Kevin Belford
'Saint Louis ProtoAmericana, Stagger Lee and the Early Music of the City' is an illustrated narrative nonfiction book revealing that 1890s St. Louis is the unrecognized birthplace of some of America’s most enduring popular music, and that theft, inaccurate research, and civic indifference erased that legacy from the historical record. Before the turn of the century, march music, ragtime, and popular song took shape within a few city blocks, in ways that would send ripples across the world. Most of those songs traveled internationally and became famous after visiting musicians appropriated them.Written by the only St. Louisan to author a book on these legends, and drawing on twenty years of original research, never-before-seen documents, and a visual storytelling approach, the book uncovers the true stories behind more than a dozen American songbook standards, including 'Ta Ra Ra Boom De Ay,' 'Frankie and Johnny,' and the legend of 'Stagger Lee' a true crime story finally solved and documented here for the first time, complete with an image of the man himself.More than a retelling of the old folktales, the book explains the social forces and urban environment that produced these legends, arguing that American music history is incomplete without understanding St. Louis’ contributions. St. Louis itself functions as the book’s central character.
