By BOB HOWARD // Sixty years since the Kingsmen released "Louie Louie," The Portland Music Mural pays tribute to the music that has shaped the city's identity and its contribution to the world.
For five years in the making, The Portland Music Mural is finally a reality! Last Friday, on September 1, 2023, Portland witnessed the unveiling.
The Portland Music Mural (PMM) is a tribute to the music of this city and depicts 25 musicians and bands of various genres that are either from Portland or had relocated here and became part of the sound of this city. Produced by Jason Savage Images, and designed and painted by local artists, the Pander Brothers, the PMM has been created as a tribute to the music that has helped shape the identity of Portland.
Portland Music Mural Key to Musicians
The mural is located on the East-facing wall of the Mayer Building, at 1130 SW Morrison. This mural will visibly feature a wealth of information about Portland music history. This will also be the first in a series of local music tribute murals in various cities.
The Portland mural is the first in a series of local tribute murals in cities across the United States. To distinguish each mural, each city will have a note from the oldest complete written melody ever discovered, the Hurrian Hymn to Nikkal. Portland’s mural contains the first note of the ancient scale. (See the first four notes on Thomas Lauderdale's music stand.) The Oldest Known Melody
The sun came out for the music royalty in attendance to a welcoming crowd last Friday afternoon. The dignitaries in the crowd including Mel Brown and his wife Shirley, Courtney Taylor-Taylor, Marv and Rindy Ross, Lifesavas Virsatyl the Great and the Reverend Shines, Ben Landsverk, Chris Thompson, Janice Scroggins daughters Arietta Ward and Nafisaria Matthews, and granddaughters Nova and Godyss, Susan Addy, widow of Obo Addy, Zia McCabe, Matilda McCabe, Francine Raften, Toody Cole, Laurie Ogan, wife of Gary Ogan, Mikal George from the Oregon Symphony, emerging indie-rock band Tinderbox Waiting, and many, many family and friends of the artists and Portland Music Fans.
Ben Landsverk and Chris Thompson led a rousing singalong of Louie Louie to close the show.
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Over the past three years, Artichoke Music was the fiscal sponsor for this amazing project facilitating donations to the initiative. The presenting sponsor is Quaintrelle, following by US Bank and Nector. A complete list of all the sponsors is on the PMM website.