Chapter 1 Country Music PDF

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Chapter 1 COUNTRY MUSIC - Country music is basically a North American form of music that is alike to rock and roll, which unites a variety of eras, styles, and sub-genres. The reason for this variety is that the impact on the beginning of country music came from a variety of cultures from different parts of the world. - They had one thing in common, it was the music of the common workingclass people. The music consists of folk music that conveys the stories of their ancestors, dance music and songs of the homeland, music that united people experiencing similar situations and songs with a patriotic flair. - All these genre and styles were mixed in the North American form of music during the 18th and 19th centuries resulting in the creation of country music. 4 Most significant stylistic influences on early country music are: - Folk ballads and fiddle tunes, primarily from Britain and Ireland - American popular songs of the 1800s - Southern religious music The instruments used in the evolving country styles were primarily instruments of the string family and were not electronically amplified.

4 Main instruments, coupled with styles found in early country music: - Fiddle, from Britain (with influences from Ireland and Europe - Guitar, from Spain - Mandolin, from Italy - Banjo, from West Africa

- Singers became entangled with the various forms of country music. The instruments were still the focus of the music. - As country music developed, the possibility of creating records became true. The first country performers came from the working class, inspired by work songs and music about the challenges of the land. They were mostly self-taught. - When singing became a thing in country music, singers emphasized the lyrics so that the listeners may be able to understand the stories of their

music. They would depict subjects that the common man can easily understand and conveys them with outmost sincerity. - Conveying a story through the music became an essential part of country music. OLD TIME MUSIC - The basis of old-time music comes from mostly Celtic influences from the folk music of England, Scotland and Ireland that eventually made its way to North America during the 1700s and 1800s. - This music mainly uses string instruments and often accompanies square dancing, flatfoot dancing, clogging, and dances associated with jigs and reels.

THE FIRST COUNTRY RECORDING - It was the old-time hillbilly song entitled “Sally Goodin’” recorded in 1922 by Alexander “Eck” Robertson. - His musical career lasted for eight decades, considered one of America’s legendary folk fiddle players. - Would often play tunes in second or third position, practice more commonly used in classical music. He had a talent to make the fiddle speak in an almost human voice. Trick attachment from the fiddle to his mouth he would play and talk at the same time, giving the impressions of words coming from the fiddle itself.

JIMMIE RODGERS FATHER OF COUNTRY MUSIC - Born on September 8,1897 Meridian Mississippi - 14 worked on the railroad and learned the blues from his black coworkers. - He performed recreationally during his early years until a tuberculosis diagnosis in 1924 forced him to quit his job. - He decided to focus on his music career, by 1927 Rodgers became popular with a unique style of music (blend of blues, Appalachian ballads, spirituals, and yodeling) - Between 1927 and 1933, He recorded 110 sides for the Victor label and appeared in a short film entitled The Shining Brakeman which became one of his nicknames along with “America’s Blue Yodeler”

- Rodger’s first 13 recordings were called “blue yodels” featured Rodger’s playing guitar and singing in his self-developed style. - Died of tuberculosis on May 26, 1933 only 2 days after his final recording session. - Basis of Jimmie Rodger’s style is largely the blues “call and response” style and is usually in a loose 12 bar form that makes use of the Appalachian yodel in between verses. - One of the first three artists inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1961. - First group of inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, 1970

CAJUN AND ZYDECO - Had significant influence on county music and rock and roll with styles that developed in French Louisiana from the music of Creoles in the late 1800s. - Zydeco derives from les haricots (French for beans). - Early zydeco style featured the fiddle and later the accordion and washboard with the standard guitar, bass guitar, drums, horns, and keyboards utilized for accompaniment. - Paper in my Shoe by Boozoo Chavis first real zydeco song - My Toot Toot by Rockin’ Sidney brought the music into mainstream - Cajun music took influence on the influence of jazz with the early lyrics all sung in Cajun French. - The first Cajun recording Allons a Lafayette (Let’s go to Lafayette) made in 1928 by Joe Falcon and Cleoma Breaux

BLUE GRASS - Bluegrass is a fast mandolin, banjo, and fiddle-based music popularized by Bill Monroe and by Flatt and Scruggs. - Willian (Bill) Smith Monroe (September 13, 1911- September 9,1996) developed the style of music known as Bluegrass. Takes its name from his band, The Bluegrass Boys.

