Music History Star in Motown Vs. Chi-Town Exhibit

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Patrons look at iconic Blues exhibit items   Exhibit and information area of Blues Museum

Music History Star in Motown Vs. Chi-Town Exhibit Motown vs. Chi-Town, and the Indiana Connection, explores the Chicago music scene of the 1950s through 1970s, its ties to Detroit’s Motown Records and R&B and Soul music’s early beginnings in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood and Northwest Indiana. The Chicago Blues Museum’s archival photographic images focus on homegrown Chicago musicians, entertainers, and performers, as well as on the places and companies where this popular music originated and evolved. The exhibit explores the neighborhood nightclubs – The Club DeLisa and blues clubs Checkerboard and 708 Club – and venues such as the Regal Theater, where these talented people honed their skills, later recording much of their work on Record Row, formerly home to many music studios, labels and distributors. The installation of a 1950s- 1960s front room from a Bronzeville home and an original seating section from the original Checkerboard Lounge are highlights of the exhibit. Displays feature images, music and film footage, along with artifacts and memorabilia that recall the artistic and cultural output of musicians, and entertainers in these locales. Motown vs. Chi-Town, and the Indiana Connection, curated by Gregg Parker, CEO and founder of the Chicago Blues Museum, and exhibit designer Stefanie Mielke, documents the emergence of a genre of American music that is deeply connected to the history, culture, and geography of the United States. This emergence during the onset of the 20th century brought pervasive social changes to society, which, combined with new technologies, created a mass market for American popular music. The Chicago Blues Museum is dedicated to preserving and sharing the legacy and rich living tradition of the blues and its musical off-springs with the public. Based upon the premise that the blues and American popular music are among America’s greatest gifts to the world, and to ensure that future generations have access to these vibrant art forms, the museum makes its collections and the stories they tell available in state-of-the-art exhibit formats. Programs and exhibits have been prominently featured throughout Chicagoland cultural institutions and public venues. Motown vs. Chi-Town, and the Indiana Connection runs through January 29, 2017at the Center For Visual and Performing Arts, 1040 Ridge Road in Munster IN. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 10am-5pm, Saturday 10am-4pmand Sunday 12-4pm. School groups and exhibit tours can be scheduled by calling 219/836-1839, ext. 108. For more information on the Chicago Blues Museum call 773-723-5031. - Gus Redmond