There is a brief history of southern rock, go-go, and other American music genres and where to find it.
The sounds of their homelands were brought to the New World as settlers, explorers, and forcibly enslaved Africans. Over time, the sounds merged in different ways, picking up new sounds along the way. American music reflects its vast and varied histories and cultures and continues to evolve. It is not possible to recount the complex innuendos that went into the creation of American music. This broad brush overview presents 10 distinctly American musical genres, with a glance at where and how they took off, as well as how to join in the fun.
bluegrass mixes fiddle, banjo, and bass musicians in a distinct clog-stomping style The “Father of bluegrass” is Bill Monroe, a native of Kentucky. Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys became one of Nashville’s most popular touring acts after they appeared on the Grand Old Opry in 1939. There are differing accounts of when bluegrass was born, with some saying it was in 1945 and others saying it was in 1948. After leaving the band to create a new one with Lester Flatt, bluegrass music was even better.
The rise of bluegrass is chronicled in exhibits at the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum. A replica of Uncle Pen’s Cabin, where Monroe learned to play music, is one of the sites open for tours. The Grand Old Opry in Nashville is from the days when bluegrass was gaining traction.
Jazz is not known when it was born. It is said that it is in New Orleans. According to others, it started in 1895 when Buddy Bolden started his band. It is possible that it was in 1917 when the first jazz record was recorded. Jazz originated among the African American community in New Orleans and was influenced by blues and ragtime. You can hear this genre of music almost anywhere you go in New Orleans.
The New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park hosts free performances and educational events in two locations around the French Quarter and the New Orleans Jazz Museum has in-depth exhibits about the history and culture of jazz. Preservation Hall is the most famous jazz hall in the city and the Spotted Cat Music Club is a great place to hang out.
In the summer of 1927, Victor Records recorded musicians from throughout the Southeast in Bristol, on the Virginia/Tennessee border, including the Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers. In 1998 the US Congress declared Bristol the birthplace of country music.
Music City is home to the dream of every country musician, which is why it is called Nashville. The Fisk Jubilee Singers, which included members recently freed from slavery, mixed operatic singing with Black spirituals in the 1870s, and they became super popular, even singing before Queen Victoria. They were one of the first acts to play at the Ryman auditorium, which was built in 1892 and is still a popular music venue. Barn dances with live country music were featured on a radio station in 1925. In 1927, the program became known as the Grand Ole Opry due to the need for an auditorium. Country singers such as Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, and Hank Williams have performed at the GOO. Music Row in Nashville has a lot of recording studios and record labels.
The lively thrall of country music explodes at Broadway’s many honkytonks, which you can wander in and out of for free. There is the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, a deep dive into country music’s evolution, with more than 2.5 million artifacts on two floors, and the new National Museum of African American Music. The Historic RCA Studio B, where Elvis recorded his first number one hit, is one of the smaller museums. It goes without saying that every music lover needs to go to the Grand Ole Opry or the original Ryman auditorium to finish their country music visit.
Memphis is a melting pot of cultures and is located on a Mississippi River bluff. Rock ‘n’ roll was a new sound that emerged from the collision of musical styles. It was covered by everyone from Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran to Elvis Presley because of Carl Perkins’s “Blue Suede Shoes”. One of the nation’s most visited sites is the Memphis mansion where the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll lived.
It’s not just about music. The depressing mood of Memphis Blues between the 1910s and 1930s was created by Memphis musicians, who created the neon-lit street filled with live blues joints.
SamPhillips, one of the first white men to record black rhythm ‘n’ blues artists, opened Sun Studio in 1950. The Delta Cats recorded a song called “Rocket 88” in 1967. James Cotton, B.B. King, and Johnny Cash also recorded here. There are tours of the studio where he recorded his first song, “That’s All Right”.
The story of Memphis music is told in the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum. The most outstanding performers, writers, promoter, and radio professionals are honored by the Memphis Music Hall of Fame. You can try Elvis’ favorite sandwich at one of his favorite diners.
R&B and gospel music with a dash of vocal intensity, soloist spotlights, and church-inspired call-and-response evolved into soul music in the 1950s. James Brown brought the sound of soul to an international audience, but he wasn’t the only soul singer who made a name for themselves. In this up-and-coming town, known most famously for hosting the Master’s golf tournament, he is celebrated in museums, theaters, street art, and events throughout the year.
