The Soulful Sounds of Derbytown

Louisville—known as “Derbytown” because of the Kentucky Derby—has been home to hundreds of African American musicians who were born in or have connections to Louisville. Their “soulful sounds” have made significant contributions to the world of music and entertainment locally, nationally, even internationally over the years in a wide range of genres, including gospel, jug band, blues, jazz, R&B, hip-hop, rock, and classical and theatrical music.

Now six gifted authors who have spent their lives immersed in the world of music are celebrating and paying tribute to the lives, talents, and legacies of Louisville’s African American musicians and entertainers in a new book being released called The Soulful Sounds of Derbytown.

The six authors—Ken Clay, Michael L. Jones, Wilma Westfield Clayborn, Keith Clements, Gary Falk, and Ron Lewis—shared a longtime dream of producing and publishing this first-ever record of Louisville’s rich heritage of African American music and entertainment. Their creative collaboration spanned several years, but the result of their hard work and determination is worth the wait.

Their comprehensive volume contains historical essays on each musical genre and hundreds of biographical sketches profiling award-winning African American musicians, songwriters, recording artists, singers, and entertainers who have performed on television, in films, and on stage. Hundreds of historical and contemporary photographs showcase Louisville’s vibrant music scene, from the city’s earliest days to modern times. The book includes music historians, journalists, hosts of radio and television shows dedicated to music, promoters and organizers of music festivals and events, as well as a list of popular performance venues through the years.

The Soulful Sounds of Derbytown salutes and celebrates the rich heritage of African American music and entertainment in Louisville. The authors hope it will be a valuable resource, inspiring future generations of African American musicians and entertainers, as well.

About the Authors

The six authors of The Soulful Sounds of Derbytown—Ken Clay, Michael L. Jones, Wilma Westfield Clayborn, Keith Clements, Gary Falk, and Ron Lewis—have spent their lives immersed in a variety of roles within many genres of music and entertainment in Louisville.

They all shared the same dream for many years: to research, write, and publish a coffee table book that would be the first-ever comprehensive record of Louisville’s African American musicians, entertainers, promoters, and enablers. The authors’ dream was to ensure that these life stories and legacies could be shared, celebrated, and preserved.

The publication of The Soulful Sounds of Derbytown fulfills their longtime dream, at last.