Rhode Island
, a
state
of the
United States
, located in the
New England
region, is known for a diverse and thriving music scene.
History
[
edit
]
In 1733, the first
organ
said to be designed for church use, was installed at
Trinity Church
in
Newport
.
[
citation needed
]
In the late
1990s
, the state's music scene, which is centered around the capital city of
Providence
, became nationally known for the
noise rock
scene that revolved around the
Fort Thunder
artists' collective.
[
citation needed
]
The state is home to a wide range of artists performing of a number of genres, most notably
folk rock
,
jazz
,
hardcore punk
,
hip hop
, and
Cape Verdean music
.
[
citation needed
]
The state is known for the famous
Newport Jazz
and
Newport Folk
festivals.
[
citation needed
]
State song
[
edit
]
In 1996, Rhode Island declared "
Rhode Island, It's for Me
" as the official
state song
. The lyrics were written by Charlie Hall, the music was written by Maria Day, and the piece was arranged by Kathryn Chester.
[1]
"Rhode Island, It's for Me" replaced "
Rhode Island
", which was subsequently named the official state march.
[
citation needed
]
Other state-affiliated songs
[
edit
]
"Rhode Island"
[
edit
]
About
[
edit
]
“Rhode Island”, written by T. Clarke Browne, was the official state song for over 50 years, when it was replaced by “Rhode Island, It’s For Me”.
[2]
It has since been renamed the official state march.
[3]
Lyrics
[
edit
]
The following are the lyrics for the song "Rhode Island":
[4]
Here's to you, belov'd RHODE ISLAND,
With your Hills and Ocean Shore.
We are proud to hail you RHODY
And your patriots of yore.
First to claim your independence,
Great your heritage and fame.
The smallest State in all the Union,
We will glorify your name!
"Rhode Island Is Famous for You"
[
edit
]
About
[
edit
]
“Rhode Island Is Famous for You” was originally written by
Howard Dietz
and
Arthur Schwartz
in 1948, for
Inside U.S.A.
, a
1940s
Broadway show about the U.S. States. The number was performed by Estelle Loring, who was awarded a
Theater World Award
for the piece, and
Jack Haley
.
[5]
“Rhode Island Is Famous for You” also served as the theme song for Buddy Cianci’s Radio Show, and was performed by
Robert Goulet
and Cianci himself at his 1995 mayoral inauguration.
[5]
The song has been covered by
Blossom Dearie
,
Michael Feinstein
,
Nancy Lamott
,
Mandy Patinkin
,
John Pizzarelli
, and
Erin McKeown
.
[
citation needed
]
The song has recently
[
when?
]
been featured on the podcast
Crimetown
.
[
clarification needed
]
[
citation needed
]
Popular music
[
edit
]
Providence
[
edit
]
Providence
, the state's capital, has a very strong local independent music scene, known especially for its contributions to the genre of
noise rock
, most notably the groups
Lightning Bolt
,
Daughters
,
Black Dice
, and
Arab on Radar
. Rap artists such as Sage Francis and John Phelps, formerly known as Lunchbagg, are among the notable figures combining DIY philosophy with Hip Hop. Other rap artists such as Dee Gomes, Jae Lynx, King OSF, J Duce, and Vick Mucka have grown prominent fan bases by representing the city's harsher neighborhoods and have gone on to sign with major record labels.
[
citation needed
]
Other
indie rock
and
alternative
artists from the city include
Les Savy Fav
, Dicky Barrett (vocalist for ska group
Mighty Mighty Bosstones
),
ZOX
,
The Low Anthem
,
Downtown Boys
, and
Deer Tick
. Noise/Punk 5 piece, Hairspray Queen are also from varying neighborhoods in the City.
[
citation needed
]
Singer-songwriter, musician, and lyricist
Jeffrey Osborne
was born and raised in Providence. Osborne spent over a decade as the drummer and lead vocalist for the American
R&B
/
funk
band
L.T.D.
Amongst his biggest hits with the group were "
(Every Time I Turn Around) Back in Love Again
" (1977), "Concentrate on You", "
Love Ballad
" (1976), and "
Holding On (When Love Is Gone)
" (1978). Osborne subsequently launched a successful solo career in 1982, charting with hit songs including "
On the Wings of Love
", "I Really Don't Need No Light" (No. 29 and No. 39, respectively, on the
pop chart
), "Don't You Get So Mad" (No. 25), "Stay with Me Tonight" (No. 30), "Plane Love" (No. 10 R&B, No. 6 dance), and "We're Going All the Way" (No. 48).
[
citation needed
]
Based in Providence, the
Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra
is one of the most influential music institutions in the state.
[
citation needed
]
College Hill
[
edit
]
Rhode Island School of Design
has been the
alma mater
of many popular musicians. Three members of
Talking Heads
met at the college, but did not form the band until they moved to
New York City
.
[
citation needed
]
Notable musicians who attended Providence's
Brown University
include
Wendy Carlos
,
Lisa Loeb
,
Mary Chapin Carpenter
,
OK Go
singer
Damian Kulash
,
Duncan Sheik
,
ZOX
,
Lawrence
, and
Will Oldham
, who dropped out after one semester.
[
citation needed
]
Newport
[
edit
]
Newport has a much smaller scene, with
Throwing Muses
being its most successful rock band. The group formed in 1981 and recorded and toured until their hiatus in 2003. The band's lead guitarist and secondary songwriter,
Tanya Donnelly
also formed
Belly
, best known for their hit "
Feed the Tree
", which went to #1 on the
Billboard Modern Rock chart
in 1994. Donnelly was also briefly guitarist for
The Breeders
.
