Support Melody's Journey into Jazz History

Hi my name is Melody and I'm crowdfunding to conduct research for a book I'm writing. I have an AA in Jazz Studies with an emphasis in upright bass performance and a BA in Museum Studies. Thelma Terry was a double bassist and band leader in 1920s Chicago. She made waves in local newspapers wherever she went and brought much appeal to her performances. Being that she was a bandleader, she made it a point to stand in front of her band while playing the double bass showing off the hottest style of dance music, which later became known as Chicago style jazz.

This project is incredibly important to me because I went to school for jazz studies and I played the upright bass for years. Seeing someone so incredible as Thelma really inspired me in my studies. I want to honor her life and legacy in a biography because her story is more than just her career. I want to discover her life before music, during and after her short lived career.

The funds for this project primarily will be to travel to Chicago to research the archives of places such as The Chicago History Museum, the University of Chicago Library; pay for scans and access to the archives of various other museums and libraries across the country, and to purchase books related to said research.

Thelma Terry Book on Instagram