RICHMOND, Ind. - Richmond played a key role in American music history. In the early 1900s, Gennett Records recorded some of the very first jazz artists. This included legends like Louis Armstrong, Hoagy Carmichael, and Jelly Roll Morton.

These groundbreaking sessions put Richmond on the cultural map and cemented its place in music history. Gennett Records gave a platform to pioneering musicians at a time when few others would, breaking barriers. This helped define the sound of early American jazz and popular music. Gennett also recorded artists including Blind Lemon Jefferson (blues), and early country acts like Vernon Dalhart and Gene Autry.

Gennett Records was founded by the Starr Piano Company and was active during the 1920s until the late 30s. 

Today, the Gennett Walk of Fame celebrates those iconic sounds. The building is in the Whitewater Gorge Park. Bronze medallions shaped like records, line the path. Each one commemorates an artist who recorded at Gennett.