IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom at the Vineyard Church
Sandwiched between 1950s rock ‘n’ roll and the mid-1960s British invasion, brilliant songwriting teams in two Manhattan office buildings made pop music magic. Gerry Goffin and Carole King, Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield, were striving Jewish youth voicing their own experiences for other teens and young adults. “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” and “Up On the Roof” melded black and white, classical and Latin, with a strong female presence. Brill Building pop created a soundtrack for the baby boom generation that remains compelling 60 years later. Michael Homel is Professor Emeritus of History at Eastern Michigan University. He specializes in 20th century American history and American urban history. He is the author of Unlocking City Hall: Exploring the History of Local Government and Politics, and other publications on urban politics and education.
