World Famous VIP Records: Elevating Musical Voices Neglected in School Music Education

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 14
  In Roundtable Session: Cultural Responsiveness and Relevance in Music Education

Abstract

The purpose of this historical research was to illuminate a response to access and relevance in education as lived by black students and citizens of Long Beach, California, during the 1980s and 1990s. By documenting an oral history of the World Famous V.I.P. Records’ role in developing a musical outlet for students not offered in school music education, I identify and connect the influences of socio-political events, non-institutionalized music education, and the lived experiences of underserved populations that provided a historical context for systemic issues that are grounded in conflict theory and Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of cultural capital.

Author

• Tamara Thies, California State University - Long Beach