Singer-Songwriter Traditions: Yesterday and Today with Allison Young

Allison Young is a composer, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist whose music is influenced by her research into early twentieth century American popular song styles. Through her solo work and collaborations with Postmodern Jukebox, Young converses with the past even as she creates something entirely new in the present.

Join us at Towson University on 31 January 2025 to experience a wide breadth of American popular song, delivered through the stunning voice of one of today’s finest singer-songwriters. Young will provide a compelling musical performance of original works and her own unique renditions of American popular song standards. The event will include a Q&A discussion moderated by Dr. Gretchen Carlson, Towson University professor of music history, during which Young will discuss her influences, her creative process, and the challenges of retaining the sense and style of the songs as they existed in the past. Young will further address the challenges of performing older repertoire, including racialized song lyrics and outdated gendered references, and present her model for carefully and thoughtfully engaging the music of the past in the present. Pre-registration is required.