The Music History Podcast

On episode 3 of season one we take a trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains and look at the early days of country music, which was created by the poor working class living in the region. To make the case for Bristol as the birthplace of country music, Dr. Rene Rodgers from the Birthplace of Country Music Museum joins me. She discusses the early recordings done in Bristol and their impact on country music going forward. Dr. Rodgers is the head curator of the museum, which has a strong online presence that includes a radio station. Learn more about the Birthplace of Country Music Museum here: http://www.birthplaceofcountrymusic.org. For more on The Music History Podcast at: https://musichistorypodcasts.com/

The premier podcast of season one deals with the legend that blues musician Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil to become a great guitar player. Where did the legend come from and is it true? I'm joined by musician and music historian Adam Gussow. Gussow has published numerous books on popular American music, including those on Johnson's life. His most recent book on the subject is "Beyond the Crossroads: The Devil and the Blues Tradition" and you can learn more about his work on his website: http://www.modernbluesharmonica.com/home.html. Learn more about The Music History Podcast at: https://musichistorypodcasts.com.

Episode 2 looks at the women who helped shape the early days of rock and roll, and how many of them were pushed into the background while their white male counterparts took their music and became international stars. Joining me to offer her insight is musician Kara Anderson, of the South Carolina-based band Skeeterbite. Learn more about this upcoming group here: http://skeeterbite.space. For more on the Music History Podcast please visit: https://musichistorypodcasts.com/

This episode is all about some of the greatest pop music ever made, by Motown Records and Barry Gordy. Famous author Peter Benjaminson, who has published 4 books on Motown joins me to discuss the legacy and impact of Motown's music. His latest book, "The Story of Motown, New and Revised Edition" is an update on his original 1979 release. Learn more about Benjaminson and his work on his website: http://www.peterbenjaminson.com.

Gospel music is often listed as a great influence on the development of R&B and rock and roll. I've always been skeptical of this claim, feeling it impacted country music more than anything else. Here to prove me wrong is Tim Dodge. Dodge is a music historian and librarian at Auburn University, in the heart of the Bible Belt. For more on the music history podcast please visit: https://musichistorypodcasts.com

Did punk rock ever accomplish anything? Did it sell out to commercial interests? Or is the legacy of punk rock now so cemented in our culture that we never really noticed how it improved society? Neil Nehring joins me to talk about the early days of punk, it's goals and how it evolved and became more commercialized, especially in the 90's. Nehring has published a few articles on punk rock, and is a professor at the University of Texas.