Music Essay: The Growth Of Country Music

Country music originated in the 1920s in Tennessee. The genre was influenced by folk music from the Appalachian Mountains and revolved around themes of love, faith,

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

Country music is by far the best. Country music’s style is like no other. Almost every country song has a southern touch too it. Usually when someone hears a country song they can tell it is one because of the unique sound. Country music has some of the best singers to ever come out of the music industry. When I hear Martina McBride hit an impossible note, it sends shivers down my spine. Almost every artist in country music can really sing. Country music has more meaning to their songs, and they are deeper. Country music is a lot more relatable than any other type of music. People can understand Country music better, and they feel like they are going through what the song is about.

The main artist to capitalize on combining country with blues and jazz was the king of rock and roll, better known as Elvis Presley. He had the country twang along with the bluesy deep message and jazz type feel, which started the music we all know today as rock and roll.

Country music has proven as a powerful medium to express the views of the contemporary culture. As a result, the lyrical value of such songs provides listeners an insight to the changing climate of social and political ideologies. During the 1960’s defined gender roles dictated social lifestyles and were mimicked in music. In recent years, a resurgence of idealistic, stereotypical gender-specific roles have cropped up in country songs, creating a subgenre labelled “bro-country.” Jody Rosen of the New York Times first coined the term “bro-country” in order to describe songs that use lyrical tools glorifying prevailing, hegemonic gender roles present in culture. Songs such as Tim McGraw’s “How I’ll Always Be,” Luke Bryan’s “Huntin’, Fishin’, Lovin’, Every Day,” Sam Hunt’s “Make you Miss Me,” and Dierks Bently’s “Different for Girls” use the lyrical discourse, under the lens of “bro-country”, to highlight dominant, male gender-specific roles, while simultaneously reinforcing prominent, often negative, views of women.

There is a big difference in older country music and today’s country music. Older country music tells stories, and today’s just talks about women and getting drunk. If these people did as much drinking as they say they do then we wouldn’t have any new country singers. The newer stuff sounds a lot like hip hop or rap. What does everyone think of when they hear the words country music; that’s what I thought a cowboy. How does everyone picture a cowboy? Is he in skinny jeans and a flat bill hat? No, everyone pictures that fairy tale story about a cowboy and a cowgirl falling for one another. The reason that 90’s country music is better is because, it does not sound like hip hop, it actually tells stories, and it does not just talk about drinking.

First, the lyrical content of country music is very distinct. Typically within a country song, the focus of the music is on storytelling. According to the website History of Country Music, this is one of the primary characteristics of country music. Particularly, it is stated “country music should have a strong storyline” (History of Country Music). There are several notable examples of this sort of musical storytelling; one of which is “Cocaine Blues” by Johnny Cash. He recounts the saga of a man on the run from the police for the murder of his wife, who finally gets caught and must accept his punishment in a court of law. The mentioned composition is slightly atypical of country songs in general

Country music as a whole has developed from hillbilly boogie, to honky tonk, to what we commonly hear on the radio today as Nashville sound, or country pop. The honky tonk

Traditionally, Country music has usually been associated as a white mans genre of music. Looking back over the history of this type of music one can attest to the fact that only a few artists fall outside this stereotype. For instance, you have musicians such as DeFord Bailey and Darius Rucker who have contributed so much to the genre through their works. However, as great as they are, there is one artist who has truly paved the way for African Americans in Country music and that is none other than Charlie Pride.

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.

Both have significant presence of country music traditions and backgrounds. As such there have been a lot of ideas which have been floated that make the connection between the presence and the management of the norms which are associated between the two kinds of music. Country music style found in Jazz influenced the style in rock and roll as well. This becomes the common point of reference between the two. Country music has been seen at the heart of Jazz. Such kind of influence has also been showered on the development of music within Rock and Roll (Coryell & Friedman,

The origins of country music date back to the beginning of the nineteenth century. It emerged mainly in the southern part of the united states and at first, was very similar to the folk music that had come from Europe and Africa. Ballads and dance tunes were among the most prominent type of country songs at the beginning. Later on, the simple musical form and harmonies of the blues also greatly influenced the development of the country genre. Country music, formerly known as hillbilly music, is usually made up of string instruments like banjos, guitars, and fiddles. Historically, country music was associated with western music, hillbillies, cowboys, and white working class Americans. Today however, the genre is much more broad and increasingly growing in popularity.

In 1929 the migrations of many Southern rural whites to industrial cities during the Great Depression and World War Two, country music migrated with these Southerners as well. The 1930’s were the reason we imagine the cowboys and the southern areas. In 1936 Hollywood movie names the “Westerns” that was about cowboys who also seemed to sing during the film. These singing cowboys included Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, two men who became huge country-music stars who changed the image of “hillbilly” music to country.

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.

Country music has a unique sets of instruments used to display a country feel. Country music uses same chord patterns throughout the song. Country music uses Guitars, Violins, Pianos, Banjos, Bass, and Drums. Country music uses soft sounds and light strokes of the chord instruments. The way Country music uses instruments is a soft approach, it uses simple and soft harmonies along with soft beats to make a southern feel.