RSS
Home
A road trip into the roots of American music (part two)
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
The Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland.
(This is the second half of a two-part series. See part one of a road trip into the roots of American music.)
Last week, I wrote about the first half of a road trip into the roots of American music. In that journey, through four states in the South, we made a pilgrimage to destinations that played a role in the development of varied musical sounds, from jazz, blues and soul to bluegrass, country and rock ‘n roll. Today, we move on to some sites in the Midwest.
If you have the time and the desire, these two journeys could be combined into one long road trip through the musical heritage of the United States. It would take you several weeks to complete, but you’d certainly gain a lot of appreciation for the country’s musical history. Let’s begin this particular trek in Kansas City.
Kansas City and American Jazz
New Orleans may be the birthplace of jazz, but Kansas City can hold its own when the discussion turns to the history of the music. Count Basie and Charlie Parker are two of the many well-known musicians who have roots in Kansas City jazz, where the bebop style was developed. There were once dozens of jazz clubs in the historic neighborhood centered on 18th and Vine, which was Kansas City’s version of Beale Street in Memphis.
It’s appropriate, then, that the American Jazz Museum is now located in this district. The museum has historic memorabilia, vintage recordings, and artistic exhibitions about the culture of jazz. Visitors can also attend evening performances in the Blue Room jazz club. While you’re there, you should also visit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, which is at the same location.
Visit Chicago to experience jazz and the blues
There are no musical museums in Chicago, but it’s one of the best cities in the country in which to experience the sounds of jazz and blues.
The city has long been considered a hotbed of jazz, along with New Orleans, Kansas City and New York, and there are numerous jazz clubs where one can enjoy the music. Even more than jazz, though, the city is associated with blues music. As African-Americans migrated north in the early 20th century, the sound of the blues moved with them and Chicago became a focal point for the music. Muddy Waters is the most famous of many popular blues musicians from the city and is known as the father of the Chicago blues. The Maxwell Street neighborhood is considered the birthplace of the sound, but there are now dozens of blues clubs throughout the city.
Both jazz and blues are celebrated each year with popular music festivals in Grant Park which attract some of the country’s most well-known artists. The blues festival is held each June, and the jazz festival takes place in September. If that isn’t enough for you, the city also hosts annual gospel, Latin and country music festivals, among others.
Detroit, Michigan: Home of Motown
The next stop on our musical journey is in Detroit, where you can learn about and celebrate the sound of Motown. In the 1960s, Detroit was known as “Hitsville, U.S.A.” because of the chartbusting hits recorded there by such stars as Steve Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight, Diana Ross, and the Jackson Five.
The Motown sound dates to 1959, when Berry Gordy founded a record label in Detroit. The building where he lived, and in which he founded the Motown label, is now the Motown Museum. It chronicles the history of the Motown sound, along with such memorabilia as album covers, gold records, sheet music and photos. Visitors can see Gordy’s upstairs apartment, as well as Studio A where the Motown stars recorded their songs. While you’re in Detroit, you should also think about seeing the Gospel Music Hall of Fame & Museum, although visits must be scheduled in advance.
Cleveland, Ohio: The Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame
Finally, it’s time to pay tribute to rock ‘n roll. On the first half of this road trip, you could visit such sites Elvis Presley’s birthplace in Tupelo, Mississippi, or the Sun Studio facility in Memphis, Tennessee, where Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis and others recorded their first songs. Now you can enjoy a treasure trove of rock memorabilia at the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, the city where the DJ Alan Freed first used the term rock ‘n roll.
In a building designed by architect I.M. Pei on the shores of Lake Erie, visitors can learn about rock’s roots in blues, gospel and other sounds; see instruments, lyrics, costumes and photos from the early days of rock ‘n roll; listen to songs and watch videotapes of famous performances; and wander through the Hall of Fame exhibit, where dozens of the most famous names in rock history are honored.
Extending your journey
There are certainly other cities you can visit if you want an even more complete experience in American musical history. An obvious starting point would be New York City, where you can tour the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame Annex, visit the historic Apollo Theater, enjoy performances at jazz, blues and folk clubs, or even explore classical music, opera and musical theater. Another destination would be Seattle, where you can discover the roots of the city’s grunge sound and visit the excellent Experience Music Project museum.
But those cities are off the track of these particular road trips, and if you’ve managed to complete either or both of these musical journeys then you’ve gone a long way in exploring the roots of American music.
Map and directions
Here is a map of this trip. If you click on the “roots of American music” link, it will take you to a larger map and more detailed information about the journey.
View The roots of American music (part two) in a larger map
You might also enjoy these road trip stories:
The Great American Road Trip
Let Examiner.com's nationwide network of Travel Examiners and Transportation Examiners guide you to America's best roadside attractions, highways, dining, and driving tips of the summer.
Photo credit: Derek Jensen via Wikimedia Commons.
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
A badlands region can provide some spectacular landscape viewing. These are typically located in an arid area where colorful soils have been eroded by …
There is no shortage of great hiking trails in North America, from day strolls along coastlines to extended treks through mountain paths. But what …
