Join us as we celebrate Michael L. Jones, August’s African American Folklorist for the Month of August 2025, on this special episode of Jack Dappa Blues Radio. Michael is a Louisville‑based journalist, author, and music historian whose award‑winning book Louisville Jug Music: From Earl McDonald to the National Jubilee traces the roots of jug band music and earned the 2015 Samuel Thomas Book Award. A musicologist, ethnomusicologist, historian, and folklorist, Jones straddles many disciplines to document and preserve African American cultural traditions.In this in‑depth conversation, we explore how jug band music emerged along the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, drawing on West African rituals, New Orleans “spasm bands” and the melting‑pot soundscapes of Louisville. Jones explains why Louisville’s location on the Ohio River made it an “information superhighway” for Black musicians in the 19th century. By the 1890s there were about thirty active jug bands in the city; Sarah Martin and Whistler’s Jug Band produced the first two jug‑band recordings in 1925, helping to popularize the genre and inspiring groups like the Memphis Jug Band. We discuss the jug as the “poor man’s tuba,” its deep ties to the banjo, and how distilleries soon branded their vessels, embedding jug music into Kentucky culture.Michael also shares his personal journey, from living with indie musicians and writing for LEO Weekly to tracking down descendants of early jug‑band players and becoming a steward of Louisville’s musical memory. He explains why preserving oral histories matters and introduces his latest project, Soulful Sounds of Derbytown, a collaborative book documenting Black music across genres in Louisville. Along the way, he recounts stories of forgotten heroes like blues singer Sarah Martin and explores how Louisville’s vibrant arts community nurtures innovation.Whether you’re a music historian, a blues lover or a curious listener, this episode offers a masterclass in how journalism, folklore and ethnomusicology come together to keep tradition alive. Subscribe and tune in to learn how Louisville’s jug band legacy still resonates today.