The First Black Woman to Perform at the Grand Ole Opry
Linda Martell made the switch from R&B to country music in the late 1960s. Her star then shined on country's biggest stage.
When the Truman Campaign Used a Song from an All-Black Show
"I'm Just Wild about Harry" originated with the songwriting team of Sissle and Blake and first appeared in the Broadway musical Shuffle Along.
The Rebellious, Scandalous Origins of Polka
The dance is often associated with the traditions of immigrant communities in America. But it emerged in Europe during a time of radicalism.
The Gospel According to Kanye West
On the making of gospel music, from Gospel Pearls to Jesus Is King.
Goth Won’t Die, but It Wants a Funeral Anyway
Like its celebrated vampires, the Goth subculture has roots in a fascination with death and cultural transgression.
What Did Franco’s Spain Do to Spanish Music?
Contemporary Spanish genres like flamenco and zarzuela still carry the weight of cultural associations with Franco’s fascist regime.
The Fear That Synthesizers Would Ruin Music
A German musicologist complained in 1954 that they reminded him of "barking hell-hounds."
Woodstock: Sex, Drugs, and Zoning
It's the 50th anniversary of the famous Woodstock festival, which was fraught with controversy before it even happened.
Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield, “The Black Swan”
Born into slavery, Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield broke barriers with every note she sang.