It is the 1950s and 60s: Artists such as Elvis Presley, the Rolling Stones, and Janis Joplin are soaring in the charts. Their inspiration has come from the blues – the rich and expressive, storytelling music that found its origins in the African American culture. This was a racially divisive time that did not allow for many artists of color to crossover into the mainstream white charts. Join us as we trace the pulse of a changing nation as soul inspired pop culture through its songs.

This conversation invites us into a reckoning with American culture: a history of creativity and appropriation, of opportunity and inequity, and the music that shaped both identity and aspiration. What does it mean for art to be “American” when its roots are complex, contested, and often overlooked? How do we honor the originators while celebrating the evolution of the sound?

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