Travelling on a Tune

USA Music Routes

Di Caught took to a musical highway route around the United States to see a different side of this vast country.

In the US, there’s a whole country full to the brim with musical history, festivals and experiences just waiting to be explored.  Whether it’s Jazz, Soul, Blues, Motown, Hip Hop, Rock, Folk, Country or anything else in between that you like, you’re very unlikely to be disappointed.  You’ll be able to find it on the streets, in museums, in country towns and big cities, and it’s a great way to get to know more about the very diverse and misunderstood history of this huge country. 

The music of the United States reflects the country’s ethnic history with roots stemming from Africa, Spain, France, and many other countries creating new music unique to its origins due to cross-cultural hybridisations. Things like slavery brought together people from different tribes to share tight living quarters and therefore each other’s music. The intermingling of genres like African and French created the music of the Louisiana Creoles, whilst the slack key guitar, or the tiny guitar now known as the ukulele, was introduced to Hawaii. 

There’s a festival for everything in the United States and the people who live there are such big music fans that you will barely find a week when there is not a list of amazing performances to enjoy.  If you want to zone in on a particular style, do a bit of research before you go and you will be gladly rewarded.

If you’re going to be travelling in the southern states, be sure to pay a visit to New Orleans, home to some of the world’s greatest jazz musicians.  The streets are steeped in Cajun, Creole and Voodoo sights and sounds on any given day or night and there’s a festival for every style including the world famous Mardi Gras and New Orleans Jazz Festival.  

Di Caught took to a musical highway route around the United States to see a different side of this vast country.

In the US, there’s a whole country full to the brim with musical history, festivals and experiences just waiting to be explored.  Whether it’s Jazz, Soul, Blues, Motown, Hip Hop, Rock, Folk, Country or anything else in between that you like, you’re very unlikely to be disappointed.  You’ll be able to find it on the streets, in museums, in country towns and big cities, and it’s a great way to get to know more about the very diverse and misunderstood history of this huge country. 

The music of the United States reflects the country’s ethnic history with roots stemming from Africa, Spain, France, and many other countries creating new music unique to its origins due to cross-cultural hybridisations. Things like slavery brought together people from different tribes to share tight living quarters and therefore each other’s music. The intermingling of genres like African and French created the music of the Louisiana Creoles, whilst the slack key guitar, or the tiny guitar now known as the ukulele, was introduced to Hawaii. 

There’s a festival for everything in the United States and the people who live there are such big music fans that you will barely find a week when there is not a list of amazing performances to enjoy.  If you want to zone in on a particular style, do a bit of research before you go and you will be gladly rewarded.

If you’re going to be travelling in the southern states, be sure to pay a visit to New Orleans, home to some of the world’s greatest jazz musicians.  The streets are steeped in Cajun, Creole and Voodoo sights and sounds on any given day or night and there’s a festival for every style including the world famous Mardi Gras and New Orleans Jazz Festival.