A Cardboard History of Blue Ridge Music

March 1, 2025 - April 26, 2025 | Alexander Community Gallery

This unique exhibit offers an in-depth look at the rich history of Blue Ridge music. The exhibition showcases 36 original, letterpress-style posters, dating back to as early as 1939. Each poster has detailed information about the life and legacy of the featured musicians.

Originally, window cards and other announcement posters were created to advertise upcoming entertainment events staged by troupes of traveling performers. By design, they were printed on inexpensive paper or cardboard to last only a few months as they were nailed to telephone poles, plastered onto the sides of buildings, and placed in store windows. After the event, most were discarded or left to deteriorate outdoors. These pieces, designed to be ephemeral, document the story of Bluegrass music from infancy to international popularity.

All posters shown here are from the private poster collection of Tom Murphy. As a collector, Murphy has been preserving window cards, handbills, mailers, broadsides, and other posters of various genres for over 50 years. 

Visitors will enjoy an immersive experience, including a curated playlist of music by artists in the exhibit.

This exhibition is made possible through a grant from America 250 NC, an initiative by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. nce.