...American Roots Music 1 American Roots Music 2 The expression "American roots music" may not be well-known to all, and involves some enlightenment. At the start of the 20th Century, the phrase "folk music" was used by scholars to explain music made by the whites of the European ancestry. As the century grew, the meaning of folk music expanded to include the song styles, particularly the blues of Southern blacks. Folk music was viewed as a window into the cultural life of these two groups. Folk songs communicated with people’s hopes, dreams, and sadness of their everyday lives. More and more music was made by other groups of Americans such as Mexican Americans, Native Americans, and Cajuns (Louisiana)." The songs were sung on front porches where families would gather, in churches, in the fields and while rocking children to sleep. The melodies and words were passed down from parent to child. The songs and meanings were often changed to reflect change in times. Knowledge of folk songs and musicians grew, and popular musicians began to draw on folk music as an imaginative source as never before in the 1960s. "Folk music" became a form of popular music by singer/songwriter Bob Dylan, who helped pioneer the acoustic performing style that echoed the society based on folk musicians. Music writers, intellectuals...
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...Black music is a very important step for American music, the early American music such as Jazz and blues are based on original African American music. African American music is a kind of music that is based on slavery and the suffering the African American took during the slavery time. They put their thoughts and their hope in those slavery songs. Two hundred years later, it becomes hip-hop music. Hip-hop music is now hip-hop music has become a major feature of the United States. You can find rap music around the whole world. But actually, rap music is based on the early slavery songs. As Sonian suggested:" African American music cannot be separated from the transatlantic slave trade and the forced transportation of millions of African people across the Atlantic who were then enslaved. Early records of African American music indicate that songs changed frequently, not just from singer to singer, but also from day to day when sung by the musician." (Smith Sonian.org)...
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...Country music and American culture When you walk along the street, you may hear Taylor Swift’s new album kept playing again and again; When you pass by a truck, you may be attracted by the euphonious ‘country road’ by Johnny Denver; When you step into a bar, country music will frequently appear among many energetic Rock songs. Undeniably, country music has been everywhere and even gained worldwide popularity in recent years. Caught by the beautiful sound and moving melodies of the American country music, I decided to lift the veil of American country music to people who have a passion for it. Besides the superficial acoustic enjoyment, the American country music is a perfect embodiment of American history, culture and customs. Once you could profoundly understand and sincerely appreciate the American country music, you are offered a golden opportunity to comprehend what the American truly value. In this paper, I will discuss how country music reflects the American culture in three dimensions, including American rustic culture, American family culture and view of marriage, and American urbanization and contemporary value. From where I stand, country music is more than a kind of popular music, but also the epitome of American culture. To achieve this goal, I have organized my paper into five main sections. Firstly, the background knowledge of country music will be provided. Secondly, I will focus on the American rustic culture which is contained in country music. Thirdly...
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...Music and American Youth in the 1960s Richard Whaley COMP/155 December 6, 2013 University of Phoenix Music and American Youth in the 1960s When defined, how music influenced and shaped American Youth in the 60s and changes that it created. Music combines different aspects of American social and cultural identity, through economic status, race, gender, religious beliefs, and sexuality. There are many different types of music listened to. Religious, race and economic status is just a few. Economic status is the wealthier people tend to listen and attend symphony concerts while the middle class and poor listen to folk music, country, pop, and rock again are just a few of them. New styles of music come our way about as often as a new generation comes of age. The American youth culture of the 1960s saw many changes and was very complex. A number of factors attributed to this. This generation was the largest by number of this age group ever in history. American culture up until that time was stereotyped so to speak, there were many set ideas youth were expected to follow. Upon graduation from high school you either went to college or got a job, got married and settled down to raise a family. The youth of that time had different ideas; they wanted to experience most everything that they could. They wanted the freedom to express themselves...
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...“Is Australian Popular Music of the 20th Century a mere imitation of American Popular Music of the 20th Century?” Validate your viewpoint by referencing specific music styles, characteristic features of music styles (instrumentation, performance style, rhythm, melody, intervals/scales/blue notes, harmony, texture, and form), bands, vocalists and specific songs. The 20th century has provided music that was the soundtrack for a generation. During this period there was a rise of pop music and its demand. American bands and artists were monopolizing the market, pumping out band after band. Record labels that were prominent at the time were Atlantic, EMI and Warner Bro’s records. The rise of the Billboard charts and magazine also played a significant role in the success of pop music. Australia was also producing bands that were ranking very high on the charts with smash hits. This phenomenon of pop music and pop culture has defiantly defined the generations that it came from. By analyzing and discussing the popular music of the 20th century, we can see that Australia is not just a mere imitation of American popular music. Musical Roots The cultural music of Australia can be traced beck through to the Aborigines. They practiced music not as an art form or means of entertainment but rather as a spiritual ritual or a method of story telling. Their influence on Australian mainstream music can be heard today through their instruments the didgeridoo and the clap sticks. In the...
