...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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...Country music has brought together many artists and people no matter the location, but there are two specific locations that are considered the birth place of country music. These locations are Bakersfield, California and Nashville, Tennessee. These locations were two thousand miles apart and held different sounds from different artist and had a different way of doing things in the country music business, ultimately only one location remained true to the country music sound. Country Music lost one of the best known stars in 1953, Hank Williams death was said to be the stopping point for country music long successful run Williams brought a traditional sound to country music but he was a large supported of expanding past the rural sound. Hank inspired many such as George Jones, Jim Reeves, Eddy Arnold. Eddy Arnold changed the sound of country music is Nashville and traded his honky tonk...
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...Blues vs Country music According to Etta James in an interview with American Chronicle: "The Blues and country are first cousins ... What I look for in a song is for the story to be for real. I like a blood and guts kind of thing. That's what you find in the lyrics of country music." Blues and country music both developed in the 19th century in the Southern United States. They share a similar history. For this reason, they share many of the same musical and lyrical characteristics. Read more: How to Compare Blues & Country Music | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5888119_compare-blues-country-music.htInstructions 1. * 1 Learn the history behind blues and country music. They are both forms of American folk music influenced by earlier styles brought overseas. Blues music grew out of field hollers and chants sung by African slaves. Irish and Scottish balladeers borrowed the guitar and banjo of blues and thus created "country". According to Reebee Garofalo in "Rockin' Out: Popular Music in the USA", "Terms like country and blues are only used to separate the same kind of music made by blacks and whites ... designations like race and hillbilly intentionally separated artists along racial lines and conveyed the impression that their music came from mutually exclusive sources." Country is an offshoot of blues. They are essentially the same thing. In the PBS special, "Rhythm, Country and Blues," country is referred to as "white man's blues." * 2 Listen to...
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...Opinion Editorial Is this country music? “Do you wish somebody had the nerve to tell that stupid boss of yours to shove it, next time he yells at you,” sings Brad Paisley on the renowned Nashville stage. With its world premiere at the 2010 Country Music Awards, Brad Paisley’s new hit single, “This is Country Music,” has taken the likes of millions of fans across the world. While referring to several of the past and present faces of country music including George Strait and Johnny Cash, it is no wonder this song has soared up the music charts. Numerous covers of “This is Country Music” have been posted to YouTube at a high rate and their view count number is getting bigger by the hour. Paisley, who was is also the Country Music Award’s entertainer of the year, shows his heartfelt sincerity in this song by singing about country music and how so many songs can be related to everyday life. Not every song will relate to every listener, but there is sure to be a country song that relates to your life in one way or another. Whether it’s an upbeat song like “Country Boys Can Survive” or a slow song like Dolly Parton’s “Stand by Your Man,” Paisley covered the bases for everyone’s personal soundtrack. Approximately two minutes into the song there is a thirty second guitar solo before he discusses country music’s strong point of view on freedom in America. The melody coming from fiddles and banjos is reduced to showcase Paisley and his showy electric guitar solo. Although I...
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...Draft) The genre of country music has brought about many controversial issues, like in the example of Carrie Underwood’s catchy tune, cheating and retribution. The bluntness of this enriched genre of music, based on our patriotic roots as Americans, gives off a distasteful and bitter taste to those who don’t see themselves above country- loving or uneducated ‘hicks.’ Critics of country music in the article ‘Acting Naturally: Cultural Distinction and Critiques of Pure Country’ cannot comprehend what is portrayed in this type of music, something of which us ‘hicks’ like to refer to as the ‘simple life’. Country music may be controversial, but it has been able to overcome the stereotypes so that now even those who aren’t living the ‘country life’ can enjoy its passion- filled quality. Country music has always been a very popular form of expression that has been loved by people since its’ beginning in the stereotyped, southern sound form. Also considered to own the fastest growing audience in America, country music has certainly earned its place being the favorite form of music in many people’s hearts. However, just because we as we choose to listen to this music, does not mean “we're all store-bought cowboys and armchair hillbillies.” In fact, classifying a person according to the music they decide to listen to does little to describe the actual person. These people are found in all different types of music; limiting these trend lovers to just country music is certainly a sign...
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...Country music began in the 1920’s in the Southern states of the USA (Wikipedia, 2012). County music continues to be a very popular sound in southern states. Country music does not have one specific style, it has developed over time into many subgenres. Country music always tells a story, usually dramatic to a harmonious tune and it places an emphasis on the lyrics and the voice is always dominant in every song. Country music icon and actress Dolly Rebecca Parton was born on January 19, 1946, in Locust Ridge, Tennessee. Parton was raised in poverty, but surrounded by music. With a musical career that launched at the age of ten, Parton has been performing publicly for nearly fifty of her fifty-eight years, becoming one of the most celebrated and most successful country music stars. “I Will Always Love You” from the album “Jolene” of February 27, 1974 is the obvious choice for No. 1 for many reasons, including the fact that...
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...death. Simply known as the greatest country singer of all time, Hank Williams wrote ballads of frustrated love that brought rural music into mainstream radio programs. He was a sincere artist whose early death turned him into a country music legend.Hank Williams Sr. changed the face of country music by creating a new style, influenced countless people and laid the foundation for the outlaw country genre and lifestyle. Hank Williams sang and performed his songs in a style people have never...
