Malone
Introduction to Appalachian Music and Its Context
Focus on the intersection of Appalachian music and American popular music, particularly in the 20th century.
Explore the implications of using the term "Appalachian music" with adjectives like "Appalachian" and "mountain."
Analyze the meanings and connotations of these descriptors.
The Misunderstood Nature of Appalachian Music
The term "Appalachian music" serves as a shorthand for describing complex qualities.
Incomprehensibility is often associated with this type of music when compared to mainstream American popular music.
The adjectives point to something challenging to grasp, reflecting a historical perception of Appalachia as unique, different, or even peculiar.
Interpretative Framework
Malone presents two key frameworks for understanding Appalachian music:
Shorthand Description:
Refers to music as something different and challenging to define.
Represents a comparative name that highlights its distinct qualities compared to mainstream culture.
Appealing Qualities:
Adjectives like Appalachian are associated with desirable, positive cultural traits projected onto this music.
Suggests a sense of cultural identity that resonates positively with listeners.
Historical Context: Two Key Periods
Malone's analysis involves two distinct periods in the interpretation of Appalachian music:
Period 1: Turn of the Century (Pre-1920):
Appalachian music is perceived as different but also better compared to popular music.
Reasons for this perception include:
Morality: Unlike ragtime and jazz, Appalachian music is described as having less sinfulness and immorality; perceived as more decent, moral, and tied to white rural communities.
Racial Politics: The association of ragtime and jazz with urban and African-American music creates a dichotomy with country Appalachian music.
Period 2: Post-1920:
Appalachian music evolves into what is termed "mountain music."
Influenced by academic definitions and, notably, by the rise of the radio and recording industry.
The term "hillbilly music" emerges, highlighting commercialization and marketability as significant factors in broader cultural perception.
The Role of Media and Commercialization
The emergence of radio and records profoundly shapes the definition and understanding of Appalachian music:
Radio facilitates the spread of hillbilly music, enhancing its commercial nature and the culture surrounding it.
Hillbilly music becomes synonymous with national exposure, evoking notions of home and tradition, and often reverting to antiquated notions of morality and decency associated with the Appalachian region.
Example: The film O Brother, Where Art Thou? reflects this dual interest and comprehension of Appalachian culture and music.
Case Study: Bradley Kincaid
Bradley Kincaid:
A prominent radio figure who markets Appalachian music with descriptors like "old, honest, pure, and moral."
Represents a commercialized perspective of Appalachian music that often glosses over the complexities and diversities of the genre.
His portrayal connects Appalachian music to eternal wisdom, solidifying the idea of purity and traditionalism in cultural expressions.
The Assumptions of Purity and Diversity
Malone asserts that the interpretation of Appalachian music reflects a problematic assumption of purity:
Assumes that pure Appalachian music exists untouched by modern influences.
This purity can encompass behavioral norms and a separation from the outside world, positing that music is not tainted by modernity.
Purity leads to traditionalism, determining what is deemed in or out of the cultural spectrum.
There is a clear disconnect between these assumptions and the reality of Appalachian music, which has always been diverse:
Historically inclusive of various musical influences, including ballads, gospel, and commercial music.
Cannot be defined by geography, as it is not confined to one location but exists in numerous contexts.
Bluegrass: A Special Case
Bluegrass music emerges roughly in the 1940s-1950s, challenging the notion that it is exclusively linked to Appalachia.
Foundational figures such as Bill Monroe (from Western Kentucky) and Earl Scruggs (from North Carolina) illustrate this diversity.
The genre gains momentum beyond Appalachia, especially boosted by the 1960s folk revival centered in urban locations like New York City.
The evolution of bluegrass reflects how the genre is neither static nor purely defined by its geographical roots.
Conclusion: Broader Understandings of Appalachian Music
Appalachian music must be understood as a dynamic and evolving form that encompasses a wide variety of influences.
No rigid definition of "pure Appalachian music" exists; cultural expressions are on a spectrum of tradition and modernity, overlapping with numerous influences.
Artists like Nina Simone, the Carolina Chocolate Drops, and Nickel Creek challenge these boundaries and assumptions about what constitutes Appalachian music.
Overall, all cultural expressions are interconnected, with assumptions of purity being inherently flawed and limiting, underscoring the need for a more nuanced appreciation of Appalachian music.