HERE ARE LINKS to hundreds of essays penned by NWMA director, Pete Blecha, covering many aspects of the history of music-making, broadcasting and audio-recording, visionary technological innovation, & pop culture in the Pacific Northwest. Many essays are organized in various thematic groupings directly below and beneath those, they are arranged again alphabetically by their core topics.

• • • Northwest musicians, songs & dances.
    • Legendary music venues.
    • Music via pioneering radio & TV stations.
    • Early recording studios & record companies.
    • Inventive local guitar-makers.
    • Hawaiian steel guitarists of the Northwest
    • Local country & folk traditions.
    • Hot & cool jazz, R&B, & soul music.
    • The saga of “Louie, Louie.”
    • Northwest hip-hop culture & rap music.
    • Rockabilly, the “Original Northwest Sound,” & rock ‘n’ roll.

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• “Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition (1909): Music at the Fair”

• “Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition (1909): German Day”

• “Alexys, Seattle folk-pop singer, opens big Beach Boys & Yardbirds concert at the Coliseum (1966)”

• “Ernestine Anderson: Jazz Singer”

• “Otto Anderson (1857–1938): Seattle’s Early Guitar-Maker”

• “Aragon Recording Studios & the Vern Mallory Orchestra (1944–1945)”

• “Audiovox Electric Guitars”

• “Audiovox: The World’s First Electric Bass Guitar Is Discovered!”

• “Auditorium Theater: Spokane’s Finest Stage (1890)”

• “Mildred Bailey & Bing Crosby: Spokane’s Jazz Royalty”

• “The Bards’ ‘British Invasion’ Days (1966)”

• “The Barons: The Northwest’s First Hit-Making ’50s Teen Rock ‘n’ Roll Group”

• “Kearney Barton: The Man Who Engineered the ‘Northwest Sound'”

• “Battle of the Bands Vol. I,”  CD Liner Notes (2001)

• “The Beachcombers: Aberdeen / Hoquiam’s 1st Rockers” (1986)

• “The Beatles in Seattle (1964)”

• “Sir Thomas Beecham: Seattle’s Feud With The ‘Badboy Of The Baton'”

• “Overton Berry Trio starts legendary gig at Seattle’s Doubletree Inn on June 28, 1969”

• “Overton Berry (b. 1936)”

• “Richard Berry, Los Angeles R&B singer, brings ‘Louie Louie’ to Seattle on September 21, 1957″

• “Richard Berry (1935–1997): Part I”

• “Birdland: Seattle’s Fabled ’50s R&B Hotspot”

• “The Black Hawks: Seattle’s Legendary Roaring ’20s Jazz Band”

• “Blind Radio Five Orchestra: Seattle (1925)”

• “The Boeing Band Live at Boeing Field (1931)”

• “Joe Boles: Seattle’s First Hit-Making Audio Engineer”

• “The Bootmen: Olympia’s Baddest ’60s Band” (1984)

• “Stan Boreson: Everett’s King of Scandinavian Humor”

• “Rarest NW Records: the Braxton Quartet’s ‘White Port’ (1950s)”

• “Patsy Britten: Seattle’s ‘Sweetheart of Radio’ (1920s…)”

• “Patsy Britten joins Our Gang in Hollywood (1931-1932)”

• “Olof Bull Plays His Fiddle on Mount Rainier’s Summit (1896)”

• “Dave Bunker files Patent Application for his Unique Electric Guitar (1957)”

• “Dave Bunker & his Mind-Blowingly Unique Electric Guitars (1955–2013)”

• “John Cage (1912–1992): The Seattle Years”

• “John Cage debuts his ‘Prepared Piano’ in Seattle on April 28, 1940″

• “Camelot Records: Seattle’s ‘Lost’ Label of the 1960s”

• “Hazel Carroll: Seattle’s Great Harpist (1925)”

• “Century 21 Expo (1962): Twist Party Celebrates Seattle World’s Fair Opening”

• “Century 21 Expo (1962): Music at the Fair”

• “Century 21 Expo (1962): Performing Arts at the Fair”

• “Century 21 Expo (1962): Theme Songs & Souvenir Records”

• “Century 21 Expo: Saturday Night Dances debut on June 28, 1962″

• “Century 21 Expo: Elvis Presley’s arrival in Seattle draws throngs on September 5, 1962″

