The Role Of Music In The 1920s

Sharon Bellingeri
English III: 1
Mrs. Sledden
25, May 2011
Sounds of a Nation The loud, ringing sound of a trumpet’s blare, the fresh rhythm of guitars, and the clear crisp voices uplifted in song; these were just a few of the common sounds that could be heard during the 1920s. The Jazz Age incorporated more than just jazz, with blues booming, ballads and ragtime filling the air, and show tunes enrapturing audiences on and off the stage, the 1920s were alive with all kinds of music. The 1920s brought significant changes to music in America with new musicians, styles, and innovations, all of which would influence music around the world for years to come. Jazz music was a significant source of music in the 1920s, a style which originated…show more content…
Born in the country. blues was the original influencer of jazz and continued to be popular long after jazz took off. Blues music, along with jazz, continued to influence and inspire musicians for decades to come to continue playing blues as well as to create new styles of music. Musicians such as Ma Rainey, “The Mother of Blues” and Jimmie Rodgers “The Father of Blues” made blues the success it was in the 1920s and the foundation for new music later on. Guitarists such as Blind Blake and banjo players like Charlie Poole inspired musicians with their styles and techniques (“1920s Jazz, Blues, Radio”). Blues was well known in the 1920s and was even quoted in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby; the song “The Sheik of Araby”, written by Harry B. Smith, Francis Wheeler and music by Ted Snyder in 1921was quoted therein. This same song would be covered decades later in 1962 by the band which would become known around the globe as The Beatles, showing the influence that the music of the 1920s had on decades to come (“1920s Jazz, Blues, Radio”).
Apart from jazz and blues, another style of music in the spotlight of the 1920s was the show tunes of Broadway. Broadway was truly heating up in the 1920s, with over fifty…show more content…
The decade of the 20s witnessed significant changes throughout the country and in all aspects of life.
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The changes in music only further defined the others, with innovations as well as entirely new genres of music being further explored. The 1920s were truly alive with sound, whether it be in the theatre or in the home or in the dance hall, the music was unmistakable; jazz and blues were the driving force of a nation.

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Works Cited “1920s Music.” www.1920-30.com/music. N.p. 2005. Web. 17 May 2011.
“1920s Music & Entertainment.” www.angelfire.com/retro2/lisa3/20smusic. N.p. N.d. Web. 17 May 2011.
“1920s Jazz, Blues, Radio.” www.southernmusic.net. N.p. N.d. Web. 5 May 2011.
Bruccoli, Matthew. The Great Gatsby. New York. Scribner, 2004. Preface.
“Famous 1920s Musicians.” www.1920s-fashion-and-music.com. N.p. N.d. Web. 17 May 2011.
Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York. Scribner, 2004. Print.
Kenrick, John. “History of The Musical Stage 1920s: Part V Three Landmarks.” www.musicals101.com. N.p. 2003. Web. 24 May 2011.
Tyle, Chris. “Jazz History in Standard Time (1920s).” www.jazzstandards.com. N.p. 2011. Web. 24 May