Articles: Francis (Scrapper) Blackwell (Feb. 21, 1903-Oct. 7, 1962). Born in Syracuse, South Carolina, Francis (Scrapper) Blackwell arrived in Indianapolis at age three and… Read More »Francis (Scrapper) Blackwell Blues The African American originated folk music form known as “the blues” became popular in Indianapolis after World War I with… Read More »Blues Leroy Carr (Mar. 27, 1905-Apr. 28, 1935). The most popular male blues musician of his day, Leroy Carr was born in Nashville,… Read More »Leroy Carr Dance Bands Professional bands hired to perform for public and private social dances began to flourish in Indianapolis during the 1880s. Groups… Read More »Dance Bands Ensemble Music Society The Ensemble Music Society presents the oldest continuous chamber music concert series in Indiana. Organized to encourage public presentation of… Read More »Ensemble Music Society Hampton Family The Hampton Family is an African American family of jazz musicians whose individual members and various ensemble configurations have contributed… Read More »Hampton Family Robert Lee Gholson Jr. (Jan. 23, 1931-Dec. 7, 1993). A native of Aberdeen, Mississippi, Robert Lee Gholson moved with his family to Gary, Indiana,… Read More »Robert Lee Gholson Jr. Erroll Grandy (Jan. 1, 1918-June 12, 1991). Erroll Grandy was a pianist affectionately nicknamed the “godfather of Indianapolis jazz” in deference to… Read More »Erroll Grandy Shirley Griffith (Apr. 26, 1908 -June 18, 1974). A native of Brandon, Mississippi, Griffith learned to play the guitar at age 10.… Read More »Shirley Griffith Ragtime This uniquely American musical genre, based upon African American rhythms and styles rendered initially by Black banjoists and pianists, flourished… Read More »Ragtime Ruoff Music Center Located southeast of Noblesville in Hamilton County, the Deer Creek Music Center, now Ruoff Music Center, was completed in 1989… Read More »Ruoff Music Center Harry and Albert Von Tilzer (Harry, July 8, 1872-Jan. 10, 1946; and Albert, Mar. 29, 1878-Oct. 1, 1956). Harry Gumm, born in Detroit, moved to… Read More »Harry and Albert Von Tilzer
Francis (Scrapper) Blackwell (Feb. 21, 1903-Oct. 7, 1962). Born in Syracuse, South Carolina, Francis (Scrapper) Blackwell arrived in Indianapolis at age three and… Read More »Francis (Scrapper) Blackwell
Blues The African American originated folk music form known as “the blues” became popular in Indianapolis after World War I with… Read More »Blues
Leroy Carr (Mar. 27, 1905-Apr. 28, 1935). The most popular male blues musician of his day, Leroy Carr was born in Nashville,… Read More »Leroy Carr
Dance Bands Professional bands hired to perform for public and private social dances began to flourish in Indianapolis during the 1880s. Groups… Read More »Dance Bands
Ensemble Music Society The Ensemble Music Society presents the oldest continuous chamber music concert series in Indiana. Organized to encourage public presentation of… Read More »Ensemble Music Society
Hampton Family The Hampton Family is an African American family of jazz musicians whose individual members and various ensemble configurations have contributed… Read More »Hampton Family
Robert Lee Gholson Jr. (Jan. 23, 1931-Dec. 7, 1993). A native of Aberdeen, Mississippi, Robert Lee Gholson moved with his family to Gary, Indiana,… Read More »Robert Lee Gholson Jr.
Erroll Grandy (Jan. 1, 1918-June 12, 1991). Erroll Grandy was a pianist affectionately nicknamed the “godfather of Indianapolis jazz” in deference to… Read More »Erroll Grandy
Shirley Griffith (Apr. 26, 1908 -June 18, 1974). A native of Brandon, Mississippi, Griffith learned to play the guitar at age 10.… Read More »Shirley Griffith
Ragtime This uniquely American musical genre, based upon African American rhythms and styles rendered initially by Black banjoists and pianists, flourished… Read More »Ragtime
Ruoff Music Center Located southeast of Noblesville in Hamilton County, the Deer Creek Music Center, now Ruoff Music Center, was completed in 1989… Read More »Ruoff Music Center
Harry and Albert Von Tilzer (Harry, July 8, 1872-Jan. 10, 1946; and Albert, Mar. 29, 1878-Oct. 1, 1956). Harry Gumm, born in Detroit, moved to… Read More »Harry and Albert Von Tilzer