- His career lasted 60 years as a singer, instrumentalist, composer, and band leader. - Primarily played the banjo and mandolin. - Most well-known song is “Blue Moon of Kentucky”, which is Kentucky’s official state bluegrass song famously covered by both Elvis Presley and Patsy Cline. - Many refer to him as the father of bluegrass. - Inducted: Country Music Hall of Fame 1970, International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor 1991, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 1997 - Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, and the Foggy Mountain Boys were an influential Bluegrass band who enjoyed popularity. - Best known for his banjo playing, Scruggs honed his style while working in Bill Monroe’s band. Flatt’s vocals and contributions to song writing gave them a very progressive sound. - The movie Bonnie and Clyde used their instrumental Foggy Mountain Breakdown in the car chase which won them two Grammy awards. - 1955 they became member of the Grand Ole Pry -1963 only #1 charting song with The Ballad of Jed Clampett, later became the theme song for the Beverly Hillbillies television series.

THE CARTER FAMILY - Carter Family band consisted of Alvin Pleasant Carter and his wife Sara Dougherty Carter and his siter-in-law Maybelle Addington Carter. - One of the first influential country music groups and particularly important to bluegrass style. - Generally performed Anglo-American songs in three-part harmony with a distinguishable accompaniment of guitar (Maybelle) and autoharp (Sara) - In the 1960’s, Maybelle toured and recorded with her daughters Anita, June, and Helen as did A.P and Sara with their children Joe and Janette. - Inducted: Country Music Hall of Fame 1970

HONKY-TONK

- Honky-Tonk music has its roots in ragtime and boogie woogie, has had the greatest influence on country music as a whole. - Embraces the spirit of dancing, drinking, loving, and of course losing the one you love. - Term honky-tonk describes 2 things: piano style of music that closely resembles ragtime, although more rhythmically based due to poor tuning of pianos and the name of the bars themselves. - Honky-tonks were usually working-class hangouts for men that sometimeshoused prostitution as well. - It influenced the evolution of boogie-woogie which in turn influenced early rock musicians like Little Richard and Antoine “Fats” Domino. - 1940s Ernest Tubb (Texas Troubadour) took the honky-tonk sound to Nashville and was the first country artist to play electric guitar on the Grand Ole Opry - Rockabilly music of the 1950’s carries the traits of honky-tonk as do many of the mainstream modern country artists. - Fats Domino made honky-tonk the core element of his rock and roll style with Blueberry Hill. WESTERN - Western encompasses traditional Western cowboy campfire ballads and Hollywood cowboy music made famous by Roy Rogers, The Sons of Pioneers, and Gene Autry. - Leonard Franklin Slye aka Roy Rogers was a singer and cowboy actor. He and his third wife, Dale Evans, his golden palomino Trigger and his German shepherd Bullet were featured in one hundred movies as well as on the Roy Rogers TV show. - Roy was elected twice to the Country Music Hall of Fame first as a member of the Sons of the Pioneers in 1980 and then as a soloist in 1995. - His career theme song was Happy Trails sung with Dale Evans. - The Sons of the Pioneers were an American “cowboy singing group” founded in 1933 by Roy Rogers. Remained popular into the 1950s and in 1977 the Smithsonian designated them “national treasures”. Group continues to perform today with various country musicians. - Orvon Gene Auntry was an American performer, gained fame as “The Singing Cowboy” on the radio, in the movies and on television.

- Back in the Saddle Again was his biggest hit and signature song. - Gene Auntry is the only celebrity to have five stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one in each of the five categories: motion pictures, radio, television, live theatre, and recording. - Autry also created the Cowboy Code: 1. Cowboy must never shoot first, hit a smaller man, or take unfair advantage. 2. He must never go back on his word, or a trust confided in him. 3. Must always tell the truth 4. Must be gentle with children, the elderly, and animals. 5. Must not advocate or possess racially or religiously intolerant ideas. 6. Must help people in distress. 7. Must be a good worker. 8. Must keep himself clean in thought, speech, action, and personal habits. 9. Must respect women, parents, and his nation’s laws. 10. Cowboy is a patriot.

WESTERN SWING - Western Swing originated in Texas and Oklahoma and popularized by Bob Wills, an extension of Western Music with a sophisticated dance feel. - Milton Brown formed the Musical Brownies (with Bob Wills) as the first true Western Swings band in 1932. The band made use of jazz improvisation in country music creating a moving back to the instrumental country and contributed over one hundred recordings during their developing years. - After Bob Wills left the group, Brown died tragically in 1936, leaving Wills to finish establishing the Western swing style singlehandedly. - James Robert (Bob) Wills was an American country musician, song writer and big band leader. Using jazz sophistication, pop music and blues influence, plus improvised scats and wisecrack commentary by Wills, his band became the first supergroup of the genre. - Will’s band, The Texas Playboys used horns, reed instruments, banjo upright bass, drums, fiddles, steel guitar and a vocalist.

- Will’s recording of Ida Red served as a model for Chuck Berry’s latest version of the same song, Maybelline. - In 1940, New San Antonio Rose sold a million records and became the signature song of the Texas Playboys.

