A History of Music and Dance in Florida 1565-1865

About this book

This elegant volume is the first to chronicle Floridas aboriginal and European music and dance from the Souths earliest permanent settlement to the end of the Civil War. Floridians and non-Floridians have often dismissed the states musical heritage as beginning and ending with Stephen Fosters "Swanee River (Old Folks at Home)." For this volume music scholar Wiley L. Housewright draws on documents of cultural history largely overlooked by previous researchers to reveal the vast heritage and diversity of 300 years of Florida music and dance. Housewright examines works written and performed by Native Americans European adventurers backwoods pioneers slaves politicians sailors soldiers stevedores and professional ensembles. His narrative evokes the cultural and political background of music in Florida and the often colorful characters who sang and danced across the stage of the states history. This volume encourages a reconsideration of the geographic orientation of American music history as well as a vivid rediscovery of the richly diverse cultural traditions of early Florida. Wiley L. Housewright is Professor Emeritus of Music at Florida State University.