Music of Pennsylvania

The Music of Pennsylvania tells the story of sound and song from long before the United States was even a country, all the way up to today. Pennsylvania has given the world many famous musicians and even whole new kinds of music.

In the 1970s, a special kind of soul music called the Philly sound came from the city of Philadelphia. Big names like Gamble and Huff, The O'Jays, and Teddy Pendergrass helped make this sound famous. Philadelphia was also home to wonderful singers such as Marian Anderson and Chubby Checker. The city even created a famous TV dance show called American Bandstand.

Long before the American Revolution, Philadelphia was already a place where music grew. Famous people like Francis Hopkinson, who helped sign the Declaration of Independence, wrote songs. In the 1800s, Stephen Foster, one of America’s most popular songwriters, was born in Pittsburgh. Many community bands also started in Pennsylvania during this time.

21st century

In the 21st century, Pennsylvania has been home to many famous musicians and bands. Some of these include Amish Outlaws from Lancaster, a fun cover band, and Breaking Benjamin, a hard rock group from Wilkes-Barre. Other notable names are Halestorm, a hard rock band that won a Grammy from Red Lion, and P!nk, a popular rock singer from Doylestown. Taylor Swift, a well-known country singer, also started her career in Wyomissing.

20th century

1990s

• Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor is from Mercer, and former drummer Chris Vrenna is from Erie.
• Live, who became famous with their album Throwing Copper, are from York.
• Fuel formed in Henderson, Tennessee but moved to Harrisburg in 1994.
• Acoustic-pop singer Jeffrey Gaines is from Harrisburg.
• The alternative band, The Ocean Blue formed in Hershey.
• Death metal band Incantation are from Johnstown.
• The Clarks, a rock/pop band, formed at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in Indiana.
• Rusted Root, a jam band, are from Pittsburgh.
• Train lead singer Patrick Monahan from Erie co-wrote the song "Drops of Jupiter", which won awards.
• G. Love and Special Sauce is from Philadelphia.
• Bloodhound Gang, Cinderella, and Britny Fox are from suburban Philadelphia.
• Ween is from New Hope.
• Christina Aguilera, from suburban Pittsburgh, had big hits.

1980s

• Hall & Oates are from Philadelphia and went to Temple University. They had big hits.
• Todd Rundgren is from Upper Darby Township.
• Harrisburg native Dan Hartman had a big hit with "I Can Dream About You" in 1984.
• The Vogues from Turtle Creek had hits.
• The Jaggerz had a hit with "The Rapper"
• Pittsburgh's Iron City Houserockers were popular in the early 1980s.
• Donnie Iris had a big hit with "Ah! Leah!" in 1980.
• The Stabilizers from Erie had songs that were popular.
• The Cynics were a garage rock band from Pittsburgh.
• The Hooters from Philadelphia became well-known.
• Hair metal band Poison are from Mechanicsburg.
• Tammi Terrell was from Philadelphia.
• Philly Soul included artists like Gamble and Huff and The O'Jays.
• Labelle, led by Patti LaBelle, had a big hit.
• Violinist Papa John Creach was born in Beaver Falls.
• The Sharks formed in Lancaster.
• The Magnificent Men from Harrisburg played famous venues.
• Artist Andy Warhol, born in Pittsburgh, created album covers.

1950s

• Jimmy Preston from Chester released "Rock the Joint" in 1949.
• Lee Andrews & the Hearts formed in Philadelphia in 1953.
• Bill Haley & His Comets from Chester had a big hit with "Rock Around the Clock" in 1955.
• The Skyliners formed in Pittsburgh in 1958.

Punk rock

Philadelphia has a lively music scene with many kinds of bands. Some of these bands include The Vels, Regressive Aid, and Electric Love Muffin. Later, bands like The Dead Milkmen from Philadelphia became well-known. In Pittsburgh, the band Aus-Rotten is well-known. The pop-punk band The Wonder Years comes from Landsdale.

Other bands include Anti-Flag from Pittsburgh and August Burns Red and Texas in July from the Lancaster area. The punk rock band The Menzingers is from Scranton. Erik Petersen, a singer from Philadelphia, wrote a song called "Pennsyltucky".

