American music of an era subject of museum meeting

Allison-Antrim Museum, Greencastle, will hold its first monthly meeting of 2011 at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 13 in the downstairs social room of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, 130 N. Washington St. The facility is wheelchair accessible.  

The speaker for the evening will be Roger Keller whose presentation will focus on “The History of American Music from the Revolutionary War to WWII.”  Music has played a major role in American history since colonial times. Keller’s presentation will be an overview of well-known and some not-so-well-known pieces of music in U.S. history. Included in this program, will be the first national anthem and the music composed by William Withers Jr. in 1864, which was scheduled to be played for President Abraham Lincoln at Ford’s Theater. However, an assassin’s bullet sadly postponed the concert.

The evening will be a virtual journey through time with music from the Spanish American War, WWI and WWII.  Find out how the King Sisters scored a number one hit during WWII, even though the musicians’ union was on strike at the time.  These stories, musical airs and more will be discussed during Keller’s program.

 Roger Keller is the author of more than six books on local history. Among them are two critically acclaimed studies of the Civil War in Hagerstown and Washington County.

The program is open to the public. There is no fee to attend, but donations will be accepted toward Allison-Antrim Museum's annual speaker series.  

If there is a threat of inclement weather, notice of cancellation will be posted on the museum's website at www.greencastlemuseum.org or by calling 717-597-9325.