“The Philadelphia Music Book”: A Monumental Second Edition
Philadelphia’s musical story is one deeply ingrained in the heart of American culture—and now, it’s been captured with reverence and detail in “The Philadelphia Music Book: Sounds of a City, Second Edition”. This hardcover coffee table essential spans 390 pages and includes nearly 300 archival images, making it not just a book but a cultural keepsake. Priced at $49.95 and published by Camino Books, this second edition is the first to be made publicly available, expanding upon the original with newly added content, critical revisions, and broader context on the city’s evolving soundscape.
Edited by legendary concert promoter Larry Magid—whose impact includes producing Philly’s historic Live Aid concert—”The Philadelphia Music Book” includes contributions from more than a dozen of the city’s most respected music journalists. Writers like Larry Platt, Dan DeLuca, Chuck Darrow, Howard Shapiro, and Jonathan Takiff bring a deeply informed and local lens to the stories, artists, and venues that defined generations. It’s a chronicle and a love letter to Philadelphia’s irreplaceable role in music history.
“The Philadelphia Music Book” Captures Generations of Sound
The richness of “The Philadelphia Music Book” lies in its genre-spanning, decade-traversing chapters. Whether it’s gospel echoing from North Philly churches, jazz from South Street clubs, or soul music pulsing out of Gamble and Huff’s iconic Sound of Philadelphia, the city’s musical DNA runs deep and wide. Each of the 31 chapters—ranging from early string bands and classical roots to the explosion of rock, soul, disco, punk, and hip-hop—lays out how Philly has influenced nearly every corner of the global music scene.
The book documents artists as it contextualizes moments. From American Bandstand’s television takeover to the Atlantic City Pop Festival, and the electric days of the Electric Factory to recent revivals of dance and EDM scenes, “The Philadelphia Music Book” gives proper weight to both landmark performances and intimate club nights. Standout sections include a spotlight on Philly’s radio DJs, the story behind the Philadelphia Walk of Fame, and the interwoven histories of local promoters, record labels, and musical educators who kept the scene thriving.
What makes this book feel particularly alive is its focus on people—those who created, preserved, and promoted music in this city with grit and genius. Its pages inform and resonate with the soulful, sometimes raw, always ambitious spirit that defines Philly music.
“The Philadelphia Music Book” Supports a Lasting Legacy
Beyond being a stunning tribute, “The Philadelphia Music Book” serves a greater purpose. Proceeds directly benefit the Philadelphia Music Alliance (PMA), the organization best known for its Walk of Fame along Broad Street’s Avenue of the Arts. PMA preserves the legacy of Philly’s music icons while nurturing the next generation through support of educational programs like Musicopia, Project 440, and Jazz Philadelphia. These initiatives help fill the gap left by diminished arts funding in schools and ensure that Philadelphia remains a city where music can thrive at every level.
As Greg S. Harris, President and CEO of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, writes in the foreword: “Philadelphia is a magical place… Reading about it brings us closer to those who made the music and reminds us that the city’s legacy is one of energy, diversity, and enduring influence.”
Whether you lived through these eras or are discovering them for the first time, “The Philadelphia Music Book” is essential reading—and essential remembering.
About Post Author
Discover more from dosage MAGAZINE
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.