#39 • Colonel Sanders Record Album Collection Including "The Colonel's Mandolin Band" and "Christmas Eve with Colonel Sanders"

Part of The Colonel Sanders Artifact Collection (live auction by The Menish Group Auction & Real Estate)

High bid $550.00

Status: Sold

DESCRIPTION Collection of two long-play record albums associated with Colonel Harland Sanders and his personal interests beyond the Kentucky Fried Chicken brand. Included in the lot is Favorite Old Church Hymns Recorded by The Colonel's Mandolin Band, featuring Colonel Sanders alongside a youth mandolin ensemble. The album cover depicts Colonel Sanders seated with members of the group and includes multiple signatures from participating musicians. The reverse explains the origins of the ensemble and notes that the children performed for Colonel Sanders at Blackwood Hall before he assisted in producing and promoting the recording. Also included is Christmas Eve with Colonel Sanders, a Kentucky Fried Chicken Special Collector's Edition record produced for Kentucky Fried Chicken Corporation by RCA Victor. The album features Colonel Sanders in a Christmas setting and includes a handwritten inscription on the reverse cover reading: "This forgery of Colonel Sanders was done for my baby brother Fred on his birthday, Nov 2010!" Both albums retain their original sleeves and records. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE While remembered primarily as the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken, Colonel Sanders cultivated a public image deeply rooted in faith, hospitality, and traditional Kentucky culture. These albums provide a glimpse into those lesser-known aspects of his life. The Mandolin Band recording reflects Sanders' support of local youth musicians and religious music. The album specifically references Blackwood Hall, the Sanders family estate near Shelbyville, Kentucky, and documents Sanders' involvement in helping the group produce and distribute the recording. The Christmas album represents another example of Sanders' highly recognizable public persona being incorporated into promotional and commemorative projects associated with Kentucky Fried Chicken during the later years of his life and legacy. STORY & CONTEXT Colonel Sanders' image became one of the most recognizable corporate identities in American history, yet those who knew him often remembered his strong Christian faith and enthusiasm for community involvement. The Colonel's Mandolin Band album captures that side of Sanders particularly well. According to the album notes, Sanders was impressed by a youth mandolin ensemble that performed in the Shelbyville area and ultimately supported the group's efforts to record and distribute a collection of favorite church hymns. The cover photograph places Sanders among the young musicians, creating an unusual and highly personal image distinct from the familiar Kentucky Fried Chicken advertising icon. The accompanying Christmas Eve with Colonel Sanders album reflects the continued popularity of the Colonel's image as both a cultural figure and corporate ambassador. Together, these recordings document the intersection of faith, music, community, and business that characterized much of Sanders' public life. PROVENANCE From the preserved collection associated with Colonel Harland Sanders and Claudia Sanders, maintained by the Settle family at Blackwood Hall. The collection remained together through the longstanding relationship between the Sanders and Settle families. CONDITION Both albums exhibit expected age-related wear to covers and sleeves, including edge wear, handling marks, and surface discoloration. Records present but untested. Handwritten inscription present on the reverse of the Christmas Eve with Colonel Sanders album. Sold as historical memorabilia.