Columbus: The Musical Crossroads

The long awaited book, Columbus: The Musical Crossroads, is being released from Arcadia Books and should be in your hands. It is a labor of our team’s love for preserving and exposing the world to our musical heritage, following Listen For the Jazz: Keynotes in Columbus History, published in 1990 and 1992.

Columbus has long been known for its musicians, if not its music. Unlike New York, San Francisco, Kansas City, Nashville, or even Cincinnati, it has never had a definable “scene.” Yet, some truly remarkable music has been made in this “musical crossroads” by the outstanding musicians who have called it home.

Since 1900, Columbus has grown from the 28th to the 15th largest city in the United States, eclipsing in-state rivals Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Toledo. During this same period, it has steady developed into a musically vibrant community that has contributed the likes of Elsie Janis, Ted Lewis, Nancy Wilson, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Dwight Yoakam, Bow Wow, Rascal Flatts, and other “stars” to the entertainment world. However, in many instances, those who chose to remain at home, forsaking the pursuit of fame and fortune, were even better.

David Meyers, Arnett Howard, Jim Loeffler, and Candy Watkins, the team, have been actively researching and documenting the history of music in Columbus for decades. Among the other books we have produced that reflect our interest in local music history, in addition to Listen For The Jazz, are More Columbus Unforgettables, and Columbus Unforgettables, Volume III. Our team also developed the Jazz Ohio Exhibition for the Ohio Historical Society and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

We have several ways of marketing our short run of books.

1. Stocking local bookstores:
The Library Store, 96 S. Grant Ave., Columbus, OH
Columbus Museum of Art, 480 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH
Acorn Bookshop, 1464 W. 5th Ave., Columbus, OH
Karen Wicliffe Books, 3527 N. High St., Columbus, OH
Used Kids Records, 1980 N. High St., Columbus, OH
Lost Weekend Records, 2960 N. High St., Columbus, OH
Walgreens, 3445 S. High St., Columbus, OH
Walgreens, 975 E. Dublin Granville Rd., Columbus, OH
Walgreens, 4890 N. High St., Columbus, OH
Walgreens, 4530 Kenny Rd., Columbus, OH

2. Selling them off the side of the stage at concerts and upcoming festivals

3. Putting them in the hands of friends and people who have an active interest in the subject of music, the arts and entertainment history.

I hope you enjoy Columbus: The Musical Crossroads. Bright moments and happy reading,