Some people travel to eat a meal in every state. Some look to consume a state specific signature dish. A Philly Cheesesteak, a Maine Lobster, a Luau in Maui. I’ll save my travel eating for Italy and create my own Music Geography Quest.
How do you list every major genre of music in the US and tie it to its city of origin, state or venue? It’s a process that may begin with this list or with the map above or this list of songs about every state.
Listening to America
Visit a site to commemorate its contribution to the genre by listening to a live performance at each location. Extra points if it’s an iconic setting, performance or venue.
I should include listening to Dixieland on Bourbon Street in New Orleans and consider Memphis vs. Chicago Blues as the list grows. EDM in Las Vegas, Grunge in Seattle, Surf Music… it’s starting to take shape now.
My Music Geography Quest
From Alternative Rock to Zydeco, here is my Music Geography Quest. Of course yours may differ and it should. But this is certainly a good start. A great quest never really ends. I know I’ll be adding to this list frequently. Bold is completed.
| Music Genre | Heard In | My Notes / A Favorite Performance I’ve Seen |
|---|---|---|
| Alternative Rock | Los Angeles, CA | Red Hot Chili Peppers |
| Americana | Nashville, TN | Jason Isbell |
| Ballet | Lincoln Center, NYC | Swan Lake |
| Be Bop Jazz | Dizzy’s Club, NYC | Dizzy Gillespie Tribute Show |
| Bluegrass | Appalachia | |
| Blues – Chicago | Chicago, IL | Buddy Guy |
| Blues – Memphis | Memphis, TN | B. B. King |
| Broadway | Uris Theater, NYC | Sweeney Todd |
| Cabaret | The Oak Room, Algonquin Hotel, NYC | Michael Feinstein, Karen Akers |
| Cajun | Louisiana | |
| Calypso | St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands | Steel Drum Band |
| Classical | Carnegie Hall, NYC | Vienna Philharmonic, Itzhak Perlman, Luciano Pavarotti |
| Classical (outdoors) | Tanglewood, MA | Boston Symphony Orchestra |
| Country | Grand Ole Opry, TN | Charlie Daniels Band, Johnny Paycheck |
| Disco | Studio 54, NYC | DJ Nicky Siano, Nile Rodgers & CHIC |
| Dixieland | New Orleans, LA | Preservation Hall Jazz Band |
| EDM | Las Vegas, NV | Diplo |
| Film Music | Hollywood Bowl, CA | Los Angeles Philharmonic |
| Folk | The Bitter End, Greenwich Village, NYC | Oscar Brand |
| Funk | Oakland, CA | Tower of Power |
| Gospel | Harlem, NYC | Late Night Gospel Choir |
| Grunge | Seattle, WA | David Grohl |
| Hawaiian Music | Honolulu, HI | Luau, Grass Skirts, Fire Dancers |
| Heavy Metal | Los Angeles, CA | Metallica, AC/DC |
| Hip Hop – East Coast | NYC | Wu-Tang Clan |
| Hip Hop – West Coast | Shrine Auditorium – Los Angeles, CA | Snoop Dogg |
| Jazz | Village Vanguard, NYC | Ahmad Jamal, Terence Blanchard |
| Jazz Crooner | Rainbow Room, NYC | Tony Bennett |
| K-pop | Prudential Center, NJ | BlackPink |
| Latin Jazz | Miami, FL | Tito Puente, Michel Camilo |
| Latin Pop | Madison Square Garden | Enrique Inglesias |
| Motown Music | Detroit, MI | Platters, Drifters, Coasters |
| New Wave | Madison Square Garden | Depeche Mode, Squeeze, The Police |
| Opera | Metropolitan Opera House, NYC | Otello |
| Pop | Los Angeles | Whitney Houston |
| Punk | Greenwich Village, NY | Talking Heads |
| Ragtime | St. Louis, MO | |
| Rap | Brooklyn, NY | Jay-Z |
| Rock | * Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony | * Prince’s Iconic Guitar Solo |
| Rock (classic) | Red Rocks, CO | The Doobie Bros. |
| Rockabilly | Memphis | |
| Singer-Songwriter | NYC | Paul Simon, James Taylor, Billy Joel |
| Soul | Caesars Palace, Las Vegas | Ray Charles |
| Surf Music | Laguna Beach, CA | Beach Boys |
| Swing | Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, NYC | Nelson Riddle Orchestra |
| Synth-pop | Fillmore East, NYC | New Order |
| Zydeco | New Orleans, LA | Buckwheat Zydeco |
* One Moment on the List
Prince’s Iconic Guitar Solo
I was lucky enough to be in the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria for the 2004 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. During the George Harrison tribute Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, Dahni Harrison (George’s son pictured with Prince below) each had their turn on guitar playing “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” but the world spun a little faster when Prince played his iconic solo.
