In 2018, the Oxford American’s acclaimed Southern Music Issue & Sampler will be devoted to the immense musical legacy and influence of North Carolina.
The OA is proud to celebrate the unforgettable stories, songs, and artists that convey the deep history and continuing vitality of North Carolina’s music—including James Taylor, Nina Simone, John Coltrane, Rapsody, and many, many others.
With contributions from some of the state’s most beloved homegrown writers (not to mention a few surprises), the North Carolina Music Issue will present indelible profiles, essays, and tributes, rendered with the magazine’s signature literary sensibility.
“From bluegrass to the blues, from gospel to funk, from beach music to rap, North Carolina is the birthplace of many musical styles and iconic performers,” said North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper. “I hope the Oxford American’s North Carolina Music Issue will inspire readers across the country to visit our state and learn more about our rich musical heritage.”
This will be the Oxford American’s twentieth Music Issue. From 2009 until 2015, the Music Issue featured a different Southern state every year: Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Texas, and Georgia. In 2016, the OA departed from the state series to examine “Visions of the Blues.” In 2017, the theme was the music of Kentucky.
As always, the 2018 Music Issue will include a sampler of excellent music showcasing the diverse genres and sounds from the Old North State, spanning the 78-rpm era to the present, with illuminating liner notes published in the magazine. The North Carolina music compilation will be available on both a CD and via digital download.
The Oxford American’s North Carolina Music Issue will mail to subscribers on November 6, 2018.
Copies will be available in their online store and on newsstands nationwide on November 20, 2018.
Pre-order a copy today at OxfordAmericanGoods.org.