• “Century 21 Expo (1962) Seattle’s September Days with Elvis Presley”

• “Ray Charles cuts his debut Record: Seattle (1948)”

• “The Fabulous Chancellors: Boise’s Rocker Boys (1961—1965)”

• “The Checkers: Yakima’s Rockers (1958–1962)”

• “Cirque Playhouse (Seattle, 1950–1981)”

• “Nancy Claire: The First Lady of Northwest Rock”

• “Cle Elum Hosts A ‘Knife Dance’ (1947)”

• “Seattle’s Columbian Trio Plays Hawaiian Music (1920s)”

• “Seattle’s Coon Chicken Inn Dance (1933)”

• “John Coppock & his Deluxe Electric Guitars (1934–1958)”

• “John Coppock & his Hawaiian Band (1927)”

• “John Coppock, Peshastin’s Star Guitarist, Returns from Hollywood for Hometown Concert in 1927”

• “Coppock Guitars: Rarities from the Pacific Northwest”

• “Country Music in the Pacific Northwest”

• “The Counts: Ballard’s Best R&B Band (1958–1966)”

• “Crocodile Cafe Opens on April 30, 1991, as Grunge Rock Scene Erupts”

• “Crocodile Cafe: Seattle’s Grunge Rock Era Icon”

• “Bing Crosby & Mildred Bailey: Spokane’s Jazz Royalty”

• “The Daily Flash: Seattle’s ’60s Folk-Rock Heroes (1965–1967)”

• “Jini Dellaccio: Iconic Photographer of Northwest Musical Icons”

• “Depression Era Dance at Juanita Park (1933)”

• “Dolton: The Northwest’s First Rock ‘n’ Roll Record Company”

• “The Dynamics: North Seattle’s Top ’60s Teen-R&B Band (1959—1968)”

• “Easy Chair: Seattle’s ’60s Psychedelic Sons” (1986)

• “Chance Eden: Port Angeles’ ’60s Singing Star” (1985)

• “Ben Engholm: Seattle’s 1920s pioneering radio loudspeaker designer”

• “Etiquette Rules! The Northwest’s Reigning ’60s Garage-Rock Record Company”

• “Evergreen Ballroom: Olympia’s Lost Landmark (1931–2000)”

• “Fabulous Hammers: Pikesville CD Review” (2009)

• “The Fairmont Singers: Oregon’s Fine Folkies (1962)”

• “Fat Jack: Bellingham’s 1st Hippie Folk Band (1966-1968)”

• “Helen Louise Ferera (1887?—1919): Seattle’s Famed Hawaiian Guitarist”

• “50 Most Influential Musicians,” Seattle Metropolitan magazine, 2008

• “Four Pearls: Northwest Doo-Wop (1957–1960)”

• “The Frantics: Seattle’s Top Teenage ’50s Band” (1984)

• “The Gallahads: Seattle’s ’50s Doo-wop Kings”

• “Gay Pride: A Brief History of Queer Musicians in the Northwest”

• “Jazzman Elmer Gill Fights Seattle’s Segregation (1956)”

• “Great Depression Dance (1933)”

• “Seattle’s Green Lake Band (ca. 1912)”

• “Seattle’s Groove Record Shop (1950s)”

• “The Dawn of Grunge Rock (1988)”

• “Louder Than Heck: Grunge Rock’s Beginnings,” DISCoveries Magazine, 1990

• “Bonnie Guitar: The Northwest’s Trail-Blazing Pop Pioneer“

• “Guitars, Guitars, Guitars,” Feedback Magazine, 1999

• “This Land Was His Land: Woody Guthrie’s Northwest Days,” Feedback Magazine, 2001

• “Woody Guthrie: His Northwest Days”

• “Ivar Haglund, The Seafood-Selling Songster (1946)”

• “Hanburt Electric Guitars: Rarities From the Pacific Northwest,” Vintage Guitar magazine, 2008

• “Harvey Hansen & his Hanburt Electric Guitars (1939–1950)”

• “Gracie Hansen (1922–1985)”

• “Hawaiian Music & its Historic Seattle Connection”

• “Hawaiian Guitar Star, Helen Louise, Lost From Seattle-Bound Steamship (1919)”

• “Jimi Hendrix (1942–1970)”

• “High School USA (Seattle / Portland) (1959)”

