The River Street Anthology is creating a map in real time of the Michigan musical landscape. The RSA has traveled thousands of miles, recording over 300 Michigan musicians via digital tape, film, photograph and fine art. The project seeks to collect, preserve, and make accessible music covering the gamut of genres, cultures, ages, and genders of Michigan music. Our mission is to preserve for future generations the opportunity to examine their own roots, as well as build understanding of the experience of their neighbors. Through the documentation of the artists in their respective geographies and societal context, the RSA hopes to provide culturally inclusive opportunities for research and reflection.

All materials collected by the RSA will be housed and preserved in the Archives of Michigan in Lansing in perpetuity. They will be made accessible to the public via a website currently under construction. I will ask each artist to sign a waiver giving me the mechanical rights to the recordings- meaning that I will be asking for ownership of these specific recordings for putting them into the Archives in Lansing. I won't own the songs, or the artist likeness, or any intellectual property rights. I will ask each artist to sign a form waiving the mechanical rights- meaning the specific recording that I make, so that I can place that specific recording/video/photography into the Michigan archives.

Good luck!

Kelly Bennett

Head of Circulation, Ferndale Area District Library