Witt grad roots out truth on Gennett | www.springfieldnewssun.com.

Image: Springfield News Sun

This is a pretty interesting article if you’re into either jazz, early American recordings, eastern Indiana history or the Klan. The latter, hopefully, for historical purposes only.

It’s the story of Gennett Records of Richmond, Ind., and how they became pioneers in recording and manufacturing early jazz records that contain some of the very first recordings of Hoagy Carmichael, ‘Jelly Roll’ Morton, King Oliver, and many others alongside the manufacture of Starr pianos and phonographs.

The remnants of the Gennett works still reside in the “Starr Valley” in Richmond, as does a “walk of fame” featuring medallions commemorating the great artists that were recorded there. And, if you’re hungry, visit Richmond on a day when they are serving five-course farm-to-table dinners at the restored home of Henry and Alice Gennett on Main Street.