Country Music Research Paper

Country music has deep roots and tradition. It has had a significant influence on the history of music. I believe that Country music is the one genre that has truly had an effect on many other music genres that were to follow, but Country music itself has also been influenced by many different cultures through the years.

Country music got its start in the Appalachian region in the South. Country music’s previous influences included Anglo-American Folk music. Folk music and ballads dating clear back to the colonization period from the Europeans and even the slaves (Scaruffi, 2007). Settling in the Appalachians, the sounds compiled were a mixture of music passed from generation to generation (Scaruffi, 2007). Around the 1920’s, Fiddln’

John Carson and the Carter family were some of the first to become popular country music artists (“History of Country Music,” n.d.). Ralph Peer was also one of the first in the business to start recording theses musical talents. Peer was in New York and if you wanted your music recorded you had to go to him. Finally, during the 1920’s, he traveled to the south, Bristol, Tennessee, where a majority of the musical artists were making their music (Shmoop Editorial Team, 2008). Today, Bristol, Tennessee is recognized as the birthplace of country music (America’s Library n. d.). In addition to the Carter family who sang spiritual, Christian and traditional music, was an early influential performer, Hillbilly singer Jimmie Rodgers (Scaruffi, 2007). Rodger’s was known for his fusion of many different types of music and his gifted ability to yodel. His most famous song was Blue Yodel. Rodger’s was said to be influenced by the Blues sang by the black railroad gangs (“History of Country Music,” n.d.).
Also known for their Country music contributions were Folk singers Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger. Guthrie made popular the song This Land Is Your Land and often sang traditional folk based melodies about the Great Depression and occasional songs regarding contention with politics (Scaruffi, 2007). Seeger was also known best for his Folk music, singing protest ballads (Scaruffi, 2007).
Country Music was soon made popular with the live radio broadcasting of “barn dances” and the Grand Ole Opry (Shmoop Editorial Team, 2008).

With the rise of radio, country music began spreading to the Midwest, Southwest and even the west coast. Coast to coast country music could be heard. Country music sounded a little different in each area of the country but it was the same in the fact that it was all tied to its deep traditions and past (Shmoop Editorial Team, 2008).

The music progressed with the addition of new performers and different instruments, such as violins, banjos, mandolins and guitars. The music soon evolved to something called Bluegrass and Hillbilly music. In 1939, Bill Monroe made music that was a mixture of country, gospel and blues (Reno and Harrell, n.d.). Then, it was called mountain Hillbilly music, but today it would be considered Bluegrass.

Some may say that mountain Hillbilly music is the music of white people, but Bluegrass has had the influences of Blues and Jazz music. An early black musician, DeFord Bailey, performed his music on barn shows and the Grand Ole Opry in the late 1920’s and 30’s (Chicago Tribune, 1998). He often performed with a harmonica and made incredible sounds with it. The African-American music and people have had a great influence on country music. White performer, Bob Wills and The Texas Playboys, were known for their fusion of a Country string section with a Jazz horn section. It was through Jazz and Rhythm

and Blues that Western and Swing music was born (Snyder, 1996).
In the 1950’s, Country music would evolve again with the addition and use of electric instruments, steel guitar and drums (Synder, 1996). Its name would also evolve. The Hillbilly name became to be known as a derogative name for the people of the southern region and the music would be called Country or Country and Western (“History of Country Music,” n.d.). I believe this is when Country music started resembling the Country music that we hear today. The artists of Country and Western music began singing personal and meaningful songs of stories about love and lose. Country’s music style could be described as ballads sung with a high-pitch and nasally sound (Snyder, 1996). Also, during this era, people were able to see for the first time what a singing cowboy looked like by the images portrayed on their television sets. The Hollywood cowboy movie stars such as Gene Autry and Roy Rogers were dressed in western shirts and were playing the parts of cowboys (“History of Country Music,” n.d.). I believe that it was here where the image of a Country music artist was born. Country and Western musical artists included Hank Williams, Johnny Cash and female artist Kitty Wells. Kitty Wells ballads about cheating husbands and honky tonks were sometimes controversial for its time but, it was Wells who paved the way for other female artists (Duke, 2012). During the rise of Country music in the 1950’s, other female artists such as Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn began to emerge and would soon be to follow in Wells footsteps. In the middle of all of this, Nashville, Tennessee would become the mecca or hub for country music recording artists, and this remains true today.
Not only were the 1950’s a big decade for Country music; it was also the start of Rock and Roll.

Rock and Roll had its influence on Country and Western and Country and Western also had its influence on Rock and Roll. The 1960’s brought the two together in something called Rockabilly. Popular Rockabilly artists included Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly and Jerry Lee Lewis. These artists had deep southern roots of Country music’s tradition mixed with Gospel and Blues and a little bit of Rock and Roll. The 60’s also brought collaborations of Country mixed with Soul music, made popular by Ray

Charles.
Even into the 1970’s, 80’s, 90’s and today, new and different music was and is being made through collaborations of Country with Pop and also with Rock. It seems that Country music is constantly growing by the influences of outside sources and whatever is new and hot at the time.
In conclusion, Country music has grown and changed tremendously since the 1920’s. It has constantly been unfolding, first with new instruments being introduced to the music, then with new styles of artists and lastly, with the blend of different genres. There is one thing that remains the same and that is the deep tradition that has made Country music what it is today. Country music has lent its influence to many different musical genres that have followed but it has always stayed true to its past.

References:
America’s Library (n d.). Birthplace of Country Music. A Local Legacy. Retrieved from http://www.americaslibrary.gov/es/tn/es_tn_bristol_1.html

Chicago Tribune (1998). The Roots of Country Music. Retrieved from http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1998-09-16/features/9809190003_1_deford-bailey-roots-of-country-music-african-americans

History of Country Music (n.d.). In English Club Online. Retrieved from https://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/music-country.htm

Duke, A., (2012). CNN Entertainment. Kitty Wells Blazed Country Path For Women. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/17/showbiz/kitty-wells-legacy/

Reno and Harrell (n.d.). A Short History of Bluegrass Music. Retrieved from http://www.renoandharrell.com/content/short-history-bluegrass-music

Scaruffi, P., (2007). A Brief History of Country Music. In A History of Popular Music Before Rock Music. Retrieved from http://www.scaruffi.com/history/country.html

Shmoop Editorial Team (2008, November 11). Country Music History. Retrieved April 13, 2017, from http://www.shmoop.com/country-music-history/

Snyder, R., (1996), An Outline History of Rock & Roll (3rd ed.). Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt