South Dakota's live music offerings are limited, but there are a number of quality music venues and events to enjoy while visiting the Mount Rushmore State. Also, South Dakota has been home to a number of well-known music artists and groups who have gained fame on the American popular music scene.
Artists and Groups
Shawn Colvin is one of the more famous musicians to hail from South Dakota. Born in Vermillion, she began her musical career in the late 1970s. While her music was always critically acclaimed, commercial success proved a bit more elusive. However, she won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album in 1990 for Steady On. She began to experience even more recognition in 1998, when her song Sunny Came Home won Grammy Awards for both Record of the Year and Song of the Year. She has released nine albums, including the 2006 release entitled These Four Walls.
The blues band Indigenous also experienced a measure of success in the late'90s. Hailing from South Dakota's Yankton Indian Reservation, the members of Indigenous were unique in the music industry, as all of them belonged to the Nakota Sioux tribe. The group, originally made up of three siblings and a cousin, released five full-length albums and two EPs. Their debut album, Things We Do, won multiple Native American Music Awards for Album of the Year, Group of the Year, and Best Pop Group. Their second full album, Live at Pachyderm Studios, again won NAM awards for Blues Album of the Year and Group of the Year. Three of their albums (Circle, Indigenous, and Chasing the Sun) have charted in the top three of Billboard's Top Blues Albums.
Events and Venues
A number of fun music festivals take place in South Dakota. The Black Hills Bluegrass Festival is a particularly popular music event in the state. You won't want to miss this festival, which has been in existence since 1980, featuring a wealth of bluegrass, acoustic, and other types of music. Its home is at the Mystery Mountain Resort, with performances taking place in a natural amphitheater. Highlights include the Saturday night show and the Sunday morning gospel music show.
The South Dakota Symphony Orchestra is an excellent way to spend an evening enjoying music on your vacation. The Symphony was founded over 80 years ago on the campus of Augustana College and has received high praise from across the country. A number of guest performers have appeared with the SDSO. The Symphony plays full orchestra concerts, as well a handful of chamber concerts each season. They're also involved in educational outreach, with touring ensembles (consisting of the Dakota String Quartet and Dakota Wind Quartet) that aim to bring music to people outside the traditional symphony environment.
The National Music Museum is housed on the campus of The University of South Dakota in Vermillion. Founded in 1973, NMM includes the Center of Study of the History of Musical Instruments. The museum's collection numbers over 13,000 pieces, featuring instruments from the world over. The National Music Council has called it "A Landmark of American Music," and it's one of the preeminent facilities of its kind in the world.
The South Dakota Friends of Traditional Music is an organization dedicated to the promotion and preservation of traditional South Dakota music. Based out of Sioux City, the SDFTM regularly puts on concerts and shows to promote this aim. Many types of music are performed: classical, fingerstyle guitar, bluegrass, jazz, and folk. As well, they sponsor the Sioux River Folk Festival, held toward the end of each summer.
South Dakota's modest musical offerings provide just the right amount of opportunities for you to experience the sounds of the state during your vacation.
The excellent arts and entertainment scene in South Dakota has visitors applauding.