A James Brown family member has created a tour of James Brown sites in Augusta. The James Brown Journey: The Soul Starts Here is a walking tour that tells the story of Brown’s old jaunts and places. The Imperial Theatre is where Brown and his band, the Sound Generals, practiced before leaving on their world tours and where he gave away toys to children in need at Christmas. The Bell Auditorium is where James Brown recorded Sex Machine. The funeral for the star took place at the arena.
The birthday party in the west Bronx on August 11, 1973, was presided over by Clive Campbell, better known as DJ Kool Herc. He was called the founding father of hip-hop. Afrika Bambaataa, a former gang member who helped bring hip-hop to the rest of the world, is one of the influential artists.
Hip Hop Boulevard was renamed in honor of the birthday party that took place at 1520. Hush Hip Hop Tours is dedicated to preserving the roots of hip-hop culture. The Universal Hip Hop Museum is located in the Bronx.
A kid could walk in one door an unknown off the street and come out the other a polished performer at Berry Gordy’s studio. The sound of the record company was called “Motown” and it showcased upbeat melodies, killer hooks, and highly danceable rhythms. Gordy organized Motortown Revues, national concert tours in which soon-to-be-legendary artists, including Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, and Gladys Knight & the Pips, played throughout the east and south. They are credited with helping to break down color barriers in theaters. The rest of the US, as well as the UK and France, were visited by Motortown Revue.
The exhibits at the museum change once a year. Berry Gordy held his annual performance at the Fox Theatre, which opened in 1928. It has been renovated and has been designated a national historic landmark.
A blend of rock, country music, and blues highlighted with electric guitar and vocals became known as southern rock, and the Allman Brothers were a part of it. Otis Redding was represented by the brothers Alan and Phil. The brothers, along with Frank Fenter and Jerry Wexler, started a record label named after Otis Redding. The Allman Brothers Band was formed after they tracked down and befriended the Allman family. The Allman Brothers distanced themselves from the term “southern rock.” He thought it was redundant since rock and roll originated in the South. The Marshall Tucker Band and Wet Willie are some of the notable Capricorns.
The Allman Brothers and Charlie Daniels recorded at the studio before it became a museum. There is a vinyl record store on the second floor of the museum. The Historic Grant’s Lounge is a music hall that hosts live performances. The Allman Brothers Band Museum at The Big House is the home of the Allman Brothers Band and H&H Restaurant is the Allman Brothers favorite hangout. There is an online resource that shows the city’s music history.
A new sound coming out of Seattle in the ’80s and ’90s was called gruge. Fusing metal and punk rock, grunge incorporated fuzz effects. C/Z Records released Deep Six in 1986 and introduced the world to a number of bands. Sub Pop was founded in 1986 and is credited with kick-starting the “grunge movement”. Although the sounds have changed, there are still traces of what Seattle used to sound like.
The band Alice In Chains played at the Central Saloon before going on to headline around the world. Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Alice in Chains recorded their albums in the control room, lounge, and overdub studios at London Bridge Studios. A public art piece in Magnuson Park called “A Sound Garden” is made up of 12 steel towers that produce a sound similar to that of Soundgarden. The Crocodile, El Corazn, and The Showbox are some of the places where bands played early on in their careers. The Sub Pop Airport Store and Sub Pop on 7th are both located in the Belltown neighborhood.
The nation’s capital was the birthplace of a musical movement. Go-go, a subgenre of funk that adds rhythmic patterns and live call-and-response, began here in the 70s. Chuck Brown and his band the Soul Searchers, along with the Young Senators and others, made a huge impact on the music scene in the 1990s and 2000s. The city had a Black mayor, mostly Black city council, and majority Black population, which made go-go the city’s soundtrack. The mayor made it the official music of DC in 2020 with the promise to preserve the history and culture of the city.
Local radio stations in DC still play marathon go-go sessions, and Rare Essence and Trouble Funk can still be seen performing. You can pay homage to Chuck Brown at the park. There is a large go-go exhibition at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. There is an exhibition at the MLK Library in D.C.