The Roots
of Country Music
Country Music finds its
roots deeply entwined with that of America’s roots. Much of the history of
Country Music reflects the changing lives of American’s over several
generations. Emerging from the Appalachians in the early 1920s, early
Country Music artists put a twist of hillbilly sound on Folk Music and
brought it out to the rest of the world.
Since its earliest
beginnings, the sound of Country Music has changed to reflect the changing
generations of America. In Country Music’s infancy, it saw the sounds of
Honky-Tonk with people like Ernest Tubb and Hanks Williams. The bars in
Oklahoma and Texas would boom on Friday and Saturday nights with the ever
changing sounds of Country Music.
But how could Country
Music be complete without that distinct sound of the legendary cowboy? The
west would leave its mark on Country Music with lyrics stemming from the
trials of life on the Western Frontier. Very often these Country - Western
songs would be enhanced with the sound of a whistle or a flute.
The upbeat sound of rock
would be introduced into Country Music by artist like Buddy Holly
and the King himself, Elvis Presley. This was knows as Rockabilly and was
a mixture of the Blues and Southern Hill Music.
With the birth of the
Grand Ole Opry, Nashville would emerge as the Country Music capitol of the
world. Armature artists flocked to Nashville hoping to make it big, and
some did; such as Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn.
Today there are many
sounds associated with Country Music, and the New Age artists of the music
industry owe their beginnings to those great pioneers of Country Music’s
Bygone days.
Country & Western Music
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