The Beat Goes on for Black Music Month

To celebrate Black Music Month in June, AARP California will be spotlighting artists from around the state and their music.

AARP is partnering with local media outlets in the Los Angeles area to develop weekly blog posts and videos that will provide a deep dive into the state’s Black music history.

The series will explore the contributions these artists have made to the nation’s culture and include interviews with musicians.

Michael Dolphin, 72, of Altadena, a music history buff and longtime AARP California volunteer, is helping to organize the project.

The celebration will run through June—officially known, since 1979, as African American Music Appreciation Month—and focus on artists from the San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego and Los Angeles areas.

The interviews will touch on how they found their voices, how they navigated the music business and their influence on the industry, said Antoine Cook, associate state director for AARP California.

“We want to be able to show the historical impact of Black artists on the music industry,” he said. “We want to tell the story of these artists while connecting the past with the present and future.”

The blog posts and videos will be available online at aarp.org/CABlackMusic.