• “Barney Hilliard: Seattle’s First Teenage R&B Sax Star”

• “Hip-hop History: Seattle’s ‘underground’ hip-hop scene breaks out with big Exhibition Hall gig on August 17, 1984”

• “Hip-hop History: Spring Rapfest concert ends in mini-riot outside Seattle’s Paramount Theatre on May 16, 1987″

• “Hip-hop History: Nastymix Records’ party marks Gold Record awarded to Sir Mix-A-Lot’s SWASS album on April 29, 1989″

• “Hip-hop History: Nastymix Records hosts Fifth Anniversary Party on November 29, 1990”

• “Hip-Hop History: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis perform Gay-Rights anthem ‘Same Love’ at 2014 Grammy Awards”

• “Ron Holden: Seattle’s Sweet ’60s Teen Balladeer”

• “Sol Ho’opi’i (1903-1953): The Seattle Years of the ‘King of the Hawaiian Steel Guitar'”

• “The Final Concert of “Sol Ho’opi’i – Moore Theatre, Seattle (September 28, 1953)”

• “Vladimir Horowitz Piano Recital Raided by Seattle Police (1932)”

• “Seattle’s Tex Howard Band & the “Airplane Dance’ (1935)”

• “Inland Empire Rock: The Sound of Eastern Washington”

• “It’s A Beautiful Day’s Seattle-penned song, “White Bird,” hits the Billboard charts on October 4, 1969.”

• “Annie Jackson: Seattle’s 1800s Banjo Gal”

• “‘Jazz Intoxication’ bill introduced to Washington State Legislature (1933)”

• “Jerden Records: When the Seattle Music Biz Got Serious”

• “Farewell to Northwest Blues Giant, Joe Johansen” (1997)

• “Little Willie John: His Final Gigs in Seattle (1964)”

• “Jolly Entertainers: The Draper Children’s Home Band (1907–1927)”

• “Quincy Jones (b. 1933)”

• “Quincy Jones (& the Lionel Hampton Orchestra) rocks Seattle’s Trianon Ballroom on August 31, 1951″

• “Juke Box Wars: Seattle’s Music Mob (1940s)”

• “KFOA Conducts the Northwest’s ‘First Long-Distance Remote Control’ Radio Broadcast in 1925″

• “The Kingsmen: Best of, featuring ‘Louie, Louie‘” (LP liner notes, 1988)

• “KJR Radio & Stamp Collecting (1921)”

• “KRKO: Everett’s Historic Radio Station”

• “KRSC: Seattle’s Radio & TV Pioneers”

• “Gene Krupa Rocks Seattle’s Trianon Ballroom (1946)”

• “Labor Song Traditions of the Northwest”

• “Led Zeppelin rocks Seattle’s Green Lake Aqua Theatre on May 11, 1969”

• “Seattle Letter Carriers’ Quartet (1925…)”

• “Dave Lewis: Seattle’s 1950s R&B Pioneer” (1983)

• “Dave Lewis: The Father of Northwest Rock”

• “Dave Lewis (1938—1998): A Tribute” (1998)

• “‘Sheriff Tex’ Jim Lewis (1909–1990)”

• “Linden Records: Seattle’s ‘Lost’ Post-War Music Company”

• “Little Bill and the Bluenotes: Tacoma’s Teen-R&B Pioneers (1958-1960)”

• “‘Louie Louie’ makes Seattle Debut at September 21, 1957 Eagles Hall Dance”

• “‘Louie Louie’: The Saga of a Northwest Hit Song”

• “‘Louie Louie’ Through the Ages”

• “Garage Rock Anthem “Louie Louie” Turns 50″

• “Alfred Lueben: Seattle’s German Music Professor”

• “The Maddy Brothers: Country / Rockabilly Cats (1954–1965)”

• “The Mastersounds Jazz Combo Records in Seattle (1957)”

• “Big Jay McNeely: King of the Honkers,” Feedback magazine, 1998

• “Jack McVea & his Door Openers (1946–1948)”

• “Vic Meyers’ ‘Shake It…’ Seattle’s First Record (1923)”

• “The Moonlight Marauders: Port Angeles’ First Rockers” (1985)

• “Phil Moore (1917-1987): Northwest Jazz Piano Prodigy hits the Big-Time in Hollywood”

