King Records

Classic recordings live forever, but the labels and studios that produced them typically don’t. Syd Nathan, a former pawnbroker, created King Records in 1943 and over the next 25 years, the label prolifically waxed R&B, soul, and country music in this complex on Brewster Avenue in the Cincinnati neighborhood of Evanston. James Brown was the marquee act, but dozens of other King performers, such as Bull Moose Jackson, Hank Ballard, Wynonie Harris, Cowboy Copas, and the Delmore Brothers influenced the music scene in the 1950s and 1960s. When Nathan died in 1968, the label soon followed suit. The King buildings have been empty for years in full view along Interstate 71. All attempts to revive the deteriorating complex have failed, but a multitude of King records live on through CD compilations and Internet downloads.

The Comet Bluegrass All-Stars

The Comet Bluegrass All Stars are named after an old, funky bar (The Comet) in Cincinnati where they've held court on Sunday nights since 1996. Their resume includes opening for big acts like Ricky Skaggs and Sam Bush, but in the bar's intense intimacy, they create the real magic. The photo's blurred images reflect a band in constant motion on the cramped stage as they trade vocal solos or team on harmonies. Their string playing is otherworldly. The band's four CDs are an eclectic mix of bluegrass, old country, blues, and rock that spans the decades. The members, left to right: Brad Meinerding, Artie Werner, Tim Strong, Jeff Roberts and leader Ed Cunningham. (A sixth member, John Cole, was MIA on this night.)