder 383: Won't Be Long, 1978
- Folder 384: Woodstock Joe
- Folder 385: Worldly Wise Blues
- Folder 386: Year After Year
- Folder 387: Yellow and Gold
- Folder 388: Yield
- Folder 389: You and I
- Folder 390: You Can
- Folder 391: You Don't Look Like Me
- Folder 392: You Gotta Hand It Down
- Folder 393: You Make Me Feel Like I Knew You Would
- Folder 394: You Must Be Present to Win, 2002
- Folder 395: You're the Best
- Folder 396: You're the One
- Folder 1: $17,452.35
- Sub-Series 2: Poetry
The second sub-series contains poetry written by Gessner dated in the 1970s, Box 2, Folder 1.
It also contains digital copies* of poetry arranged alphabetically, some of which are unique to the physical collection.
* Contact University of North Dakota Special Collections for PDF copies of digital materials.
Digital copies of poetry:
Item 1: A Call from a Stranger at Midnight
Item 2: An Acrobat and a Sewer Rat
Item 3: Asleep in My Crotch
Item 4: Back in Our Day
Item 5: Been Living in a Den of Inequity
Item 6: Caribbean Cruise
Item 7: Chain Letters
Item 8: Dare We Listen
Item 9: Dare We Listen to the Minstrel
Item 10: Deadline
Item 11: Existence
Item 12: Fallen Rock
Item 13: Gall Bladder Suite
Item 14: I Have Time
Item 15: I Live My Life Screaming
Item 16: I Will Swim the English Channel
Item 17: I'm a Critic of Daytime TV
Item 18: Impatience
Item 19: Indeed
Item 20: Indianapolis
Item 21: Is All Short Poetry a Game of Fancy Title
Item 22: Jackie
Item 23: July 4, 1976
Item 24: Knowing How Far West
Item 25: La Conditione Humaine
Item 26: Miscellaneous Short Poems
Item 27: Miscellaneous Short Poems 1977
Item 28: Mush
Item 29: Never Could Quite Figure It Out
Item 30: Oh I Am an Audio-Visual Freak
Item 31: On the Near Side of Death
Item 32: Rain Check/Now That's Self Service
Item 33: Riding Midnight
Item 34: Sex
Item 35: Shagging
Item 36: She was Born in a Trenchcoat
Item 37: Some Questions
Item 38: Somewhere There's a Symphony
Item 39: Special Thanks
Item 40: Stir Up Your Blood
Item 41: Street Daze
Item 42: Such an Intense Time
Item 43: The Death of Priscilla Tiblou
Item 44: The First Debate
Item 45: The River Flow
Item 46: The Towel of Grief
Item 47: To Hell with the Form
Item 48: Today on Wall Street
Item 49: Try On
Item 50: Typewriter Rambling
Item 51: Untitled
Item 52: Untitled 1
Item 53: Voices
Item 54: Volunteer
Item 55: Watching Television
Item 56: We Can Only Rely on the Tradition of Song
Item 57: We're reaching the Day
Item 58: What Rhymes with Your Name
Item 59: Why Don't We Walk in the Rain Anymore
Item 60: Woke Up One Morning
- Sub-Series 4: Christmas Songs, 1978-2007
The fourth sub-series includes Christmas songs arranged chronologically from 1978-2007, Box 2, Folders 44-74. Some, if not all, of the songs were published in his local church's Christmas newsletter.
PDF copies are available upon request from the University of North Dakota Special Collections.
