country & western

country & western songs were derived from:

• ballads

• parlor songs

• blues & gospel

what instruments were played?

• string band music

  • fusion of fiddle & bango, bass, dobro

• folk instruments

  • autoharp, lap dulcimer

what were the common patterns of coutry?

• realism & sentimentality

• vocal timbre (distinct accent)

• southern “twang”

• sincerity, singing about experiences & lives

what is early “hillbilly” music?

• first commercial recording in 1923

  • ralph peer & polk brockman

  • fiddlin’ john carlson

• new musical market emerges

what are the bristol, tennessee sessions?

advertising of mass auditions with recording sessions

• jimmy rogers & carter family discovered

the carter family

• image of quiet conservatism (family alues)

• made can the circle be unbroken

• alvin p, sara, maybelle

who sang can the circle be unbroken?

the carter family

who sang wildwood flower?

“mother” maybelle carter

who is jimmy rodgers

“singing bakeman” from mississippi

• blue yodel #8

who sang blue yodel #8?

jimmie rodgers

what happens when country entered hollywood?

• singing cowboys (hollywood westerns)

  • gene autry

  • patsy montana

  • roy rodgers & dale evans

  • sons of the pioneers

• western attire

who was involved with western swing?

bob wills & texas playboys

what is the grand ole opry?

radio “barn dance”

• nashville station WSM, weekly variety show

• preeminent showcase of country music

why was nashville important in country?

• post WWII growth. of country music

• new marketing category: country & western

• expanding styles

• becomes music industry center

what were the expanding styles in nashvile?

crooners, honky-tonk, bluegrass, rockabilly

what was the nashville sound?

• session musicians, “a team”

• electric guitars, bass, drums

• orchestral strings

• professional background singers

• studio technology (echo, reverb, multi-track recording)

• speeding up the master tap to raise the pitch a half step

what is honky-tonk?

texas bar music

• electric guitar, piano, & jukebox becomes important

• song subjects: loneliness & infidelity, not worrying about future

who is hank williams?

had a brief but influential career

• i’m so lonesome i could cry

who sang i’m so lonesome i could cry?

hank williams

what is rockabilly?

a mix of country music & r&b

• elvis presley, jerry lee lewis, johnny cash, carl perkins, bill haley, & the comets

outlaw country

• counterculture

• reaction nashville sound

• willie nelson

  • first country “concept” album

who is kris kristofferson?

sang sunday morning coming down & me & bobby mcgee

modern country todya

• country music awards (CMA)

• “music that is all things to people”

• crossover music

what are some modern country artists?

• carrie underwood

• jason aldean

• brandi carlile

• keith urban

• garth brooks