The Music of St. Louis

Every Friday AAMSE's Gateway to Discovery will be featuring interesting information about the 

2013 Annual Conference host city: St. Louis.

St. Louis' rich musical culture spans both decades and genres; from blues to rock and roll to rap. Here are just a few of the city's contributions to the history of American music:

Scott Joplin

Known as the "King of Ragtime," Scott Joplin lived in St. Louis from 1901 until 1907.  During this time period he wrote and published some of his most popular ragtime pieces; including The Entertainer, a composition that would go on to be featured in the 1973 movie The Sting and introduced Scott Joplin and ragtime to a new generation. 

While in St. Louis you can visit the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site. 

Chuck Berry

Born in St. Louis on October 18, 1926, Chuck Berry recorded Maybellene in 1955. This first recording eventually climbed to the number five spot on the music charts, leading the way for other hits such as Johnnie B. Goode, Roll Over Beethoven and Rock and Roll Music.  He was one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's first inductees in 1986.  

St. Louis Blues
Blues music has long been a staple in the St. Louis music scene. As home to many world renowned blues musicians, St. Louis has inspired numerous blues songs, including W.C. Handy's classic, St. Louis Blues, and Henry "Mule" Townsend's Henry's Worried Blues. Every year St. Louis hosts the Big Muddy Blues Festival, a two-day blues festival with three outdoor stages, over Labor Day weekend. St. Louis is also the future home of the National Blues Museum, opening in late 2014 in the heart of downtown. This museum will be dedicated to the celebrating this groundbreaking genre.  

   

If you want to hear some great music while in St. Louis, you can catch a live blues show at one of many local venues such as Jazz St. Louis, BB's Jazz, Blues, and Soups or Broadway Oyster Bar.   
 

 photo courtesy of Christophe Losberger (sitatof)'s photostream