Music History

The musical heritage of North Carolina spans centuries and genres. Long before the advent of recording, the indigenous peoples of the region sang and played. Enslaved populations transported across the middle passage to the Carolinas carried with them musical traditions from Africa, which soon were inflected by life in colonial America. These beginnings laid the foundation for aesthetic culture in North Carolina and continue to be felt in latent and manifest ways in its music today.

In the modern era, North Carolina established itself as both a tradition-bearer and innovator in myriad genres: blues, bluegrass, country, dance, folk, funk, gospel, hip-hop, pop, rock, soul, and more. The stories in and about the music of North Carolina are profound and complicated: books have and will continue to be written exploring its depths (check out the State Library of North Carolina's suggestions on where to get started).   

Below is a brief overview of some key moments in the musical history of North Carolina, which represent just a fraction of a glorious whole.