New tribute to Birmingham music history now on display at City Hall

(left to right) Craig Legg and Burgin Mathews, Director of the Southern Music Research Center. (Pat Byington / Bham Now)

A new exhibit honoring the legacy of music—and those who created it—is now on display at Birmingham City Hall through the end of June. Titled Sound & Sight: A Visual Tribute to Birmingham’s Music History, the exhibit features original works by Birmingham native and multidisciplinary artist Craig Legg.

Craig Legg’s Sound & Sight now on display at Birmingham City Hall

Craig Legg | A History of Birmingham Rock & Roll — Craig Legg with a copy of his book, “A History of Birmingham Rock & Roll.” (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

In celebration of the Year of Jazz, the City of Birmingham is presenting Sound & Sight: A Visual Tribute to Birmingham’s Music History, a new exhibit of paintings honoring Birmingham’s musical history. Located on the second floor of Birmingham City Hall at 710 20th St. North, the exhbit is free to the public and runs through the end of June.

A piece at *Sound & Sight*. (Pat Byington / Bham Now)

The new exhibit features a vibrant array of paintings by Craig Underwood (also known as Craig Legg), a Birmingham native and multidisciplinary artist whose work spans poetry, music and visual art. An endlessly creative artist, Legg created an expansive display of art pieces inspired by The World Games 2022 and gained acclaim with his History of Birmingham Rock & Roll display in 2023, which he recently transformed into a limited-edition book by the same name.

The new exhibit at Birmingham City Hall features select works highlighted in History of Birmingham Rock & Roll and incorporates QR codes that enable visitors to listen to the music that inspired each piece.