"The Music They Made"

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Inspired by the true lives of Edward and Carrie Crawford Smith, "The Music They Made" is a richly woven historical novel of love, loss, and perseverance during one of the most turbulent periods in American history. Edward leaves Nashville in 1898 to serve during the Spanish-American War and disappears into a dangerous world of shifting loyalties, forgotten memories, and far-off conflicts. As Carrie waits, the life they planned slips further from reach — until fate offers them a second chance. Drawn into the Great Migration, Edward and Carrie journey north to Chicago, where African American families seek safety from Southern violence and Jim Crow oppression. In a growing Black community alive with culture, music, and hope, they build a family, face personal tragedy, and confront the harsh realities of racial injustice, labor struggles, and economic hardship. Through war, migration, and social change, Carrie becomes a tireless advocate for fair employment and education, while Edward’s violin and Carrie’s piano remain the quiet heartbeat of their home. "The Music They Made" is a moving portrait of two imperfect people who, despite separation and sorrow, never fully let go of the bond that first brought them together — and whose legacy is written not only in history, but in the lives they shaped.