Where Does Your Music Come From?

An exciting musical program for libraries, historical societies, schools, and anyone else who is interested.

America’s music today is vibrant, exciting, varied unpredictable.  But it didn’t just magically appear.

America’s music has been growing, mixing, and changing for over 200 years.  If you want to understand American music, it helps to understand how it became what it is.  And if you want to understand American culture, there’s no better window than American music.

PHIL SHAPIRO AND CARRIE SHORE have developed a 70 minute program of American musical history, from roughly 1800 to perhaps 1940. Our music comes to a large extent from two places, the British Isles and… West Africa. 

Learn how these different musics came together and cross-pollinated.  Understand how our amazing Popular music got its start.  Where did the Blues come from?  Phil and Carrie will play some Ragtime, which leads into Jazz.  Our traditional Southern mountain music became Country. 

It’s a lively show, full of songs with staying power, songs that have lasted for many decades.  And dance tunes, even a dance tune from when dancing was prohibited.  Phil and Carrie have their history correct, but they also know that American music is Good Time Music, and this show is just plain FUN!!!!

To set up a show see our booking page.