About the Music

Woman singing. Photo by Titus Brooks Heagins. — Photo by Titus Brooks Heagins.

African American Music Trails is an exploration of the long and rich heritage of African American music in Eastern North Carolina. The abundance of this music and its musicians is one of the state’s best kept secrets. Funk, blues, jazz, and gospel in Kinston, Tarboro, Wilson and everywhere in between.

Interviews with more than 90 musicians uncovered an exciting world of music, especially jazz, rhythm and blues, funk, gospel, blues, church music, rap, marching bands and beach music in the counties of Edgecombe, Greene, Jones, Lenoir, Nash Pitt, Wayne and Wilson.

In this section you’ll discover that African American music is as much about community as it is about each genre influencing the other and transforming through the ages. Explore the site to learn about African American music in North Carolina.