• “‘Morrie’ & Alice Morrison: Northwest Music Industry Pioneers”

• “The Mount St. Helens Theme-Song Eruption of 1980” (1985)

• “The ‘Negro Musicians’ Union,’ Seattle Local 493 (1918–1958)”

• “The ‘Negro Musicians’ Union,’ Seattle Local 493, holds benefit bash in 1951”

• “Two segregated musicians’ unions, Seattle’s AFM Locals 76 & 493, merge in 1958”

• “Muzak: The Originators of ‘Elevator Music'”

• “Muzak Co. merges with Seattle’s Yesco (1986)”

• “Seattle’s Myers’ Music Shop (1930s–1984)”

• “Seattle’s National Institute of Music & Arts [NIOMA] (1932–1955)”

• “NIOMA’s “Open Air Musical Festival” wows Seattle crowd (1933)”

• “Nirvana places ‘Drummer Wanted’ classified ad in The Rocket magazine (May 1988)”

• “Nirvana’s Live & Loud MTV Concert rocks Seattle’s Pier 48 Warehouse (1993)”

• “Nite Owl Records & Everett’s ’50s R&B Stars: The Shades”

• “The ‘Black Roots’ of the Original Northwest Sound”

• “Northwest Rock: The Great Eruption of ’59”

• “The History of Northwest Rock: Vol. 1”

• “The History of Northwest Rock, Vol. 2: The Garage Years”

• “The History of Northwest Rock, Vol. 3: Psychedelic Seattle”

• “Northwest Rock: The Reunion Concert of ’72”

• “Northwest Rock: The ‘Great NW Rock and Roll Show’ of ’80”

• “The Northwest’s 1st ‘Sampler Album’ (1959)”

• “Louder Than Heck: The Northwest Now,” DISCoveries magazine (1990)

• “Krist Novoselic: A Biography”

• “Pat O’Day: The Godfather of Northwest Rock?”

• “Tom Ogilvy, Seattle’s Original ‘Record Man’ (R.I.P. 2000)”

• “Buck Owens’ Pacific Northwest Days,” Feedback magazine, 1998

• “Parker’s Ballroom”

• “Pearl Jam performs debut gig at Seattle’s Off Ramp Cafe on October 22, 1990”

• “Elvis Presley’s arrival in Seattle during the Century 21 Expo draws throngs on September 5, 1962″

• “Elvis Presley’s September in Seattle during the Century 21 Expo (1962)”

• “Punks Rock: Seattle’s First DIY Show (1976)”

• “Quest For Volume: Electric Guitars and the Auditory Arms Race,” essay, Crossroads: The EMP Collection book (2000)

• “Rainier Beer: Seattle’s Iconic Brewery”

• “The ‘Rainier Waltz’ (1952)”

• “The Raymarks & Bremerton’s Rockin’ Roots (1960–1966)”

• “Recording Studios of the Pacific Northwest (1940—1960s)”

• “Vintage Rhythm & Blues of the Pacific Northwest,” DISCoveries Magazine, 1990

• “Buck Ritchey: Northwest Country Radio Legend (1915–1973)”

• “Jack Rivers: Seattle’s 1950s Country Guitar Star”

• “Rockin’ Robin Roberts (1940–1967): Tacoma’s Legendary Rock ‘n’ Roller”

• “Rockin’ Robin Roberts, former singer with Tacoma rock band, the Wailers, dies in an automobile accident on December 22, 1967″

• “Rockin’ Robin Roberts: R.I.P.”

• “Seattle Songster, Earl Robinson, & his famous ‘Joe Hill’ Tune”

• “The 1950s Rockabilly Invasion of the Northwest”

• “Rockin’ Party: Northwest Rockabilly” (1990)

• “Seattle Jazzers Think Rock ‘n’ Roll is ‘Disgusting’ (1959)”

• “The Rocking Chair: Seattle’s Fabled 1940s Nightclub”

• “Rola: Seattle’s 1920s Radio Loudspeaker Company”

• “Sadie & Yam: Seattle’s ‘Banjoists Supreme’ (1925)”

• “Same Love: A Brief History of Queer Musicians in the Northwest”

• “Mme. Schumann-Heink, Opera Diva, Quits Disastrous Seattle Concert (1925)”

• “Seafair Records: Seattle’s Swingin’ ’60s Music Company”

