The New Harmonies Experience

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.

The video below, from the Kansas tour of New Harmonies,
provides a preview of the exhibit:

With thanks to the Kansas Humanities Council

Locations and Dates

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