Jelly Roll, Bix, and Hoagy - Rick Kennedy

Some of the earliest performances by the likes of Jelly Roll Morton, the New Orleans Rhythm Kings, King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, and Bix Beiderbecke were preserved on recordings produced at Gennett Studios, an independent company operating in Richmond, Indiana, from 1917 to 1932. Hoagy Carmichael's "Stardust" debuted on Gennett as a dance stomp.The Gennetts made music history by recording young jazz pioneers in the Midwest and folk musicians from the Appalachian hills at a time when major record labels in the East couldn't be bothered. Gennett featured such country music stars as Gene Autry, Chubby Parker, and Bradley Kincaid and early blues artists Big Bill Broonzy, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and Roosevelt Sykes; and during a period of rigid segregation, Gennett freely recorded black musicians. Jelly Roll, Hoagy, and Bix is the first detailed account of the people and events behind this unique company. Personalized by anecdotes from musicians, employees, and family members, it traces the colorful history of this innovative business until its demise during the Great Depression.