Live! From Prince George's County: Exploring the History of Music and Place
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Abstract
The history of live music in Prince George’s County is inextricably linked to place—landscapes, communities, and structures have all influenced, and been influenced by, music. Crescendo Preservation, a team of nine graduate students in the University of Maryland, College Park, Historic Preservation program enrolled in the Historic Preservation Studio Workshop (HISP650), completed this project in response to a Request for Proposals from the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC). The Partnership for Action Learning in Sustainability (PALS) hosted and funded the project as part of the M-NCPPC series, “The Sounds of Prince George’s County.” The team researched live music venue history from 1910- 2010 in Prince George’s County, identifying over one hundred sites that encapsulate the county's rich history of live music. A multitude of famous musicians, varied genres, and clientele made each venue unique. Twenty-seven key sites were determined to be particularly significant to the history and development of live music in the county. Some of these sites require further evaluation for historic designation in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and the Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties (MIHP). The compilation of this research revealed additional contextual information on larger themes, such as cultural history and contributions to live music, strong emphasis on craft through activities like entrepreneurship and grassroots efforts, as well as a complicated history of the relationship between live music and the law.
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The primary goal of this project is to provide a contextual historical analysis of live music venues in Prince George’s County and to expand upon research completed through prior “The Sounds of Prince George’s County” projects. This study focuses on known and lesser-known venues, both extant and non-extant, to provide a comprehensive history. Our primary period of focus for structural resources is between 1910-2010. While this work includes surveyed sites of significance, it is not intended to be an exhaustive list, given the existence of musical expression within both formal and informal settings. We have also contextualized major music genres and identified themes.
“Live! From Prince George’s County: Exploring the History of Music and Place” provides the M-NCPPC with a new contextual analysis of history, space, and themes of live music venues in the county. Although this study is not all-encompassing, the information gives new insights into county history and can be a reference for future researchers to expand upon.