Shannon K. Dudley

Shannon K. Dudley is a Professor of Ethnomusicology at the University of Washington's School of Music, with affiliations to the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies' Africa Studies Program. His work centers on Caribbean and Latin American musical traditions within the African diaspora.

He earned his PhD in Ethnomusicology from the University of California, Berkeley in 1996.

Dudley's research examines steelband music in Trinidad and Tobago, musical geography in Santurce, Puerto Rico, and Latino contributions to American popular music. His theoretical frameworks explore nationalism, transculturation, and community-based music practices, emphasizing participatory engagement across cultural boundaries. Long-term fieldwork informs his analysis of how music shapes identity and social dynamics in the Americas.

His publication trends reveal deep engagement with Caribbean musical evolution, particularly the calypso-to-soca transition and Puerto Rican urban music scenes. Recent work expands into Latino influences on U.S. popular music through interdisciplinary collaborations.

He received significant recognition for co-curating American Sabor: Latinos in U.S. Popular Music, which earned the ARSC's 2019 prize for Best Historical Research in Recorded Rock and Popular Music after touring 18 cities nationwide.

Dudley actively bridges academic and community spheres through the UW Steelband program and Seattle Fandango Project. His grant-funded initiatives like the Smithsonian-collaborated American Sabor exhibit demonstrate sustained support for diaspora music research and public engagement.

He directs the Ethnomusicology division's Visiting Artist program, hosting Community Artists in Residence from Mexico and Puerto Rico, and co-founded the Seattle Fandango Project for son jarocho practice.