TRANSCRIPT:
I’m Mark Rapp, and this is Rapp on Jazz.
The Great Depression of the 1930s was a time of hardship, but it was also the era when jazz became America’s popular music. With money tight, people still sought escape, and swing provided just that. Big bands filled dance halls, offering a few hours of joy when the world outside felt heavy.
Radio, which grew rapidly during the Depression, spread jazz to millions of homes. Even if families couldn’t afford a night out, they could still tune in and hear the nation’s top bands. Record sales collapsed, but live performance and radio broadcasts kept the music alive.
Jazz in the Depression was more than entertainment—it was a source of hope and resilience. Its rhythms lifted spirits, and its improvisations reminded people that creativity and joy could flourish, even in lean times.
This has been Rapp on Jazz, a co-production of ColaJazz and South Carolina Public Radio, made possible by the ETV Endowment of South Carolina.