The Arts: Rock, Soul, Salsa 1950-1980

The course provides an overview of and inquiry into American popular music as it evolved over 30 years of rapid change in all aspects of national and international artistic/political/economic culture, from the end of World War II to the "new day" promised by the presidency of Ronald Reagan. The focus on three inter-connected but distinctly defined vernacular and commercial genres affords perspectives to study links between personal expression/musical art in the United States and societal developments such as age, race and education-based demographics; national prosperity, stability, influence, upheaval and results, global communications, transportation, war and peace.