An online music history course with Mark Montgomery French
Join us for All Your Favorite Music is (Probably) Black, a humorous, highly immersive, and historically accurate course that uncovers the African-American roots of popular music genres—Country, K-pop, Goth, Punk, and more—that appear to be free of African-Americans.
Featuring: The Police, BTS, Bauhaus, Lil Nas X, Led Zeppelin, Yola, Quincy Jones, Hank Williams, Juan Atkins, Ray Charles, Rhiannon Giddens, Living Colour, Laura Love, Nile Rodgers, Keb’Mo, Duran Duran, Brian Eno, The Specials, Fishbone, Madness, The (English) Beat, Funkadelic, Love & Rockets, Red Hot Chili Peppers, EXO, Girls Generation, Black Sabbath, Sevendust, Sly & Robbie, Booker T. Jones, The Carter Family, Bernard Edwards, Moby, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Charley Pride, Joy Division, Danger Mouse, Bad Brains, A.R. Kane, The Orb, Derrick May, Little Axe, Kevin Saunderson and others.
If Spotify removed all the music genres pioneered by African-Americans, it would become a nearly empty shell. Yet Spotify (and other music sites) perpetuate the myth that African-Americans can only play hip-hop, jazz, R&B, and the blues. This music culture theft started with segregated song lists and continues today with institutionally racist music algorithms that keep all of us away from great music. My course will right this wrong, introduce you to exciting tunes, and dive deep into the talent and tales of unfairly obscured African-American artists. Plus, there will be jokes.
Week One—Country & Americana: The Carter Family, Yola, Hank Williams, Charley Pride, Ray Charles, Tété, Rhiannon Giddens, Laura Love, Keb’Mo, Lil Nas X, and others.
Week Two—Modern Rock 1980-1989: Duran Duran, The Police, The Specials, Fishbone, Madness, The (English) Beat, Love & Rockets, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and others.
Week Three—K-pop & Metal: BTS, Led Zeppelin, EXO, Living Colour, Girls Generation, Black Sabbath, Sevendust, Funkadelic, Shinne, and others.
Week Four—Rock Producer Special Edition: Danger Mouse, Nile Rodgers, Sly & Robbie, Booker T. Jones, Bernard Edwards, Quincy Jones, and others
Week Five—Goth, Punk & Ambient: Bauhaus, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Joy Division, Brian Eno, Bad Brains, A.R. Kane, Death, and others.
Week Six—EDM, Electronica, and the Future: Moby, Juan Atkins, The Orb, Derrick May, Little Axe, Larry Levan, Kevin Saunderson, and others.
Artist Bio
San Francisco-native Mark Montgomery French, is an award-winning film composer with the group Spiky Blimp, an award-winning Creative Director with 20+ years of presentation experience, and a music culture writer noted for Uppity Music—Your Guide to Unsung Black Departure Albums and the series 28 Days, 28 Black Music Documentaries. He was formerly the co-leader of the ’90s progressive funk band Endangered Species. More info at: https://www.mmfrench.com/