The 1920s and 1930s were transformative decades in American music. As technology evolved—from acoustic horns to electric microphones and national radio broadcasts—so did the role of the singer. For the first time, individual vocalists could connect with listeners on a deeply personal level, their voices crackling across radio waves and spinning from gramophones in homes across the country.
This golden age introduced us to vocal pioneers whose artistry laid the foundation for modern pop, jazz, and blues.Read More About This…
In celebration of Black History Month, the Recorded Sound Archives has curated a collection of Black Blues Artists some of which are currently on display on the 1st floor of the FAU Wimberly Library for the month of February.
Click to discover 14 Blues Artists such as the voices of Huddie Leadbelly, Ethel Waters, Bessie Smith and more in this collection!Read More About This…
Did you know that Ethel Waters was the first African American to be nominated for an Emmy Award? In 1962, the legendary jazz and blues singer received the nomination for her performance in a “Route 66” episode, “Good Night, Sweet Blues.”
Photo of Ethel Waters in “Route 66”, episode “Good Night, Sweet Blues.”
In the episode, “Good Night, Swee Blues”, Ethel Waters plays Jenny Henderson, a retired singer in failing health who commissions Tod and Buzz to find and bring her the members of the Memphis Naturals, the band she performed and recorded with thirty years earlier.Read More About This…
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