- Folder 1: 1978 Spring Valley Waltz
- Folder 2: 1979 Norwegian Fandango
- Folder 3: 1980 A Carol from the Old Corral
- Folder 4: 1981 Christmas Island
- Folder 5: 1982 Mail Early at Christmas Time
- Folder 6: 1983 Christmas Time
- Folder 7: 1984 The One Minute Christmas Song
- Folder 8: 1985 Santa in the Slammer
- Folder 9: 1986 Like Ornaments
- Folder 10: 1987 North Dakota Christmas
- Folder 11: 1988 Christmas Hearts
- Folder 12: 1989 The Christmas Wreath
- Folder 13: 1990 The Christmas Club
- Folder 14: 1991 My Heart Sings Hundreds of Songs Spontaneously
- Folder 15: 1992 Stringing Lights
- Folder 16: 1993 Meaningful Existence
- Folder 17: 1994 Grand and a Glorious Day
- Folder 18: 1995 Groundwater
- Folder 19: 1995 Recipients of Mist
- Folder 20: 1996 Cemetery Row (Such Life)
- Folder 21: 1997 The Bridge We All Are
- Folder 22: 1998 Love is Large
- Folder 23: 1999 Snowflake, Snowflake
- Folder 24: 2000 The Shortest Day
- Folder 25: 2001 Let's Put Away Our Boxing Gloves for the Holidays
- Folder 26: 2002 How Much Can We Love?
- Folder 27: 2003 A Simple Stocking Stuffer
- Folder 28: 2004 Gratitude for Attitude
- Folder 29: 2005 Tranquility
- Folder 30: 2006 I Love the Music
- Folder 31: 2007 Two Days After Christmas
- Folder 1: 1978 Spring Valley Waltz
- Sub-Series 1: Song Lyrics, 1973-2018
- Series 3: Gessner's Notebooks, 1972-2003
- The third series contains Bill Gessner's notebooks full of song lyrics, poems, musical notes, and personal notes, Box 2, Folders 2-17, and Box 3, Folder 1.
- Folder 1: Notebook 1972
- Folder 2: Notebook 02/23/76 to 09/18/76
- Folder 3: Notebook 09/18/76 to 04/19/77
- Folder 4: Notebook 05/15/77 to 06/10/77
- Folder 5: Notebook 07/06/77 to 09/16/77
- Folder 6: Notebook 09/17/77 to 10/1/77
- Folder 7: Notebook 9/28/77 to 4/11/78
- Folder 8: Notebook 04/11/78 to 12/08/78
- Folder 9: Notebook 12/11/78 to 09/20/79
- Folder 10: Notebook 09/26/79 to 03/01/80
- Folder 11: Notebook 05/23/81 to 12/31/81
- Folder 12: Notebook 01/01/82 to 08/31/82
- Folder 13: Notebook 09/01/82 to 08/27/83
- Oversize notebook, Box 3
- Folder 14: Notebook 12/31/93 to 03/03/94
- Folder 15: Notebook 1997
- Folder 16: Notebook 03/26/99 to 08/29/99
- Folder 17: Notebook 2003
- Folder 1: Notebook 1972
- Series 4: Gessner Genealogy, 1963-1995
- The fourth series contains a booklet with photographs and information of The Gessner Family Tree, Box 2, Folder 18. It also contains letters to Mr. and Mrs. Gessner arranged chronologically from 1963 - 1995, primarily from Bill, including hand-written and typed letters, cards, post cards, pamphlets, and newspaper clippings, Box 2, Folders 19-43.
- Folder 1: Gessner Family Tree
- Folder 2: Letters 1963
- Folder 3: Letters 1964
- Folder 4: Letters 1965
- Folder 5: Letters 1966
- Folder 6: Letters 1967
- Folder 7: Letters 1968
- Folder 8: Letters 1969
- Folder 9: Letters 1970
- Folder 10: Letters 1971
- Folder 11: Letters 1972
- Folder 12: Letters 1973
- Folder 13: Letters 1974
- Folder 14: Letters 1975
- Folder 15: Letters 1976
- Folder 16: Letters 1978
- Folder 17: Letters 1979
- Folder 18: Letters 1980
- Folder 19: Letters 1981
- Folder 20: Letters 1982
- Folder 21: Letters 1983
- Folder 22: Letters 1984
- Folder 23: Letters 1986
- Folder 24: Letters 1987
- Folder 25: Letters 1989
- Folder 26: Letters 1990-95
- Folder 1: Gessner Family Tree
- Series 5: Songwriting Workshops, 1997-2018
The fifth series contains information regarding songwriting workshops arranged chronologically, including a New York Times article about a song writing workshop in Rhinebeck, New York, titled "Songs Just Waiting to Be Written" and a booklet from the WinterSongs West workshop with notes from Gessner about Writing Funny Songs, Box 2, Folders 75-76. It also contains digital copies* of notes from various songwriting workshops called WinterSongs, Songwriting As Adventure, and OMEGA.
