If Nashville has country, New Orleans has jazz, and New York is known as the birthplace of hip-hop, what then is considered to be the sound of Charlotte? This is a question often debated among the city’s artists and cultural enthusiasts—yet there’s no clear answer.
And while newcomers to the Queen City would be happy to find a chance to see a rock concert on Tuesday, a blues quartet on Wednesday and a rap duo come Thursday, what they may not see are the lines that divide these acts and their degree of access to promotion, funding and community support.
Though Charlotte’s musical talent is a reflection of its diverse demographic, the push to promote equity for music artists both on and off the stage seems to have fallen flat. Now, a collaborative effort between WDAV Classical Public Radio and FAIR PLAY Music Equity Initiative is working to change that.
The duo just launched NoteWorthy, a six-concert series designed to break down cultural divisions among music lovers by centering the contributions of musicians of color. The first performance debuts via Facebook live on April 14.
“I’m excited about the NoteWorthy series, as it’s an example of how difference can be a beautiful tool to bring us together, instead of divide,” said David “Dae-Lee” Arrington, co-founder of FAIR PLAY Music Equity Initiative and Hue House co-owner.
And as Charlotte officials try to figure out the best way to fund arts programs and support creatives in the city, this partnership is also showing what a possible solution can look like.
WDAV is a nonprofit that budgeted for this initiative putting the spotlight on Black and Brown musical artists in the city. Also working behind the scenes on production, branding and marketing is Black-owned creative agency Hue House (the parent company of The Block). Co-owners Dae-Lee, David Butler and Davita Galloway are able to give opportunity to creative entrepreneurs of color to contribute to the NoteWorthy project.
In recent years, there’s been much talk around the city involving diversity and inclusion, equity and race relations. What we have seen take place after these conversations, however, is rarely enough action to move the needle.
When we had the pleasure of catching up with WDAV’s Will Keible, he had this to share:
“These days, there’s a lot of talk about diversity, equity and inclusion, but often it never moves beyond talk. NoteWorthy puts words into action by backing them with funding. Through our partnership with FAIR PLAY Music Equity Initiative, WDAV is able to actively contribute to the work that is being done in this space.”
Racism and its ugly legacy has plagued artists of color for decades, and we continue to contend with its ramifications today. Many well-known white musicians considered conic (namely Elvis Presley) curated a career off of the backs of Black musicians who were exploited by either being paid poorly or being completely ripped off for their work.
White bands and record labels between the 1920s and 1960s would frequently steal songs and instrumental stylings from Black musicians and record them to suit the tastes of white audiences. This history is important to note because—although we may not witness such overt robbery today—we do see poor promotion, over-policed concerts and performance venues, shady contracts, and limited financial support when it comes to the work of up and coming Black and Brown artists.
It’s refreshing to see WDAV make equity a priority in a way that serves creatives of color.
“NoteWorthy leverages our voice on behalf of some incredibly talented Black and Brown musicians. It’s not about classical music, it’s about what the classical music community can do to make Charlotte’s music scene more equitable and inclusive,” said WDAV General Manager Frank Dominguez.
In the early 1900s, you would not have been exposed to classical music if there was not an orchestra in your town. This is where the history of the genre being known as “the rich man’s music” began. And now, although you can get your classical fix on any available streaming site, it is often still perceived as the music reserved for the elite. NoteWorthy offers a way to change that perception and bridge the gap, making classical music more accessible and relatable.
Throughout the concert series, a classically-trained musician will be paired with an artist from a genre such as soul, latin, rock, hip-hop, pop or R&B to offer a fresh, sonic style accessible to everyone.
“It’s not about classical music, it’s about what the classical music community can do to make Charlotte’s music scene more equitable and inclusive,” Dominguez added.
The first three concert pairings will take place via Facebook Live, and the final three will be held in person (with COVID safety still taken into consideration at the latter part of the summer months). With backing from an ASC Cultural Vision Grant and connection with FAIR PLAY and Hue House, NoteWorthy hopes to provide more opportunities for creatives of color, filter additional funding and resources into the arts community at large and engage with music lovers of all kinds throughout the Queen City. Now that’s what we call harmony.
Learn more about NoteWorthy and get performance details at noteworthyclassical.org.