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...Country music was starting from twenty century; it became main voice of lower and middle class people in America that was affected by the original culture . Jimmy Rodgers (1879-1933) was regarded as the father of the country music, who was a singer, composer and guitarist. When he was youth, after won a singing competition, he started traveling shows even his father was brought him home more than once . Then he eventually worked on a railroad like his father before he got tuberculosis, which made him giving up this work3. He was enthusiastic about country music; such as even he was suffering from the diseases during the last month, he still insisted on recording song, in total, 110 songs was released by him. He eventually died in19334. Jimmy Rodgers was a legend that has preponderant influence on the history of country music. Based on his experience of travelling show, he mixed a certainly number of different music style together, especially between rural and city folks5. Moreover, blues and yodels were also be incorporated will his music style. Additionally, his experience made him sang with his true emotion, it makes him become a sentimental balladeer to others6....
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...Christian and Country Music Debra Blackwelder Com/155 April 1, 2012 Sherri Shadle Christian and Country Music Chanting and singing hymnals were the earliest form of Christian music. In about the year 112, (Today, 1/01) Roman Christians would chant verses from the bible in honor of Christ. Back then it was hard for some to distinguished early Christian poetry from hymns. The earliest hymnbook was published in America in 1737. During the eighteenth century, hymnbooks did not include musical notes. It was not until 1831 that musical notes were added to hymnals. (Townsend, 7/01) On the other hand, Country music started evolving rapidly in the 1920s and had originally started in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains. Its roots came from traditional folk, Celtic, gospel, and old-time music. The evolution of country and Christian music comes from deep-rooted sounds of Christian worship. Columbia Records began issuing records with “hillbilly” music as early as 1924. (Aces and Eights, n.d.) During the 1930s and 1940s “Western” songs were popularized by films made in Hollywood. In 1939, country musicians began recording boogie. The trickle of what was initially called Hillbilly Boogie was later called Country Boogie became a flood around late 1945 and lasted until 1950s. By the end of World War II “mountaineer” string band music known as bluegrass had emerged. In this period country music was called folk in the trade and hillbilly within the industry....
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...The earliest roots of country music are based in the folk songs from the British Isles. As these people settled in the South, where they were more isolated than their Northern counterparts, they continued to preserve the music of their home. However, it was significantly adapted to the social and ethnic influences of the other people in the south including African Americans, Mexican Americans, and immigrants from Poland, Germany, France, and other countries. For example, the cowboy song, “Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie” was based upon the English song “Ocean Burial” and was adapted during cattle drives during the late 1800s. Country music as we know it originated in the late 1910s with Appalachian fiddle players. However, it didn’t gain...
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...Hank Williams was born September 17, 1923, in Mount Olive, Alabama. Considered one of the most popular American country music singer/songwriters with songs like "Cold, Cold Heart," "Your Cheatin' Heart," "Hey, Good Lookin'" and "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive." He died of a heart attack at the age of 29 in 1953 in the backseat of his Cadillac. Widely considered country music's first superstar, Hiriam "Hank" Williams was born September 17, 1923, in Mount Olive, Alabama. Cut from rural stock, Williams, the third child of Lon and Lillie Williams, grew up in a household that never had much money. His father worked as a logger before entering the Veterans Administration hospital when young Hank was just six. Father and son rarely saw each...
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...Running head: Roots of Blues and Country music Roots of Blues and Country music Marc A. Cañas Brandman University Roll Over Beethoven: A Survey of Rock and Roll Professor: Jeanne Mayer, Ph.D April 11, 2010 Blues & Country The Blues and Country Music Blues and country music both developed in the 19th century in the Southern United States. They share a similar history. For this reason, they share many of the same musical and lyrical characteristics. The Blues Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre created primarily within the African-American communities in the Deep South of the United States at the end of the 19th century. The roots. Blues finds its roots from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads. Attributes. The blues genre is based on the blues form but possesses other characteristics such as specific lyrics, bass lines and instruments. Blues can be subdivided into several subgenres ranging from country to urban blues that were more or less popular during different periods of the 20th century. Early social importance. The first appearance of the blues is often dated after the Emancipation Act of 1863, between 1870 and 1900, a period that coincides with Emancipation and, later, the development of juke joints as places where Blacks went to listen to music, dance, or gamble after a hard...
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...2014 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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...Country vs. Rap music “I think music in itself is healing. It's an explosive expression of humanity. It's something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we're from, everyone loves music.” Said by the famous Billy Joel. No matter what music you enjoy it also does not make a difference. There are many different genres, but two that seem to be the complete opposite are country and rap. Yes, country and rap are on two completely different ends of the spectrum lyrics and message wise, but they both do a great job at portraying a story or getting you excited about something. If music can do one thing best it is that it can tell a story. Musicians and writers spend tons of time on the songs that they produce and some have so much feeling into it that people can really relate. Whether it is rap or country they both can make a story out of their lyrics. Now just because I say they make a story doesn’t mean it is some fairytale story where everyone lives happily ever after. I have heard my fair share of country and rap music and both can have some songs that can make someone want to weep. Those are the type of stories people can relate to. When just a song that you heard on the radio can make you sad or make you happy you know it’s a good song. That’s what these two type of genres have in common. Both kinds poor their hearts into their music and can make you feel emotions that you don’t even feel in your every day life. Now that’s something to sing about! In todays...
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...I like a lot of different music genres, but my favorite kind of music is Punk/Punk Rock/Rock. There are some Punk Pop bands that I like, but I generally stick to the first three. My least favorite kind of music is Rap and Country. When it comes to Rap I just don't like it. The beat is terrible and the lyrics sound like a drunk person wrote them right before they fell asleep in an alcohol induced coma, but Country I really can't stand. I don't like anything about Country music or its history. The only time I would listen to Country is if one of my friends wanted me to. Even then I would protest though. The beat of Rap and Country don't appeal to me. Though I don not have anything against anyone who likes these types of music, I simply do not...
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