Without exaggeration, Chuck Mancuso has made an indelible impression on the faculty and students of Buffalo State College. By mixing a lifetime of research and scholarship with his groundbreaking, multimedia approach to teaching, Professor Mancuso has come to define how American popular music, film, and culture are taught—not just in the SUNY system, but across the country. Since joining Buffalo State in 1976, Professor Mancuso has taught courses on the elements of American popular music, modern jazz, urban blues, rock 'n' roll, American folk music, country music, Hollywood musicals, and film noir. His diverse and extensive knowledge, coupled with an intuitive ability to reach and inspire students, has made Chuck's courses among the most popular the college offers.
In addition to his classwork, Professor Mancuso is a popular local lecturer, writer, and commentator on numerous radio and television shows. In 1996 Professor Mancuso published the landmark book, Popular Music and the Underground: Foundations of Jazz, Blues, Country and Rock (Kendall-Hunt, 1996). When it comes to publications that cover American music with both depth, breadth, and a voice that is equal parts historian and unabashed fan, there is simply no equal. In 1997, he was awarded the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Research, Scholarship, and Creativity.
