Tacoma historian Michael Sullivan was kind enough to sit down with me for a conversation about music's role in Tacoma's history, which I shared with my students taking my 'Musical History of Tacoma' course at UW Tacoma. Our wide-ranging conversation begins with the arrival of the railroad, and extends to about 1950. Enjoy! https://vimeo.com/202963786/f8b27009e1 Video... Continue Reading →
Tacoma Theatre
For long-time Tacomans of a certain age, it was a movie theater known as the Music Box, but for the first few decades of its life, it was a stage venue, playing host to a wide range of musical guests. The grand brick structure at the corner of 9th and Broadway, between the Pantages and... Continue Reading →
Musical History of Tacoma
Welcome!
Historic Venue Map
Tacoma has long been home to a fascinating range of venues utilized for music - many of which no longer exist. This StoryMap is a work in progress to share some of these stories!
Tacoma’s Rock-n-Roll Legends
This short documentary by Randy Sparks is an excellent introduction to some of the great rock-n-roll bands to come out of Tacoma beginning in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Well worth the time of anyone interested in music, Tacoma history, or both! Tacoma's Rock-n-Roll Legends from Randy Sparks on Vimeo.
Tacoma Music History 