As in the case of graphic arts, the country’s rich musical experience is the result of countless influences. The most important of them is the interaction between European classical traditions and the vitality of regional and ethnical expressions.The founding fathers of the United States brought along their songs and tunes, chants and dances, hymns and gospel music. Melodies for singing were passed down orally and were the foundations for a considerable chunk of the music composed during colonial times.The very first black music to win hearts in America was ragtime, mostly made for piano. The most famous of all ragtime songwriters was Scott Joplin (1868-1917) who composed two operas in this genre. Blues, harking back to African folk songs and Gospel music, is an acquiescence-sprinkled and often humorous lament. Back in the 1920s, jazz spread out from the south as black musicians moved up to Chicago and New York City.Louis Armstrong (1900-1964) was the greatest of all jazz singers, along the likes of pianist, songwriters and orchestra conductor. Other composers have waded into non-traditional waters and hit several snags since most people prefer band-playing to this kind of music. However, for almost everybody around the globe rock ’n’ roll is America’s trademark kind of music. Even though white musicians were the forerunners of rock back in the 1950s -by playing a combination of southern Gospel, bluegrass and black rhythms and blues- rock soon turned out to be youngsters’ second tongue. Elvis Presley (1935-1977) was the first-ever King of Rock. Apparently, rock let off some steam in the 1970s and 1980s. However, some acts really stood out and kept on hitting the charts. Bruce Springsteen (born in 1949), singer and songwriter Stevie Wonder (born in 1950) and well-known vocalist Michael Jackson (born in 1958) are some good examples worth mentioning.
