RICHMOND, Ind. – Gennett Records brought some of the world’s greatest musical talent to the city during the heyday of the 1920s.
These artists included Louis Armstrong, Hoagy Carmichael, Big Bill Broonzy, and Charley Patton.
“A lot of the artists I love influenced these guys,” says Tom Broyles, owner of Firehouse BBQ & Blues in the Depot District. “You’ve changed popular music that people all over the world enjoy, and I think it’s just so great, a great story that needs to be told.”
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But there’s more to tell about Richmond’s legacy, and Broyles has a vision to do just that: the Midwest Music and Heritage Trail. Sculptures and related information boards in honor of Armstrong, Carmichael, Broonzy, Patton and the Murray Theater were displayed in the depot building Thursday.
They will soon be set up along North Seventh Street, and Broyles expects the project to develop into 50 sculptures to be set up along the Loop Trail and Main Street for the Starr-Gennett Foundation’s Walk of Fame. As early as this year, five more stories – Gene Autry, Georgia Tim Dorsey, the local Denny Purcell, Baby Huey and Lawrence Welk – will be remembered.
“We’re trying to get people to discover Richmond, discover the city’s heritage, discover the cool things that happened here, walking around looking at these buildings, and maybe someone says, ‘Hey, look.’ in this beautiful old building. It’s a little shabby, but I can see something, ”Broyles said. “We want people to see these old houses and fall in love with them.”
When Broyles saw Boston’s Historic Site Freedom Trail, he realized that Richmond also had sites that reflected its interesting heritage, architecture, and music.
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“When the City of Richmond started this loop project, I thought it was perfect because it was going to be this beautiful new trail,” Broyles said. “We can work with them to install these on the go and when people come they can take a tour and learn a lot of cool things.”
Wayne Bank is committed to sponsoring the overall project, and each sculpture has a sponsor. For the first five sculptures, these sponsors are Firehouse BBQ & Blues, Wayne County Convention and Tourism Bureau, Richmond Symphony Orchestra, and Main Street Richmond. Deer Ridge Camping Resort, Better Homes and Gardens First Realty Group, and the Purcell family are sponsoring future sculptures.
Mike Gaddis, President and CEO of Wayne Bank, said Broyles approached the bank with his vision. He said that businesses and the community have a responsibility to help develop good ideas.
“I find this idea that he has just spectacular,” said Gaddis. “I think it really has a great opportunity to get people, more people than just cyclists, on the trail. I’m excited.
“We just felt like it was something we can achieve as a community bank and really support this really great idea.”
Broyles praised the trail committee members for their work, saying that to get things done you must “have good people around”. Members of the committee are Maria Haber, owner of Paint the Towne; Karen Shank-Chapman, executive director of the Wayne County Museum; Beth Newton, executive director of Main Street Richmond; Tracie Robinson of Better Homes and Gardens First Realty Group; and Ed DeLaPaz of CityLife Studio.
Haber said she was committed to creating a positive image for The Loop and highlighting the city’s heritage that would otherwise remain unknown. She also said the trail can be combined with school trips and will appeal to all age groups.
“I’m very excited, very excited to start this first phase and see how it continues, and I think it will add to the excitement when we put this up,” said Haber, noting the musicians honored theirs Take the one off the train to Richmond and visit the building where the sculptures were displayed on Thursday.
Guitar sculptures represent Patton and Broonzy, with a trumpet for Armstrong, a keyboard for Carmichael, and the comedy and tragedy masks for the Murray Theater. Double Tap Engineering in Anderson created the metal sculptures on stands that are bolted to concrete.
Broyles said when he was hauling the sculptures from Paint the Towne to the depot Thursday, he was speaking to visitors from New York who were wandering around and taking photos. He said this often happens when visitors see great things about the city, sometimes more than the city’s residents see.
“We just have to mine this gold that we have here,” said Broyles.