Country Songs Research Paper

Southern music known today as country music became popular in the 1920’s. This was music that was based on folk music of cowboys in the southeast (Collins English Dictionary, 2003). In most of the early music the artist played stringed instruments like fiddles, guitars, banjos and some were even playing harmonicas. When this type of music started some people called it

As many people know, country and rap music are the most renowned genres of music in today’s world. Both genres are opposites of each other, but they both are on the edges of mainstream. Country and rap music may stand alone and share binary oppositions such as lifestyles, however rap culture has influenced country music in today’s world which can be seen through the lyrics.

That said, Country Music is a most peculiar genre of musical entertainment. Artists therein often sing about the most mundane aspects of life, and living. Songs usually include words like beer, cheating, cowboys, lying, trailers, trucks, whiskey etc.

Charlie Pride did it in 1971. Darius Rucker did it in 2009. That’s it. Two black men, spanning thirty-eight years, are the only black artists to win a Country Music Association Award. With country music rooted in bluegrass and rhythm and blues, why aren’t there more black country music stars? When considering the roots of country music, and how closely related country is to blues, bluegrass and honky tonk music, an examination of what happened to all the black musicians seems warranted, no? This paper examines the dearth of black artists in country music and the careers of one of the few black artists who has had commercial success in this genre of music.

Music will never stop evolving into various styles and sub-genres, but over the last 30 years country music has taken snowballed into a clash of old school country and pop styles. After the "third generation" of country music grew past the honky tonk, consisting of a very basic ensemble of guitar, bass, and vocals, a change was needed to revive the country music industry. Artists had to create new styles of country, such as Countrypolitan, which aimed towards the mainstream pop markets. Despite changes in time differences, style, and technological advances, there are parallels between the songs at the top of the billboards between each generation, the love for the United States of America.

Johnny Cash said it best, “Of emotions, of love, of breakup, of love and hate and death and dying, mama, apple pie, and the whole thing. It covers a lot of territory, country music does.” Country music is everywhere, blasting from a lifted truck, a store, or a local bar, ranging from Classical country to Pop country. Country music is not just words written down on a piece of paper, they are more than that. The artists can write songs that most people can relate to. Alan Jackson and Luke Bryan are both very known country singers, but are different when it comes down to managing their careers.

Blues and Country music: Origin, Stories, and Influence Music has been around for more than 100 years. Each year, the style of music is critiqued into something new. There are many genres in music history, as well. However, the genre's of music are completely different from one another. Each genre has its own unique way of expressing their stories and influencing the world.

I grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. It is the heart and soul of country music. There is so many activities to partake in and sites to see! The Country Music Hall of Fame is one of the most popular attractions. There you may find artifacts and information on all of countries biggest stars. Another famous attraction is the Ryman Auditorium! This famous venue is known to be the place where bluegrass was born. Many famous performs have played here including Johnny and June Carter. Many reviews often say there is not a bad seat in this auditorium.

Country music originates in the southern states of America in the early 1900s, however, the many influences of country music came from centuries of European immigrants bringing their musical traditions to the country; these variety of traditions then fused together to create many different styles of popular music, one of which being country and western. Some of the musical traditions came from countries such as Britain, Ireland, Germany, India, Spain, France, Mexico and Africa; British folk culture and Afro-American influences are the strongest in country music, with the African elements also being heard strongly in more sub-genres such as Jazz, blues, rhythm and blues and ragtime. The people of the south shared similar cultural traditions

Though country music has been around since the 1920’s and has constantly been changing over time and still continues to change today, the newest sound has come from Troyal Garth Brooks, better known as Garth Brooks (Garrett). Garth Brooks was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma and raised in Yukon, Oklahoma (Schuster). While for most of his life he was considered an athlete even went to Oklahoma State University on a full ride track scholarship, he did know how to play music being thought to him by his father (Schuster). After finishing at Oklahoma State University he would head Nashville to try and break into the world of country music (Schuster). After signing with Capital Recorders, we would become the popular throughout Country music and would rise to fame (Schuster). With Brooks being known for starting a new trend in country music. Garth Brooks paved a new way into country music, to creating a new group to listen outside the normal crowd, crossing over into the pop music (Schuster). He created his signature vocal style with fun, up-tempo, to

Christian Country music can be defined with two variables the word “Christian” and the word “Country”. The word Christian in its raw state and referring to Jesus Christ is to be Christ-like to be like Him. The word country cannot be defined so easily because it can mean, a country as in a place on a whole different place on a map. For this purpose, it will lean towards the south region in the United States. When combining the two styles of music Christian Country is usually sung in the slang language of the country, clear in its message, and often tells a story. Some Christian music listeners do not like this style of music and some love this style of music. If you were a fan of Christian Country music, would you enjoy this style of music for the message or just to listen to country slang?

Let me take you back in time where it all began. We will need to dig back into time to learn about country and where it all started and how it has changed to what it is today. Country music is defined as a style and genre of largely string-accompanied American popular music having roots in the folk music of the Southeast and cowboy music of the West, usually vocalized, generally simple in form and harmony, and accompanied by romantic or melancholy ballads accompanied by acoustic or electric guitar, banjo, violin, and harmonica (Dictionary.com). Country music first started out in the back woods or the sticks.

In the beginning of the 1920s, country music started to take it’s hold. The roots of the country genre came from the older American folk music and the Western music. This type of music usually came from the more unfortunate people of the Eastern states. Country music in the 1920s usually consisted of ballads and dance tunes with generally simple forms and harmonies. Multifold of the instruments that were used to make this tune and harmonies were banjos, acoustic guitar, fiddles, and harmonicas.

Country music was one of the first genres of modern American popular music, and old-time music was its earliest style. It developed in the southeastern states of the USA as a mix of folk music from the British Isles, church music and African American blues. It was played on instruments like acoustic guitar, mandolin, autoharp, fiddle and the banjo. Old-time music was first recorded in the 1920s, with recordings of the Carter Family becoming the most popular. A. P. Carter collected folk songs and also wrote new songs, and he sang them in harmony with his guitar-playing sister-in-law Maybelle and his wife Sarah, who also played autoharp. Songs like Can The Circle Be Unbroken (By and By) and Wildwood Flower became hit records, and the Carter Family

I wouldn’t label me a fan of any stereotype of music, country, rap, rock, all have to hit a spot of emotion for me to appreciate it for example when I hear a song I need for it to move my head involuntarily and get me to start singing without me even know I am singing. I want the vibrations of those sweet sounds of music to shoot down my spine and hop me right into my country boots. Some days easy listening with no real connection but some days I want to sit back in deep thought with some country music in the background and release some emotions.