The History of New Jerseys Musicians, Songwriters and Singers Research Paper

The History of New Jerseys Musicians, Songwriters and Singers - Research Paper Example New Jersey was the third state to join the union. Many of the leaders in that period were well educated and cultured men who embodied the values of the European countries from where their ancestors came. Dutch, Swedish and British settlers imprinted aspects of their culture on the early New Jersey landscape, and this accounts for its relatively fast move from a traditional farming economy to extensive industrialization and a focus on trade and shipping, and eventually railways as well. Church music was of course a staple of cultural life in the early days, but the situation as far as music is concerned in the new colonies was very different from that in Europe: â€Å"the great European musical tradition grew over the years in the sheltered environment of courts and cathedrals. American music, on the other hand, made its own way in the rougher area of musical entrepreneurship and amateur music making.†1 The so-called â€Å"middle colonies† of New York, Pennsylvania and N ew Jersey contained a mix of peoples, and so from the beginning there was British chamber music, Irish dance music, and Scandinavian square dancing based on Scandinavian traditional music with violins, all co-existing at the same time. New Jersey author and politician Francis Hopkinson (1737-1791) who took part in the creation of the American constitution was a very keen musician: â€Å"In the years before his premature death, by now a highly honoured national figure and Federal District Court Judge, he seemed most proud to proclaim himself ‘the first Native of the United States who has produced a Musical Composition.’ † 2 His compositions were a mix of concert pieces and sacred music, with... This paper stresses that New Jersey artists have been both successful and also very productive over a long period. We have seen how the the rich mix of different cultures arriving with successive waves of immigrants into in New Jersey has brought constant renewal. There is also evidence of the need for good business sense in an region prone to boom and bust economies. New Jersey artists like Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen and Queen Latifah have brought their huge personalities into their work, and they combine an affection and respect for their humble origins with a worldly wisdom gained from decades of hard work and success in the business. It is hard to explain exactly why so many talented musicians have come from New Jersey. This report makes a conclusion that things are not always easy for working class families, and the struggle for success often involves avenues that are outside, or even in opposition to mainstream society. The combination of blue collar backgrounds and world-beating careers has we see in the artists mentioned above displays one feature that is often lacking in modern American music and that is authenticity. The talents of New Jersey shines through diversity, proving that flaws and setbacks in all our lives can be a force drives us on to achieve excellence. Each generation has taken the musical history of New Jersey and made it relevant to its own time, and in so doing they have topped the charts time after time with no sign that this fount of talent will ever stop.