Country music is one of the most popular genres of music throughout America. There are many influential figures that have changed the way country music sounds, and how people interpret it. Two important people who have made a huge impact on country music overtime are Johnny Cash and Luke Bryan. From their early life, their career, and how society views them, they have opened the minds of people and country musicians all over the country. Johnny Cash’s songs help people to experience his life growing up through the Great Depression and how people lived back then. Through Luke Bryan’s songs people could understand what life was like for Luke growing up in Georgia and all the hardships he faced. Johnny Cash and Luke Bryan are two of the many …show more content…
This was a huge upset to Johnny. Especially since his father, Ray Cash, blamed Johnny for Jack’s death. In Edward Willet’s “The Man in Black” he states, “Ray told him bluntly that he should of died rather than his faithful brother.” This quote shows how his father made Johnny feel like it was his fault. To try and deal with his emotions, he started to write. He really started to write how he was feeling. In spite of this, the tragedy, his fathers accusation, and his own guilt had one positive outcome: it’s what made his creativity in his songs (Neimark 36). His early life growing up through the Great Depression and all the hardships he faced, were really expressed in the songs that he wrote and performed for people. This really let people have an inside look on what life was like for people back then.
Luke Bryan was born and raised in Leesburg, Georgia on July 17, 1976 (“Luke Bryan Biography”). His childhood consisted of hunting, fishing, helping his father with his local business, and singing (“Luke Bryan Biography”). Supporting his music talent, his family bought him a guitar when he was 14 years old (“Artists: Luke Bryan”). When Luke and his mother would drive into town to shop, his mother would encourage him to sing George Strait over and over (“Luke Bryan Biography”). By the age of 15 he started entertaining a small crowd at a local club (“Luke Bryan and Family”). He would go regularly to sing at the club.
Luke Bryan concert filled with music, lots of people, and lifted trucks. Most of the time Luke has over 500 people at his concerts. He is known well for his music and his career. Many know about him but not his fantastic music.
Waylon Jennings left a big impact on the country music industry. His journey to fame and meeting Buddy Holly started everything. Buddy Holly gave Waylon Jennings his first hit, resulting in Jennings become an unforgettable country music artist. The Highwaymen was a country supergroup consisting of 4 of the biggest country music artist of that decade. The Highwaymen produced many hits that Waylon was a part of, making his fame rise even more. Waylon Jennings ending of career happened too soon. Waylon played until he didn’t have the health to play anymore.
Artist like Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Jimmie Rodgers, George Jones, Willie Nelson and many more were are crucial parts in shaping the genre of country music. Each one of these artists had their own spin on country music making it diverse but managed to keep country music as country music. Their influence can be felt today. Country music was born from artists that were able to write anything from heartache to happiness. Patsy Cline was also an important musician who was named the most influential email country artist of all time. Elvis Presley was one of the most iconic artists who mixed gospel, R&B, and country tunes and produced legendary music that will be around
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.
In George’s background, he faced many challenges beginning with his mother leaving leading up to loosing his daughter. Born on May 18, 1952, George Harvey Strait was welcomed by his mother Doris Couser Strait and father John Byron Strait. His father and brother raised him in Pearsall, Texas when his mother left them and took their sister with her (Dukes). George went to Pearsall High school with his father being a teacher there. Once he graduated he eloped with his high school sweetheart Norma strait (The Famous People). After he eloped, he joined the military and was stationed in Hawaii. He sang in the army inspired band called Rambling Country. When his daughter was 13 George lost her to an accident. George’s background has had many
George Jones was one of the greatest country singers of all time. Although, it was not an easy life to get to be there. He was born on September 12, 1931 in Saratoga, Texas. Most people probably think that he was born into a wealthy family and had an easy ride all the way to be a country music star, but with him that is not the case. George was the oldest child out of eight in his family. He had one older sister but
Keeping it all cool and relaxed in a very demanding genre such as country music requires adamant skill and incomparable passion. Not all country musicians have the guts to stay afloat and be resilient, causing some of them to fall off the trail and never regained what they started anymore. Some have succumbed into the notion that being known once and for a short period of time will suit them well already, while for those who planned to stay as soon as their audience needs them, loving the craft and being addicted to fame are key points for you to succeed. We have known bag shot names such as Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Alison Krauss and Shania Twain to have dominated the country music realm, and yet, we know in our subconscious that there are other great artists just waiting for us to unravel. Take for example the admirable Dierks Bentley, a man who got the country music flowing through his blood as if he’s created just to serve this genre.
