Country Music Research Paper

1250 Words3 Pages

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’ …show more content…

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 …show more content…

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

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