* Contact University of North Dakota Special Collections for PDF copies of digital materials.
- Folder 1: Songs Just Waiting to be Written, 28 August, 1997
- Newspaper article about a songwriter's workshop, Box 2, Folder 75.
- Folder 2: OMEGA Advanced Songwriting Class, 2002-2018
Digital Copies* of documents regarding the OMEGA Advanced Songwriting Class.
* Contact University of North Dakota Special Collections for PDF copies of digital materials.
Item 1: OMEGA Classroom Set-Up Form
Item 2: OMEGA Songwriting 2011--
Item 3: Gessner's Notes from OMEGA class from 2002?
Item 4: Gessner's Notes from OMEGA class from 2003
Item 5: Gessner's Notes from OMEGA class from 2004
Item 6: Gessner's Notes from OMEGA class from 2005
Item 7: Gessner's Notes from OMEGA class from 2008
Item 8: Gessner's Notes from OMEGA class from 2009
Item 9: Gessner's Notes from OMEGA class from 2011
Item 10: Gessner's Notes from OMEGA class from 2012
Item 11: Gessner's Notes from OMEGA class from 2013
Item 12: Gessner's Notes from OMEGA class from 2014
Item 13: Gessner's Notes from OMEGA class from 2015
Item 14: Gessner's Notes from OMEGA class from 2016
Item 15: Gessner's Notes from OMEGA class from 2018
- Folder 3: Songwriting As Adventure, 2003-2017
Digital Copies* of records from Songwriting As Adventure songwriting workshops that Gessner helped lead.
* Contact University of North Dakota Special Collections for PDF copies of digital materials.
Item 1: Songwriting As Adventure: Workshops Gessner helped lead 2003
Item 2: Songwriting As Adventure: Workshops Gessner helped lead 2005
Item 3: Songwriting As Adventure: Workshops Gessner helped lead 2006
Item 4: Songwriting As Adventure: Workshops Gessner helped lead 2007
Item 5: Songwriting As Adventure: Workshops Gessner helped lead 2008
Item 6: Songwriting As Adventure: Workshops Gessner helped lead 2009
Item 7: Songwriting As Adventure: Workshops Gessner helped lead 2010
Item 8: Songwriting As Adventure: Workshops Gessner helped lead 2011
Item 9: Songwriting As Adventure: Workshops Gessner helped lead 2012
Item 10: Songwriting As Adventure: Workshops Gessner helped lead 2013
Item 11: Songwriting As Adventure: Workshops Gessner helped lead 2014
Item 12: Songwriting As Adventure: Workshops Gessner helped lead 2015
Item 13: Songwriting As Adventure: Workshops Gessner helped lead 2017
- Folder 4: WinterSongs Songwriting Conferences, 2006-2008
- Item 1: WinterSongs 2006
Digital copy* of catalog for WinterSongs 2006.
* Contact University of North Dakota Special Collections for PDF copies of digital materials.
Item 1: WriterSongs 2006; Gessner wrote about Song Critiques, giving and receiving criticism.
- Item 2: WinterSongs 2008
- Booklet from the WinterSongs West workshop with notes from Gessner about Writing Funny Songs, Box 2, Folder 76.
- Item 1: WinterSongs 2006
- Folder 1: Songs Just Waiting to be Written, 28 August, 1997
Browse by Series:
[Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1991-2019],
[Series 2: Song Lyrics and Poetry, 1973-2018],
[Series 3: Gessner's Notebooks, 1972-2003],
[Series 4: Gessner Genealogy, 1963-1995],
[Series 5: Songwriting Workshops, 1997-2018],
[All]