[
citation needed
]
The singing family
The Cowsills
, who had Top 40 hits from 1967 to 1969 also are from Newport. They were the inspiration for the fictional
Partridge Family
.
[
citation needed
]
Since 2000, Newport has cultivated a small
ska punk
scene, headed by the
Sublime
cover group
Badfish
and the punk band Big World.
[
citation needed
]
Rockabilly
singer Jody Gibson (nee Joseph Paul Katzberg), who had a
Gold Record
with
Good Morning Captain
, spent much of his later life in Newport.
[
citation needed
]
Rest of the state
[
edit
]
Other well known Rhode Island musical artists from elsewhere in the state include
John Cafferty
,
Blu Cantrell
(who had a #2 Hot 100 hit with "
Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)
" in 2001),
Combustible Edison
,
Sage Francis
,
Monty Are I
,
Draco and the Malfoys
, and
Billy Gillman
. The pop music producer and songwriter
Dr. Luke
was born in Westerly.
[6]
Other music
[
edit
]
Indigenous music
[
edit
]
Portuguese music
[
edit
]
Due to the large population of
Portuguese
immigrants in Southern
New England
, Portuguese
traditional music
is played in small communities. Usually
Roman Catholic
churches are the center of the communities activities, where music is played.
[
citation needed
]
Fado
, which has been compared with the Spanish
flamenco
, is a form of music characterized by mournful tunes and lyrics, often about the sea or the life of the poor, and infused with a characteristic sentiment of resignation, fatefulness, and melancholia (loosely captured by the word saudade, or "longing"). Fado performers play at local venues throughout Rhode Island and Southern Massachusetts.
[
citation needed
]
The
Azores
is the major heritage of many
Portuguese-Americans
. In Rhode Island, most Portuguese traditional music is played by Azorean people. Azoreans maintain some distinct musical traditions, such as the traditionally fiddle-driven
chamarrita
dance. This dance and music is played mainly at weddings and Church festivals.
[
citation needed
]
Azorean-Portuguese sensation Jorge Ferreira is a popular musician throughout New England, singing at many festivals and events.
[
citation needed
]
Cape Verdean music
[
edit
]
Of special importance is the music of the large
Cape Verdean
population. Although
Cape Verdean music
is largely unknown outside of the expatriate community, Rhode Island is the acknowledged center for Cape Verdean
morna
and other styles in the United States.
[7]
Music festivals
[
edit
]
Newport Jazz Festival
[
edit
]
The
Newport Jazz Festival
began in 1954 by
George Wein
and has been documented on recordings by
Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk
,
Duke Ellington
,
Muddy Waters
,
Nina Simone
,
Ray Charles
,
John Coltrane
and
Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday
. The 1958 festival was documented in the 1960 film
Jazz on a Summer's Day
. The festival moved to New York City in 1971. In 1985, the festival was revived in Newport as a JVC Jazz Festival.
[
citation needed
]
Newport Folk Festival
[
edit
]
The
Newport Folk Festival
began in 1959, co-founded by Jazz Festival founder George Wein. The festival is best known for the July 25, 1965
performance of Bob Dylan
, where he performed for the first time with electric instruments. Like the Jazz Festival, the folk festival moved to New York City in 1971, but returned in 1986. Notable performers at the festivals included:
Joan Baez
,
Phil Ochs
,
Bob Dylan
,
Buffalo Springfield
,
Pete Seeger
,
Arlo Guthrie
,
Richie Havens
,
Bonnie Raitt
,
Alison Krauss
,
Ry Cooder
,
Little Feat
,
Janis Ian
,
Suzanne Vega
,
Violent Femmes
,
The String Cheese Incident
,
Indigo Girls
, and
The Pixies
.
[
citation needed
]
Newport Music Festival
[
edit
]
The
Newport Music Festival
is a classical music festival that began in 1969 as a summer season of the Metropolitan Opera. The outdoor venue was not conducive to classical music performance, and instead the grand rooms of the stately Newport mansions were put to use for chamber music concerts. The early concerts utilized many members of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. Mark P. Malkovich, III has been the general director for 31 of the 37 seasons. It has become known for giving young international artists, such as
Inessa Galante
, a venue for their American debut.
[
citation needed
]
Sunset Music Festival
[
edit
]
The Sunset Music Festival began in 1997 in Newport and has included performances by acts as varied as
Saves the Day
,
Jason Mraz
,
Paula Cole
,
moe.
, Little Feat,
Jack's Mannequin
,
Peter Frampton
,
Bo Bice
,
Bruce Hornsby
,
Guster
,
Something Corporate
,
Ben Folds
(who has played at several festivals),
Better Than Ezra
,
Cheap Trick
,
Gin Blossoms
and
Anna Nalick
and also local artists like Becky Chace, Zox, and Monty Are I.
[
citation needed
]
List of popular musicians/bands from Rhode Island
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
Bibliography
[
edit
]
- Byron, Janet (1996).
Country Music Lover's Guide to the U.S.A.
(1st ed.). New York: St. Martin's Press. p. 178.
ISBN
0-312-14300-1
.
- Maximo, Susana & David Peterson (2000). "Music of Sweet Sorrow". In Broughton, Simon; Ellingham, Mark; McConnachie, James & Duane, Orla (eds.).
World Music, Vol. 1: Africa, Europe and the Middle East
. London: Rough Guides. pp. 448?457.
ISBN
1-85828-636-0
.
External links
[
edit
]