Philadelphia has an extraordinarily rich and important musical history. From the late eighteenth century, when it was the political and cultural capital of the American colonies, to the present, the city has nurtured numerous ground breaking musical styles and artists and been at the forefront of some of the world’s most significant musical developments. Music historian Jack McCarthy explores some of the highlights of Philadelphia music over the course of the city’s 330+ year history.

Featured are the stories of America’s first song composer, first African American to have his music published, the nation’s first “mega-concert,” great organizations such as the Philadelphia Orchestra, Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia International Records, and Cameo-Parkway Records, and many of the city’s groundbreaking artists in classical music, jazz, gospel, rock n’ roll, rhythm & blues/soul.