Videos

Established in 1957, Stax Records became synonymous with Memphis and southern soul music with acts such as Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, and the Staples Singers. Executive Director Jeff Kollath tells the story…

The archives at Elvis Presley’s Graceland contain over 1.5 million artifacts from the singer’s personal life and music career. Archivist Angie Marchese showcased some of their more unique items.…

Known as the “Birth Place of Rock ‘N’ Roll,” Sun Studio ushered in future legends such as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and B.B. King. Jason Freeman, of Sun Studio, recounted the studio’s founding and the…

President Trump signed the Music Modernization Act into law, which ensures artists who released records prior to 1972 are paid royalties from digital services. Accompanying him were several…

Buddy Holly, a native of Lubbock, Texas, was only 22 years old when he was killed in a plane crash. Jackie Bober, curator of the Buddy Holly Center, talked about his legacy and his early years in Lubbock.…

New Orleans is considered the birthplace of jazz music. The New Orleans Jazz Museum houses the largest collection of jazz music related materials in the world. Curator David Kunian talked about the origins of jazz in…

Panelists talked about the opening of the Electric Factory, a concert venue that introduced rock ‘n’ roll to Philadelphia, bringing in artists such as Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix. The…

Actor Erich Bergen and VH1 Save the Music Foundation’s Henry Donahue talked about federal funding of arts programs.

Recording artist Smokey Robinson along with other musicians, songwriters and music industry executives testified at a hearing on updating federal music licensing, copyright and royalty…

The music of Appalachia is a mix of African and European cultures. Warren Wilson College collected a decade of interviews and live performances during the 1960s and '70s to preserve the sounds of Appalachian…

Singer-songwriter Dolly Parton talked about her Imagination Library book gifting program and read from her book, Coat of Many Colors, which she donated to the Library of Congress.

Musicians performed at the annual shamrock bowl presentation ceremony at the White House. Every year on or before March 17, the Irish prime minister travels to Washington, D.C., and…

Ron Jarrett talked about the history of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and its importance to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Organist Richard Elliott also talked about playing one of the…

Radio personality Paul Porter talked about his book Blackout: My 40 Years in the Music Business, in which he looks at the inner workings of the music industry.

Professor Mark Naison talked about the history of hip hop and why it originated in the Bronx. He describes how the new percussive music of the early 1970s was spread through outdoor…

U.S. Air Force Academy instructor Captain Jeffrey Copeland talked about the use of American Jazz musicians as State Department-sponsored “ambassadors” in Africa during the Cold War. He…

Thomas Dolby talked about his book, The Speed of Sound: Breaking the Barriers Between Music and Technology. He spoke at the 15th annual Annapolis Book Festival. This program contains…

Steve Bene talked about issues facing Pandora Media’s internet radio service and the music industry, including copyright laws, ticket-price inflation, and what happens when humans compete…

Hip hop artists talked about why they started rapping at a young age, saying it was to deal with racism, politics, and pain. This is a portion of a panel discussion from the Center for…

Todd Mesek talked about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s “Louder Than Words” exhibit, which illustrates how music has shaped and interacted with politics throughout American history. C-SPAN’s Local…