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...Anglo American Folk Music is considered as the traditional and typically anonymous music that is an expression of the life of people in a community and passed on through generation. Folk music, in the original sense of the term, is music by and of the people. Folk music arose, and best survives, in societies not yet affected by mass communication and the commercialization of culture. It normally was shared and performed by the entire community (not by a special class of expert performers), and was transmitted by word of mouth. My observation included listening to folk songs and stories of Woody Guthrie. Woody Guthrie was one of those workers who headed to California in search of gainful employment. Woody wrote hundreds of songs between the 1930s and his death in 1967 of Huntington’s Chorea. The traditional American folk singer/songwriter, Woody Guthrie tells stories that often don’t even appear in history books. Woody Guthrie set the precedent for the breadth of issues and subjects about which an American folk singer could sing. His original tunes often put to work traditional melodies, as well as melodies to songs that were popular at the time. His lyrics encapsulated all the important issues of his time and of America in general, in plain and simple language that put words to what so many people were thinking and feeling. Quote from Woody Guthrie: "I am out to sing songs that will prove to you that this is your world and that if it has hit you pretty hard and knocked you for...
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...Country music has its roots in the very foundation of the United States. In fact the roots go far further back. The modern country music as it is today was in the southern Appalachian Mountains as a form of storytelling. The groups would travel from town to town singing their rhymes. To this day, modern country singers tell tales of hardworking Americans. They travel from city to city singing their tales. Whereas the groups have changed, the traditions have stayed somewhat untouched. Today’s country music is more popular than ever and as long as the artists continue to push the artistic boundaries should continue to grow in popularity. In medieval Europe a bard provided music and entertainment going from town to town singing and telling stories and informing people of news from other towns. The rhyme schemes and lyrical content of medieval bards and country music are similar (Country Music and the Myth of the American West, n.d.). Bard lyrics and country music lyrics reflect culture and the society of the time. In the 18th century Europeans began to emigrate to the colonies or America. Many immigrants from Ireland and Scotland settled in the Appalachian region. Immigrants brought music and instruments like the fiddle to the area. The fiddle became the central instrument of country music from Appalachia adopting from the cultural use of the fiddle from the British. Early country music roots in the cultural traditions of the traveling show. In the middle 18th century American...
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...Justin Baird Professor Tolson African American Music 1/28/15 Review #1 On Monday night, January 26th I had the pleasure of attending a Jazz Combo that consisted of three different bands. This Jazz Combo was performed by the University Of Louisville School Of Music and was held in Bird Recital Hall. These bands included the Clark Terry Combo directed by Tyrone Wheeler, Terence Blanchard Combo directed by Ansyn Banks, and the Fats Navarro Combo directed by Ansyn Banks as well. One of the bands that I enjoyed the most was the Terence Blanchard Combo which was directed by Ansyn Banks. This group consisted of Jon Driver who played the saxophone, Doug Finke who played the trombone, Hanks Evans who played the piano, Will Kinman who played the bass, and John Walther who played the drums. Most of the performers were young but the older men still kept up with them and made for a great performance. The band itself felt comfortable playing their instruments, but seemed a little timid when it came to actually performing in front of everyone though. They were confident in what they were doing, but just seemed like they were a bit nervous in the beginning. The energy with each other was a little sluggish at the beginning of their performance but picked up midway through the first song and continued to increases as they performed their second piece of the night. They all got into their instrument and you could really feel the passion they had for playing it as well. The Terence Blanchard...
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...Modern American music is one of the greatest contribution to the arts in the United States’ history, but it wasn’t developed overnight. The origin story of modern American music, and all of its genres, is a long one filled with tragedy, exploration, and a fusion of cultures. While many of people have a particular genre of music they like more than the others, it’s appalling that they don’t know how these pieces of art were constructed for their enjoyment. Before people can learn about the development of modern American music, they must first learn about the origin of music itself. It’s safe to assume that ever since human beings have been on this planet we’ve been humming a tune or tapping a beat. However, the first documented record of music came from ancient Mesopotamia in the form of religious chant. It is very...
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...Introduction The year 1685 was known to be significant in the historical setting of European music because it saw the conception of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750). The year 1685, therefore, took on the part of the marker, separating the music of essential contextual listening called "early music." The pinnacle of Bach's development started in the eighteenth century, where he created an instrumental medium known as the ripieno string ensemble. A medium that could supplement wind or percussion instruments as the occasion demanded. However, it was a period when this form of expression was not in demand due to various political, social, cultural and economic aspects making it insignificant. The political, social, cultural and economic relationship...
