Minneapolis Music History, 1850-2000: A Context

Roise, Charlene; Gales, Elizabeth; Koehlinger, Kristen; Goetz, Kathryn; Zschomler, Kristen; Rouse, Stephanie; Wittenberg, Jason

From the introduction: "This study addresses an enormous and important subject, Minneapolis music from 1850 to 2000. Chapter 4, which provides a historical overview, cannot be definitive given the project's vast scope, but it serves as a framework for analyzing this multifaceted topic. The chapter has four roughly chronological sections. Subsections within each section provide an overview of a musical genre, typically two to five pages in length. In-depth discussions of specific genres, when available, are included in the appendix. Chapter 5 focuses on property types, which are often generic, accommodating many types of music simultaneously or sequentially. Chapter 6 is a cast study analyzing the Cedar-Riverside/West Bank area, which has a concentration of venues that have served as a melting pot for an array of genres. Finally, the appendices, in addition to offering more detailed information on specific genres, contain more detailed information on specific properties and lists of properties associated with Minneapolis music that have been identified through research. Some survive; many have been lost. By raising awareness of the city's great musical legacy, this study hopes to raise awareness of significant properties that hosted this legacy to encourage their preservation. Readers should keep in mind that this report does not attempt to document every Minneapolis musician or musical group. Such an endeavor would be impractical and would not align with the scope of the project. Where specific musicians and musical groups are mentioned, the report is intended to cover those that had the most significant cultural impact and are most representative of the musical genre or era in question. Further, although focused specifically on Minneapolis, the report does not attempt to draw a firm line between Minneapolis-based music groups and groups from the broader Twin Cities area. Many musical groups featured members from both Minneapolis and surrounding areas, and, as the largest city in the region, Minneapolis featured the great concentration of venues where these groups performed and recorded, contributing to groups identified as Minneapolis-based." Project funding was provided in part by a Historic Preservation Fund to the Minnesota Historical Society, administered by the State, Tribal, and Local Plans and Grants Division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of Interior (grant number P17AF00098).

Minneapolis Music History, 1850-2000: A Context

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