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Did you know that the late-1940s success of Baltimore male harmony group the Orioles inspired a whole string of male doo-wop groups with bird names?
Do you know where famous record label founder Berry Gordy came up with the name for Motown Records?
Over the past few months, Folklife Festival senior graphic designer Josue Castilleja met with curatorial teams to conceptually walk through the Festival
Did you know that Otis Redding’s first hit, "These Arms of Mine," was recorded almost by chance?
In 2011, researchers for the Smithsonian Folklife Festival traveled to the Orinoco Plains of Colombia.
In March 2010 the Smithsonian Natural History Museum opened the David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins. The hall reflects the combined talents of many exhibition specialists, including the Smithsonian Office of Exhibits Central.
R&B bandleader, producer, promoter, songwriter, disk jockey, author, talent scout, and label owner, Johnny Otis has been called the "Godfather of Rhythm and Blues,"
The Folklife Festival’s Opening Ceremony will be held on the Motor City stage in front of the Smithsonian Castle on Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 11a.m. on the National Mall.
How are rock and roll and rhythm and blues related?
The Smithsonian Folklife Festival is often described as the "world's largest cultural conversation," and as a "museum without walls."
Support the Folklife Festival, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, sustainability projects, educational outreach, and more.