Open today from 10am - 5pm
Courtesy of Quincy Jones

Never Turn Back: Echoes of African American Music

Exhibition Open Now
- MOPOP Permanent Collection
Included in General Admission
Open now through
Included in General Admission
Opens
May 17, 2025
Included in General Admission

Never Turn Back: Echoes of African American Music

May 17, 2025 through Early 2027 | MOPOP

Never Turn Back: Echoes of African American Music unveils the profound legacy of Gospel, Blues, Jazz, and Soul artists who shaped the soundscape of American culture and used their music as instruments of resistance, identity, and representation.  

Inside the Exhibition:

  • Original vinyl recordings and early images of the Fisk Jubilee Singers
  • Performance images of “The Queen of Soul,” Aretha Franklin
  • Iconic images of legendary Blues guitarist John Lee Hooker
  • Interactive listening stations featuring each genre
  • The Remix: The Legacy of Hip-Hop Sampling station
  • Films of live performances, firsthand accounts, and more
Miles Davis' 1980 Martin Committee Trumpet. The Jim Irsay Collection.
Journey Through the Genres

Gospel, Blues, Jazz, and Soul embody the profound influence of African American music on culture and history. From the spiritual foundations and transformative movements of Gospel hymns to the revolutionary improvisations of Jazz, the Blues’ Southern roots rising from the Mississippi Delta, and Soul’s powerful amplification of the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements, these genres have defined the unique sound and undying spirit of a nation that continues to echo through contemporary Black music today.

RELATED EVENTS

Exhibition Highlights

Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Become a Member

Members get to see the exhibition before the public and without the crowds on May 16, 2025.

Soundproof Rooms
Twelve acoustically isolated rooms known as studio pods, contain interactive devices, gear, and traditional instruments. Take a lesson, jam with others in the room, try out vocals, and learn about the art of mixing. Special reverberation technology lets you adjust the sound so it's as big as an amphitheater, or as intimate as a living room.
Trios
Each of the tall semi-enclosed structures on Sound Lab's main floor contains three interactive instruments, including guitar, bass, keyboard or drums. These instruments use sophisticated audio, computer graphics and MIDI to guide you through a variety of learning activities, whether it's learning to play "Louie Louie," or discovering what a 12-bar blues is. You can also choose to forego a lesson to play instruments on your own or with friends and family. Acoustically optimized dividers in each trio let you rock your socks off without disturbing anyone else.
The Big Drum
The heart of Sound Lab, The Big Drum recalls the early rhythms our ancestors played around the fire. You don't need any special skills to play it, other than the ones you'd bring to a conversation. Just listen and answer back.
Audio Technology Interactives
How do guitar players make such different sounds? Can an audio engineer really fix it in the mix? Technology has played a huge role in the creation of the sounds of rock 'n' roll, both behind the scenes in the recording studio and up on the bandstand. Find out more about the recording process, amps, samplers, effects pedals, and microphones.
DJ Hallway
In the hands of a skilled DJ, turntables can produce music that would have been impossible just a few short decades ago. Ever wonder how DJs make that scratching sound or move from one record to the next? Find out in DJ Hallway, situated in the back of Sound Lab.
Jam Studios
Check out the state-of-the-art Jam Studio where you can record your own song using drums, guitars, keyboards, and vocals, then download and share with your friends for free.
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Exhibition Sponsors

Exhibition Sponsors

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Sensory Rating

Sensory impact is rated on a scale from 0 (no impact) to 5 (very high impact). Ratings provided by sensoryaccess.org.

Never Turn Back: Echoes of African American Music

May 17, 2025
-

Never Turn Back: Echoes of African American Music unveils the profound legacy of Gospel, Blues, Jazz, and Soul artists who shaped the soundscape of American culture and used their music as instruments of resistance, identity, and representation.  

Inside the Exhibition:

  • Original vinyl recordings and early images of the Fisk Jubilee Singers
  • Performance images of “The Queen of Soul,” Aretha Franklin
  • Iconic images of legendary Blues guitarist John Lee Hooker
  • Interactive listening stations featuring each genre
  • The Remix: The Legacy of Hip-Hop Sampling station
  • Films of live performances, firsthand accounts, and more