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...Native American Music: A Root of Contemporary Music Yet Explored What is Native American Music? As our class brainstormed ideas for research, I already knew what topic I wanted to explore. Having been a musician, closely involved with music my entire life, I directed my focus toward Native American music. Before I began to develop any sort of directed, narrowed research questions, I asked myself first, “What is Native American music?” Regarding various definitions of the so-called “genre,” I discovered that Native American music shouldn’t be typified into any genre or defined style of music. It was the perspective toward music that was unique to Native peoples, and this perspective is key in understanding the Native American influence on later creations of music. Definition and Philosophy Native peoples tend to view their music in a distinctly different way from Euro-Americans. To Natives, music is thought; music appeared to be particularly inclusive into Native Americans’ way of life, and is unique in its origin, meaning, and efficacy. To ask “what is Native American music?” would be a question foreign to Native Americans, especially during the time that Native American music was first discovered. One aspect of music specific to indigenous peoples is its place in daily life. In fact, “its place in human affairs are much more significant to Indians than its mode of construction or technical character.” (Native American Music, 1980, p. 12) Unlike the Euro-American perspective...
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...Running head: MUSIC TRENDS IN POPULAR AMERICAN CULTURE Music Trends in Popular American Culture University of Phoenix There have been many trends in American popular culture dating back since America was founded, anytime an activity or a lifestyle became popular people wanted to follow it and millions did. This is the case with music; it has evolved over time yet remains one of the most popular aspects of American Culture. From 1606-1776 religious music was the first music of early colonists in what was known as The Colonial Era. Traditional English hymns were brought to America and singing the psalms was an early form of hymns. Folk music and ballads were the rage from 1776-1860 in the Revolutionary War era. Popular music just before and during the Civil War had to do with political and military events such as; Amazing Grace, Battle Hymn of the Republic and Dixie and the Star Spangled Banner was written during this time. In 1897 different composers give birth to America’s popular music industry, ending reliance on Europe. The turn of the century arrived and there was a period of excitement for the American Music Scene. During this time the “Western” musical genre spreads throughout western states and featured steel guitars and singing cowboys (Johnson, 2007). The Blues were also created during this time by ex-slaves that sang work songs filled with irony, imagery and love, offering relief from the tensions in their lives. Jazz was also developed in the 1900s...
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...Native North American music is fascinating and complex, and arguably necessary for understanding indigenous culture. McAllester describes three different styles of Native American music to provide the reader with an overview. The first style is the Sioux Grass Dance. The Sioux Grass Dance exemplifies the concept of music as a social event. Even if music is practiced alone sometimes, it usually has a social and cultural dimension. However, Ruggles makes sure to point out that Native North American music is not just about social gatherings but also a form of personal and/or spiritual expression. Another feature of the Sioux Grass Dance is that it represents a very early stage of human musical evolution. The reason for that assessment is the...
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...Hip-Hop and Its Impact on America Erick Acosta U.S History II Honors Period 4 Mr. Pannone May 4, 2009 Hip Hop and Its Impact on America Hip-Hop is one of the genres most criticized by America. Many people thought that Hip-Hop would fade away soon after it was introduced in the late 70s. These people were wrong because over 25 years have passed and Hip-Hop is now very popular in American culture. Hip-Hop has grown a great deal since its beginnings in south Bronx. Now Hip-Hop and rap music can be found anywhere from CDs, television shows, advertisements, and the internet. This shows how big of an impact it has on America and American music. A brief history shows Hip-Hop’s achievements and milestones. Hip-Hop is divided into two: the DJ and the MC. The DJ: Hip Hop began in South Bronx during the late 1970s. It arose when block parties were common in New York City. Deejays would use a technique to isolate the percussion breaks in songs. They did this because they knew that these percussion breaks would be easier to dance to (Hip-Hop music, par 5). This technique was very much seen in Jamaica and was brought to New York by DJ Kool Herc. DJ Kool Herc from Jamaica was known as the father of Hip-Hop. There were other Deejays that contributed to the expansion of Hip-Hop. These Deejays were DJ Hollywood, who invented the term Hip-Hop, and Grand Wizard Theodore, who invented scratching. Scratching is a technique used by deejays to produce distinctive sounds by moving a vinyl...
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...A Definition of Anglo-American Folk Music: Past to Present It is well known that the colonization of the North American continent by europeans laid the ground work for the development of the modern United States. During this era, a new identity was formed as immigrants from the european nations began unifying. Out of this melting pot of cultures, new forms of music were born. Anglo-American folk music is a traditional form of music for the United States that developed from the immigration of English nationals. This form of music can be categorized into four main melodic behaviors: the Ionian (major scale), Mixolydian, Dorian, and Aeolian (natural minor scale) (“Anglo American Folk Music”). From the 20th century on, music became much more predominant to everyday life with the introduction of the radio in the 1930s. Folk music was mostly a treasure secluded to the country and mountains, but the radio allowed music to travel vast distances and have an enormous audience, which was never before possible. This allowed for single artists, like Jimmie Rogers and Bill Monroe, to become well known and produce iconic tracks that would be recorded as the traditional music of America. The lyrics that were used during this early America by these European migrating immigrants where about stories of freedom, life, and a search for identity. This became a significant part of the culture of the developing American people, who used this new form of media to identify themselves (historically...
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