Maryland's musical heritage dates back to the early Native American tribes of the state. These native sound traditions were followed by the musical contributions of the colonial era, which helped bring about modern American popular and folk music. Today, Maryland's music is made up of various genres and popular styles. Well-known musicians from the Old Line State range from the sultry vocal talents of Billie Holiday to the gritty sounds of punk rock artists like Good Charlotte. Showcasing Maryland's varied sounds and musicians are a number of music venues, festivals, and concerts.
Music History
Maryland's early Native American tribes included the Nanticoke, Powhatan, and Susquehannock Indians. The musical traditions of these native peoples are most evident in celebratory events like powwows. Powwows were, and still are, a way for Indians to visit friends and relatives, to sell and trade arts and crafts, and, most importantly, to preserve Native American traditions. During ceremonial powwows, drummers and singers provide music, to which dancers choreograph their moves. To witness Indian powwows and authentic Native American music, check out the Baltimore Pow-Wow or Drums on the Pocomoke. With the exception of a few instruments, the early native peoples of Maryland didn't leave behind much evidence of their musical traditions, so the state's documented music history begins with the colonial era.
During early colonial times, Maryland's settlers didn't have a well-established tradition of any performing arts, mostly due to the small population, low quality of living, and widespread poverty and disease in the colonies. When slaves were added to the state's population, a few of the more affluent white plantation owners were able to indulge in music, purchasing instruments like the flute, violin, and harpsichord. The lower class people played instruments like guitars, drums, banjos, transverse flutes, and recorders. Most musical happenings in Maryland during the colonial period took place in Annapolis, particularly through groups like the Homony Club and the Tuesday Club, which left behind documentation of the city's music culture. Such local music groups greatly contributed to the development of the state's music, and the fraternal organization of the Freemasons hosted concerts throughout the state. Taverns also sponsored musical events.
With the turn of the 19th century, Maryland's music scene changed. Religious music, which hadn't been as popular in Maryland as in other northern states, began to flourish at the end of the colonial era, particularly after the 1821 opening of the Catholic Cathedral. The African Methodist Episcopal churches also contributed to religious sounds with their singing traditions that used the shape-note method. Work songs and folk music made their way onto the Maryland music scene with the mass arrival of immigrants to the state, particularly in the city of Baltimore. When the mid-19th century came about, Baltimore became a major center of sheet music publication, which was greatly enhanced by the great influx of European immigrants, including German musicians. This paved the way for the opening of conservatories and institutes of music education like the Peabody Institute's Conservatory of Music in Baltimore. During the early 20th century, a number of mostly informal music societies became established, including the Saturday Night Club of H.L. Mencken and the Florestan Club.
Genres
From traditional folk music to the sounds of today's popular music, Maryland has cultivated a variety of musical genres.
Folk Music
Though Maryland's folk music heritage hasn't been extensively studied or documented, the Library of Congress' American Folklife Center houses some recordings of the state's traditional sounds. Maryland's folk music spans a wide variety of genres and styles including Bahamanian spirituals, Mexican music, African American blues, Appalachian folk music, steelpan, and gospel music. Maryland's folk music also includes the styles of German communities from the western and central regions of the state.
Popular Music
Maryland's present-day popular music consists of everything from doo wop to hardcore punk to gangster rap. Rhythm and Blues, jazz, and more recently, doom metal have all taken their place among Maryland's contemporary music genres. The diverse scope of modern music in the Old Line State has allowed for a many popular musicians and artists to emerge from the Maryland music scene.
Musicians From Maryland
One of America's most well-known female jazz vocalists of the 20th century is the legendary Billie Holiday. Born in Baltimore, Holiday experienced a very troubled childhood, during which she suffered poverty, rape, and abuse. In her adult years, she endured several destructive relationships, alcoholism, and drug abuse. The pain and suffering of Holiday's tragic life is evident in the sounds of her woeful crooning. She gained popularity for such controversial numbers as Strange Fruit, I'm Pulling Through, and If I Were You.
Tori Amos wasn't born in Maryland, but moved there with her family when she was two years old. She learned how to play the piano in Baltimore, and by age five she began composing pieces for the piano, adding lyrics at the age of nine. Amos became a premier female singer and songwriter in the early 1990s, and was one of the few music stars to use the piano as a primary instrument during the time. She is known for her riveting styles in songs like Crucify, Silent All These Years, and Cornflake Girl.
Another American composer to claim the state of Maryland is Phillip Glass. Born in Baltimore, Glass was first introduced to music at his father's record store. Glass is credited for a variety of minimalist works including operas, symphonies, concertos, film scores, and solo works.
Born in Baltimore in 1887, Eubie Blake was a composer, lyricist, and pianist of ragtime and jazz. He began his musical training at the age of only five years old when he wandered into a music store, sat down at an organ and began "fooling around." The storekeeper proclaimed to Eubie's mother that the boy was a genius. During his career, Blake wrote such works as the Broadway musical Shuffle Along in 1921, one of the first Broadway musicals written by an African American. Other Blake compositions include Bandana Days, Charleston Rag, and Love Will Find a Way.
Along with these great musicians, artists like finger-style guitarist John Fahey; composer, musician, and film director Frank Zappa; and the likes of R&B songstress Toni Braxton, Sam Watters, and Brandon Thomas all have made their mark on the sounds of Maryland's music.
Festivals and Venues
To experience the sounds of Maryland while visiting the Old Line State, take in a concert at any of the state's many music venues. The Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, built in the early 1960s, features a diverse mix of artists and events for contemporary entertainment. The Meyerhoff Symphony Hall and Lyric Opera House, on the other hand, boasts such classical performers as the Baltimore Opera and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. If your music interests are more hard core, head to the Charm City Art Space for a punk performance.
Festivals are other great places to catch live music performances. The East Coast's largest annual music celebration is the HFStival rock festival. This concert has drawn between 55,000 and 90,00 people to attend in past years, and has been traditionally held at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium. Annapolis' Renaissance Festival is a recreation of a 16th century English village where you'll find plenty of fun and live musical entertainment from the period. Contact the venues to find out more about concert and festival times, admission costs, and scheduled performances.
With such a deeply rooted music culture, it won't be hard to find musical entertainment in almost any genre while visiting Maryland.
