Asbury Park Public Library
500 First Avenue at Grand Street
Asbury Park, NJ  07712                      

 

Exhibit Hours:
Monday – Wednesday 10 am to 8 pm
Thursday 9 am to 5 pm
Friday 10 am to 8 pm
Saturday 10 am to 5 pm
Sunday 12 pm to 5 pm

 

New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music tells the story of a nation through the music of its people. Bringing together photographs, recordings, instruments, lyrics, and artist profiles, this Smithsonian Institution touring exhibition explores the distinct cultural identities of gospel, country, blues and other forms of roots music as they record the history of the American people and set the foundation for many musical genres appreciated world wide today.

 

This exhibition tracks the unique history of many populations reshaping each other into one incredibly diverse and complex people—Americans. It is a fascinating, inspiring, and toe-tapping journey to the musical heart of the American story. A unique traveling exhibition, it is full of insight into well-loved songs, the history of various musical instruments, the roles of religion and technology in shaping new sounds, and the continuity of musical roots from the colonial period to modern day punk and hip-hop.

Read more about New Harmonies and the 2011 tour across the country in this January 6, 2011 Associated Press article: Moving Melodies: Smithsonian exhibit on American music will tour 5 states this year.