the United States can truly be spoken of as a melting pot, and this is nowhere better seen than in the culture of the land. Form African Americans comes the blues, which evolved form southern spirituals and work songs with the accompaniment of instruments that were sometimes homemade. Many blues musicians migrated north so St. Louis and Chicago, and their style changed as they began recording. Similarly, jazz music was born in New Orleans as a blend of African,European, and local creole musical styles. Black jazz musicians also moved north, to Chicago and New York, where their new style was eventually taken up by white musicians as well.Jewish immigrants, including George and Ira Gershwin, where particularly important to the development of the lyrics and melodies of American musical theater and popular songs. the blues went on to have a great influence on the creation of rock and roll, the most popular musical genre of the lat 20th century. Elvis Presley, one of the earliest rock and roll stars, became international of that musical form. Rap and hip-pop, the latest of popular music trends, and also mainly driven by black artists. Elsewhere, a distinctly American form of classical music has evolved, form the works of Aaron Copeland to Philip Glass.