Hip hop, R&B, and neo soul

Hip hop music, R&B music, and neo soul music are very popular in Pennsylvania.

Will Smith and his hip-hop partner Jazzy Jeff, known as DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, are from West Philadelphia. Smith had three very popular songs, including "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It" and "Wild Wild West".

Boyz II Men, a smooth R&B group from the 1990s, are also from Philadelphia. They had four very popular songs, including "End of the Road", "I'll Make Love to You", and "On Bended Knee". Their song "Motownphilly" celebrates Philadelphia.

Other modern artists from Philadelphia include Jill Scott, The Roots, Eve, Cassidy, Chiddy Bang, Da Youngsta's, Tuff Crew, Beanie Sigel, Freeway, Jedi Mind Tricks, Lil Uzi Vert, Meek Mill, Ms. Jade, Reef the Lost Cauze, Schoolly D, The High & Mighty, Young Gunz, and 2rare.

Rappers Mac Miller and Wiz Khalifa are from Pittsburgh. Mac Miller had an album that was very popular in 2011 called Blue Slide Park. Khalifa had two popular songs, "Black and Yellow", about growing up in Pittsburgh, and "See You Again".

Rapper Asher Roth is from Morrisville.

Blues

Blues singer Gladys Bentley was born in Philadelphia during a special time called the Harlem Renaissance.

Samuel Charters, who was born in Pittsburgh, was a writer and music expert. He told stories about blues and jazz music. He wrote a famous book called The Country Blues.

Jazz

Pennsylvania has a rich history of jazz music, especially in Philadelphia. Famous jazz musicians from there include Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, and John Coltrane.

Pittsburgh has also produced famous jazz musicians, such as pianist Erroll Garner and drummer Art Blakey. The Hill District in Pittsburgh was a key place for jazz from the 1920s to the 1950s, with popular clubs like the Crawford Grill.

Folk

Pennsylvania has a long history of folk music. Famous folk musicians from Pennsylvania include Robert Schmertz, who wrote many songs in the 1960s. George Britton sang for many years and loved sharing music from his mother's Pennsylvania Dutch background. Buster Red was a singer who wrote about places in Pennsylvania. Jim Croce, a well-known folk singer of the 1970s, was born and grew up in Pennsylvania and worked at WXVU while in college.

Indigenous music

Main article: Indigenous music of North America § Eastern Woodlands

Pennsylvania has a long history of music that began before European settlers arrived. Many Indigenous groups lived in the area and had their own unique ways of making and enjoying music. These traditions influenced the music that came after.

History

Main article: Music history of the United States during the colonial era

During the colonial era, the Province of Pennsylvania had groups like the Quakers, Moravians, and Lutherans. These Protestant churches used music in their worship. Famous musicians such as Johann Sebastian Bach and Johann Pachelbel had their music played in places like present-day Bethlehem.

The Ephrata Cloister started in 1720 in what is now Lancaster County. This group, led by Conrad Beissel, used music in their worship and made their own special songs. They played instruments like the violin.

In the early 1800s, the Harmony Society came from Germany and settled in Harmony, Pennsylvania. Music was very important to them. They wrote their own songs and had an orchestra.

The Mennonites also settled in Pennsylvania and used music in their worship. They made special hymnbooks in Germantown, which is part of Philadelphia today.

The Moravian Church came to Pennsylvania and loved music. They used music in their ceremonies and played instruments like organs and trombones. They wrote many hymns and translated some into the Delaware language. One famous Moravian musician was Johann Friedrich Peter, who brought many beautiful songs to Pennsylvania.

Main article: Ephrata Cloister

Main article: Harmony Society

Main article: Mennonite

Main article: Moravian music

Main article: Pietism

Classical composers

Pennsylvania has been home to many talented musicians. Early composers from the state include Arthur Nevin from Edgeworth and Charles Wakefield Cadman from Johnstown. Other famous composers born in Pennsylvania are Samuel Barber from West Chester and David Ludwig from Bucks County. Experimental music composer Maryanne Amacher was also born in Kane.