About

Marc Ferris is the author of Star-Spangled Banner: The Unlikely Story of America’s National Anthem

(Johns Hopkins University Press), the first narrative history of the song.

In addition to presenting music programs featuring historic tunes arranged for guitar and vocals, he

also performs a wide range of popular music, including blues, jump blues, rhythm and blues, bluegrass,

rockabilly, rock and roll, gospel, doo-wop, classic soul, classic country, new country, reggae, Cajun and

fun songs few people would expect an acoustic guitarist to play.

He earned a Master’s Degree in United States history at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and

taught history at Hofstra University, New York University and Stony Brook University/SUNY. Media

appearances include CNN, MSNBC, NPR, Fox News and more. 

He has published more than 1,000 articles with Newsday, The New York Times, The Washington Post,

Spin, Vibe, GQ and continues to write and take photos for Chronogram, River Journal, River Journal North,

the Highlands Current and Albany Times Union.