A piece of sheet music from 1929 courtesy of Rosalie FitzHenry, Sr.'s personal collection.
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An American jazz band of the 1920's. Courtesy of BBC.
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A Picture of Bessie Smith courtesy of PBS.
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Jazz and Other Music
Quite a few new music styles developed during the 1920’s, Jazz being the most prominent. Developed by African Americans, Jazz was a crazy free-for-all, a mixture of ragtime, blues, and European music. It began around 1917, but it really caught on after Paul Whiteman’s Orchestra performed “Rhapsody in Blue” on February 12th, 1924. Everyone enjoyed this music that defined the era. Famous jazz artists included Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith, and Duke Ellington.
Other forms of music that took shape during that era were Blues, Country, and Broadway musicals. Some famous musicals that came from the 20’s were “No, No Nanette,” “Show Boat,” and “Porgy and Bess.”
Other forms of music that took shape during that era were Blues, Country, and Broadway musicals. Some famous musicals that came from the 20’s were “No, No Nanette,” “Show Boat,” and “Porgy and Bess.”