The Allan Bell Collection was purchased by LaBudde Special Collections from Nancy Rooks in September 2008. The collection originally was acquired from Allan Bell by Ron Rooks, Nancy’s late husband and owner of Music Exchange record store in Kansas City, Missouri. Material chronicles from 1961 to 1976 Bell’s theatrical and music agency America’s Best Attractions (ABA) situated in North Kansas City, with the majority of material concentrated between 1965 and 1973. Divided into five series (correspondence, artist packages, contracts, photographs and miscellaneous material), the original collection is arranged to preserve the large-scale organization it was received in, with related material being consolidated and re-arranged into smaller sub-groups. Business correspondence and artist packages related to booking and promoting talent form the bulk of the collection and are contained in nine boxes. Material includes letters, press kits, biographies, flyers, posters, mailers, newsletters, newspaper and magazine clippings, contracts, postcards, guides and programs. The collection also holds close to 500 artist publicity images, including those of Kansas City musicians and bands.

Addendum 1 comprises related material acquired in February 2009 from James Trotter, a record collector from Kansas City. Included are photocopies of correspondence, contracts, photos, receipts and miscellaneous material mostly relating to Lee Harris and the Teardrops as well as Tommy Gadson and the Fabulous Derbies.

Addendum 2 comprises related material acquired in Spring/Summer 2016 from Dante Carfagna, a record collector in the Midwest. Included are additional correspondence, financial documents, contracts, publications, artist promotional material, photographs, and other miscellaneous items.