THE GRAND OLE OPRY - The Grand Ole Opry is the longest running weekly radio show in history and has aired from 1927 without missing a single week. - The Opry hosts the greatest country music artists and its guests view it as an honor and confirmation of their merit in the industry. - The WSM radio station went live in October of 1925 from the fifth floor of the National Life building in Nashville with Jack Keefe as the announcer. In November George Hay, known as the “Solemn Old Judge,” began to present his hillbilly program on the station - The Opry needed a bigger venue and was moved to several different Nashville venues, including The Belcourt Theatre (known then as the Hillsboro Theatre), the Dixie Tabernacle and the War Memorial Auditorium before settling into the Ryman Auditorium (formally the Union Tabernacle) in 1943.

ROY ACUFF THE KING OF COUNTRY MUSIC - Born in Tennessee on Sept. 15, 1903, took an instant attraction to music, initially learning to play the harmonica. He also emerged as an athlete in baseball. He was likely to join the New York Yankees but he suffered from a sunstroke and a nervous breakdown. - During his recovery, he learned to play the fiddle and turned increasingly towards country music. He became well-known for his fiddle playing. - He made his debut at the Grand Ole Opry singing The Great Speckled Bird which was the first time a vocalist appeared there. The theme of the song’s lyrics comes from the Bible passage Jeremiah 12:9. - In 1942, Acuff and Fred Rose (one of the first artists inducted in the Country Music HOF) founded the Acuff-Rose publication company. This was the first major country music publishing house in the United States.

- Roy Acuff was at the peak of his popularity in the 1940s even running for governor of Tennessee in 1944 and 1948. - During this decade he became recognized as the biggest star of Opry history. He is credited with forming the bridge between country rural string bands and modern era star singers backed by fully amplified bands. - He was the first living artist to become inducted into the Country Music HOF in 1962, and his plaque describes him as the King of Country Music. He died on November 23,1992

HANK WILLIAMS MOST INFLUENTIAL COUNTRY ARTIST OF ALL TIME - Hiram Hank Williams known as a great American country singer, guitarist, and songwriter. Born in Georgiana, Alabama on September 17, 1923 - His career began in southern Alabama learning guitar from his aunt and local musicians, writing songs and working his way into the mainstream through such radio shows as the Louisiana Hayride and The Grand Ole Opry. - He made his career in country music performing and recording with his band The Drifting Cowboys from 1939 until his death in 1953. Roy Acuff and southern gospel music influenced Williams, and he drew heavily on black music to develop his style. - Fred Rose signed him in 1946 to Acuff-Rose Publications, became his manager and he helped him record and edit songs. - Hank Williams ushered country music into the modern era and his music had an immediate influence on folk and rock music. Williams had a decisive sincerity to his music, which mirrored his genuine life struggles in marriage, personal tragedy, and depression. - Unfortunately, Hank Williams’ battle with alcoholism eventually ruined his career. He was fired from numerous shows including The Grand Ole Opry for his heavy drinking. - Hank Williams died on January 1, 1953 in the back of the Cadillac that was taking him overnight to his next show. He was only 29 years old. - Williams was one of the first three artists inducted into the country music hall of fame in 1961. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, and his debut Opry performance made him the first artist to receive six encores on the show.

NASHVILLE SOUND (1950S AND BEYOND) - Nashville sound overtook honky-tonk in the late 1950s and early 1960’s as the most popular form of country music. - Record companies RCA Victor and Columbia, and manager/producers such as Steve Sholes and Chet Atkins (among others), formulated a produced “pop” version of country music. - With crooning lead vocals, string instruments and a 1950s pop sound, artists like Jim Reeves, Floyd Cramer and Patsy Cline climbed to the top of the charts and attracted a whole new generation of fans and country artists. - Artists like Tammy Wynette (the “first lady of country music”), Charlie Rich, Eddy Arnold, Conway Twitty, and Charlie Pride fell into the Nashville sound, as did Elvis Presley with his song “Suspicious Minds.” - Patsy Cline popularized the now famous “Crazy” written by Willie Nelson.

OUTLAW COUNTRY - Became famous in the 1970s through the music of Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Billy Joe Shaver, David Allan Coe, Jerry Jeff Walker, Mickey Newbury, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash and Hank Williams, Jr. - The movement’s objective was for its members to become self-declared “outlaws” as a reaction against the Nashville sound, developed by record producers like Chet Atkins. - Outlaw Country also aimed to restore the raw foundation and life back into country music. The songs were about drinking, drugs, hardworking men, and honky-tonk heroes. The music had more of a rock and roll lineup and sound, and there were no strings in the background....