Music

During the first half of the twentieth century, the musicians of the Israelite House of David entertained the American public and helped make famous their religious commune in Benton Harbor. That the colony was once synonymous with music has been all but forgotten. In addition to being a mode of communal religious expression, music at the House of David was a serious commercial enterprise. For more than fifty years their well-known professional men’s and women’s bands—including orchestras, marching bands, choral groups, jazz ensembles, and swing-era big bands—entertained visitors at their popular Eden Springs Amusement Park, then the entertainment mecca of Southwestern Michigan. 

House of David bands also toured North America from the mid-1910s through the early-1930s. During their heyday in the mid-1920s, House of David jazz ensembles played to packed audiences in dance halls and Vaudeville theaters across North America, where they were often the headlining act. The colony also operated a popular nightclub, the Grande Vista, in Stevensville, Michigan, which featured House of David performers in the off-season and booked other premier touring acts. 

The House of David’s luthier shop built guitars, violins, mandolins, banjos, and ukuleles that were sold in area music shops or for custom orders. Multiple members also taught music privately, ran music schools, or had stores selling instruments and sheet music. Collectively, these musical endeavors by the House of David had a profound influence on the musical culture of southwest Michigan.

Written by Brian Carroll, PhD., 2024

Learn More

• Carroll, Brian D. "The Melodious Faithful: Music at the House of David." Historical Society of Micigan: Chronicle 46, No. 4, Winter 2024.