Randall Hank Williams, the son of Audrey Williams and famous country music star Hank Williams, was born on May 26, 1949 in Shreveport, Louisiana. Then, when he was only three years old, his father died. His father affected his career from the start— he made his music debut at eight years old, and sang his father’s songs. However, after becoming unhappy with his life because it was not the style of music he wanted to sing, Bocephus found his own country style and became even more successful than his father. Hank Williams Jr.’s music has made an impact on society. His impact doesn’t really focus on his hometown— though it probably brings it some attention. Instead, his impact is wherever people listen to country music— people enjoy the music
Scott Joplin, commonly known as the "King of Ragtime" music, was born on November 24, 1868, in Bowie County, Texas near Linden. Joplin came from a large musical family. His father, Giles Joplin was a musician who had fiddled dance music while serving as a slave at his master's parties. His mother, Florence Givens Joplin, born free and out of slavery, sang and played the banjo, and four of his brothers and sisters either sang or played strings.
He is not only known for his amazing music, but he leaves a legacy behind him, which ensures that he will never be forgotten. George Strait, born on May 18, 1952, grew up in Pearsall, Texas
George Harvey Strait was born and bred in the Texas cowboy tradition. He came into the world on May 18, 1952 in Poteet, Texas (“Strait Facts”) and was raised in nearby Pearsall, TX on his family's working cattle ranch, a legacy in the family for over 100 years. His childhood was spent working with his father and brother on their farm, and he carried on the ranching tradition by studying agriculture at Texas State University (Dickinson). In 1971, he married his wife, Norma, and shortly after enlisted in the United States Army.
The story goes that Cash’s record producer, called and asked Reznor for permission to “cover the song ‘Hurt’.” Sharples states, “It was as if Trent Reznor unconsciously wrote it for Mr. Cash” (2011). Trent Reznor was flattered that someone with Johnny’s musical talent and long-standing status in the music world would even be interested in interpreting his song. When Trent first heard the final copy of Johnny’s version, Trent stated, “. . .it felt like somebody kissed your girlfriend” (“The Nine Inch Nails Wiki,” 2012). According to Sharples, it would be some four months later that Trent and his music team would see Johnny’s video for the song. It was then that “Reznor was flattered, honored, and moved to tears by the results” (2011). Reznor says. "By the end I was really on the verge of tears. There was, like, this moist clearing of our throats and then, 'Uh, OK, let's get some coffee.'' (Sharples, 2011).
When historians look at history and at reasons why society changed many focus on conflicts like wars, civil rights, and poverty. However, there is so much more that over time changed America. One of the most influential subjects that helped this change was Elvis Presley. Through his music, which was influenced by black artists, he allowed white Americans to view a new group of performers. He tested social boundaries that helped him change American culture. His appearance and singing would end up changing the teenage world by introducing new trends in fashion and music. Presley was the reason why we have Rock-N-Roll. As a business and a singer, he brought America together into a new type of society; therefore he is a
Johnny Cash was born on February 26th, 1932 in Kingsland, Arkansas. Cash was one of seven children born to his parents, Ray Cash and Carrie Cloveree. He was named J.R Cash at birth, but when he later enlisted in the US army he was not allowed use those initials. He then changed his name is John R.Cash and took Johnny Cash as his stage name. Johnny Cash was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, actor, and author, widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century.