• “Seattle Bandstand debuts on KING-TV on March 16, 1958″

• “Seattle Bandstand (1958–1961)”

• “Seattle: The City of Music”

• “Seattle Harmony Kings (1920s)”

• “Seattle Repertory Theatre debuts with King Lear on November 13, 1963”

• “The ‘Seattle Song’ (1952)”

• “Seattle Symphony & Maestro Mary Davenport-Engberg”

• “Seattle Symphony & Sir Thomas Beecham”

• “Seattle Symphony & Milton Katims”

• “Seattle Symphony Debuts Opera in 1962”

• “Seattle Symphony Hires First African American Musician, Bruce Lawrence”

• “Seattle Symphony & Gerard Schwarz”

• “Grand Opening of Seattle’s Show Box is celebrated on July 24, 1939”

• “The Showbox Theater: Seattle’s Musical Landmark”

• “Jeff Simmons: From the Prophets to Zappa’s Mothers” (1986)

• “Song-Catchers: Documenting the Music of Northwest Indians”

• “The Sonics: Tacoma’s ’60s Garage-Rock Teen Titans”

• “The Sonics: The Ultimate Sonics CD Liner Notes (1990)”

• “The Sonics: Maintaining My Cool (1991)”

• “The Sonics: Live In Tacoma 1964 CD Liner Notes (1997)”

• “The Sonics Reunite At Paramount Theater In 2008”

• “The Spanish Castle Ballroom”

• “Bruce Springsteen Rocks Seattle’s Old Timers’ Cafe with Tavern Band (1980)”

• “The Squirrels: Scrapin’ For Hits CD Liner Notes (1996)”

• “Patrinell Staten’s new soul 45 becomes Seattle radio hit in 1969″

• “Lola Sugia’s “Blue Tears” 45 (1960)”

• “The Swags: Bellingham’s First Rockstars (1958–1960)”

• “Tacoma’s Musicians Benefit Ball (1937)”

• “Tall Cool Ones: Pop Hits of the Pacific Northwest,” DISCoveries Magazine (1990)

• “Harvey Thomas (1920-1987): Maker of Electrifying Custom Guitars”

• “Thomas Custom Guitars: Rarities From The Pacific Northwest,” Vintage Guitar Magazine (2013)

• “The Seattle Daily Times features Harvey Thomas’s eccentric and obscure guitar-making company on September 21, 1969″

• “Those Redheads From Seattle (1953)”

• “Billy Tipton: Spokane’s Secretive Jazzman”

• “Total Experience Gospel Choir (1973–2013)”

• “Tuba Man: Seattle’s Famous Street Musician, Ed McMichael (1955–2008)”

• “Paul Tutmarc (1896—1972) & his Audiovox Electric Guitars”

• “Paula Tutmarc-Johnson (1950–2013): A Northwest Songster of Note”

• “Twist Party Celebrates Seattle World’s Fair Opening (April 20, 1962)”

• “The Ubangi Club: Seattle’s Hot Nitespot (1936–1938)”

• “The Viceroys: Seattle Rock Royalty (1958–1966)”

• “Volcanic Rock: The Mt. St. Helens Song Eruption of 1980” (1985)

• “The Wailing Wailers (1958–1993)”

• “Washington Hall (1908–2010)”

• “Clayton Watson: Northwest ’50s Rockabilly Pioneer” (1983)

• “Rarest NW Records: Rollie Webber’s ‘Tired of Livin” (1959)”

• “Ian Whitcomb: You Turn Me On,” Feedback magazine (1998)

• “‘White Bird’: The Saga Behind 1969’s Seattle-Penned Hit Song”

• “Gary Williams: Spokane’s ‘Travelin’ Blues Boy” (1986)

• “‘Wireless Telephone’ Invention Unveiled in Seattle in 1909”

• “Pat Wright: Seattle’s Gospel Music Star”

• “Women of Northwest Rock: The First 50 Years (1957–2007)”

• “Cecil Young’s Be-bop Jazz: Seattle (1951)”

• “Neil Young’s iconic anthem ‘Rockin’ In The Free World’ makes its public debut in Seattle Concert on February 21, 1989”

• “Youngstown Dance in Early Seattle Neighborhood (1933)”

• “Yuletide Classics: Northwest Xmas Songs (Part I, 1942–1985)”