Introduction

If you had told me five years ago that I was going to be able to do research on my Master's thesis on open mic nights in Texas... well, actually, I  probably would've believed you. I knew I wanted to research American music and rock and roll in high school; I just didn't realize I would really get to do it and find the incredible support of my colleagues, mentors, and a network of musicians, organizations, and communities of people interested in seeing such a project through. 

My name is Jake Reynolds and I am a Master's candidate in the Musicology department at the School of Music of Texas Tech University. My specialties are in American vernacular music and music of the Caribbean. The blog you are reading is an ongoing compilation of field notes and reflections that will ultimately culminate in a Master's thesis document. 

So far, I am in the preliminary stages of gathering materials to begin my thesis document. As part of this phase, I am taking the opportunity to travel to Austin, TX - known through out Texas and apparently the rest of the US for live music - to get information on the locations make contacts within the Open Mic Night culture of the city. 

In another post, I will discuss my current understanding of the role the Open Mic Night plays in the creation of music, community, and cultural identity in the United States. For now, though, the plan is to travel to several metropolitan areas in Texas and report my observations and conclusions on the sociological and musicological role of the Open Mic Night phenomenon on this blog until I have done enough research to compile them in a thesis document.