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Most American towns of a certain size have some kind of music culture. People listen to and share music. They take or give music lessons. They perform alone or together in their homes...

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The early roots of Catonsville as “Music City Maryland” propagate out mainly from one man: Nelson William Knode. Born in Baltimore in 1920, raised on Fulton Avenue, he was a natural musician from a young age...

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In 1868 Gustav W. Lurman, a German immigrant from Bremen Germany in 1825, purchased a 600-acre homestead on a high hill in Catonsville, with a fine view of the City and Harbor, and overlooking the lovely countryside rolling down to Relay and the Patapsco River...

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The Winters Lane community, once known as Harristown, with roots dating to the late 1860’s when it was founded by freed formerly enslaved people, is a historic Black community in Catonsville...

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Catonsville:

Music City Maryland

A Landscape Study

by: Stephen McKenna

 

This Music Heritage Project was sponsored by the Patapsco Heritage Greenway, Maryland Heritage Areas and the Baltimore County Arts Guild. We are grateful for their support! 

Bill’s Music House is the most prominent music business in Catonsville. It’s also the second- oldest, having started in 1965...

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Percussionist Jim Wharton, who grew up in Catonsville and had graduated from Catonsville High School in the class of 1969, was enjoying a summer trip to Ocean City in 1989 after his second year as chair of the music department...

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Areas for Future Research

Physical Materials Collected

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History

Areas for Future Research

Physical Materials Collected

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Percussionist Jim Wharton, who grew up in Catonsville and had graduated from Catonsville High School in the class of 1969, was enjoying a summer trip to Ocean City in 1989 after his second year as chair of the music department...

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Bill’s Music House is the most prominent music business in Catonsville. It’s also the second- oldest, having started in 1965...

The Winters Lane community, once known as Harristown, with roots dating to the late 1860’s when it was founded by freed formerly enslaved people, is a historic Black community in Catonsville...

-

In 1868 Gustav W. Lurman, a German immigrant from Bremen Germany in 1825, purchased a 600-acre homestead on a high hill in Catonsville, with a fine view of the City and Harbor, and overlooking the lovely countryside rolling down to Relay and the Patapsco River...

-

The early roots of Catonsville as “Music City Maryland” propagate out mainly from one man: Nelson William Knode. Born in Baltimore in 1920, raised on Fulton Avenue, he was a natural musician from a young age...

-

Most American towns of a certain size have some kind of music culture. People listen to and share music. They take or give music lessons. They perform alone or together in their homes...

-

A Landscape Study

Catonsville:

Music City Maryland

History

by: Stephen McKenna

 

This Music Heritage Project was sponsored by the Patapsco Heritage Greenway, Maryland Heritage Areas and the Baltimore County Arts Guild. We are grateful for their support! 

A Landscape Study

Catonsville:

Music City Maryland

History

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