Expected to ship in late fall 2025
Philly’s rich musical heritage spans genres and generations. Classical, gospel, blues, jazz, rock and roll, countless others–if you can name it, Philadelphia has played a role in its growth.
Praise for THE PHILADELPHIA MUSIC BOOK:
A mammoth undertaking...combine[s] talents of the of the knowledgeable writing and music historians available. ...[T]he most complete master work of the Philly music landscape I have every seen!
—Pierre Robert (93.3 WMMR)
The pride of Philly's diverse music is demonstrated in this publication. There is no denying that the music and personalities that came out of Philadelphia will live on for generations to come.
—Kenny Gamble (Philadelphia International Records)
Fill[ed] with engaging, insightful bios of so many who contributed so much to the soundtrack of so many of our lives.
—Michael Smerconish (CNN and SiriusXM host)
Written by a stellar team of local music experts and edited by legendary music producer Larry Magid, this book chronicles the legacy of Philadelphia’s talent and innovation in one volume.
THE PHILADELPHIA MUSIC BOOK: Sounds of a City is the fascinating story of Philly music featuring contributions from Philly’s finest music critics. Writers Brent White, Larry Platt, Howard Shapiro, Juli Hittner Vitello, Peter Dobrin, Tom Moon, Chuck Darrow, Clark DeLeon, Dan DeLuca, Tom Di Nardo, Jack McCarthy, James McKinney, Jonathan Takiff—as well as Mr. Magid himself—lend their encyclopedic knowledge, critical understanding, and lived experience in Philadelphia to this weighty, 352-page, 296-image volume.
From American Bandstand to Made in America, Philadelphia has been a hub for musical excellence for more than a century. Each neighborhood has a story to tell: explore the triumphs of homegrown musical heroes and see their impact on each successive generation of music makers.
This book is a collaboration between Camino Books and the Philadelphia Music Alliance that aims to both preserve contributions of the past and increase awareness of music’s place in our collective future. Royalties from the sales of this book will go to The Philadelphia Music Alliance.
Table of Contents
Foreword by Greg S. Harris (President/CEO, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame)
Introduction (Larry Platt interview with Larry Magid)
- String Bands
- Forerunners: Early Popular Musicians in Philadelphia
- Classical Music
- Jazz
- Settlement Music School
- Big Bands
- The 1945 Concert That Changed the Course of Jazz
- Opera
- Gospel
- Blues
- Crooners and Girl Singers
- Early Years of Rock and Roll
- American Bandstand
- Early Local Record Labels
- 1960s Rock and Roll: Electric Factory and the Psychedelic Era
- Philly Soul and The Sound of Philadelphia
- Atlantic City Pop Festival
- Concert Halls and Theaters
- Clubs
- Folk Music and Americana
- Philadelphia Folk Festival
- Rock and Roll in Philadelphia: 1970s and After
- Golden Age of the Music Business
- Promoters
- Live Aid
- Live 8
- Musical Theater
- Philadelphia DJs
- Musicians in Radio, TV and the Movies
- Present and Future
- Philly Dance Music: From Disco to Hip Hop to EDM
Acknowledgments
Index