COUNTRY

“THAT HIGH LONESOME SOUND”

During the 19th century, American settlers with ancestry rooted in Western Europe (specifically the British Isles) had begun to move westward from former colonial cities and build communities in the remote regions of the Appalachian mountains. These immigrants and generational Americans brought with them culture passed down from their European ancestors including their music traditions. At first, the music of this region was comprised of variations of European folk songs (such as the popular English tune “Barbara Allen”) and most were in ballad form. BALLADS are a type of strophic song (meaning one short melody repeated throughout) that usually includes only verses with no chorus and tells a long story based on historical events, myths, or fantasies. As new American ballads were composed and spread throughout Appalachia, the music began to develop an original quality with new techniques, instruments, and the addition of melodic, harmonic, form, and rhythmic elements from other music sources such as that of Blues, Gospel, and other Black American music traditions.¹

Appalachian music is characterized by a simple melody (often using a limited 5-note major or minor PENTATONIC scale rather than the 7-note scales most American melodies are comprised of) and simple accompaniment by one or more instrument. Accompaniment instruments included acoustic guitar, fiddle (violin played in a folk style), and the MOUNTAIN DULCIMER, an instrument unique to the United States The emphasis of these songs were the lyrics and story they told and a “beautiful” singing voice is not required. Instead, a haunting, heartfelt quality of the voice is prized over beauty and singers of this tradition often use a high, thin voice as opposed to a deeper, fuller sound characteristic of other American music traditions. Because of the remote region’s disconnect with other parts of the country, the distinct sound was also referred to as HILLBILLY MUSIC, OLD TIME, or MOUNTAIN MUSIC.

In the 1930’s, a young Kentucky musician by the name of BILL MONROE left the region and began touring with his new, more aggressive style of sound built off the original characteristics of Appalachian Music. Bill played the MANDOLIN (a guitar-like instrument with 4 sets of double strings and a high, twangy tone) and sang with a characteristically clear, high voice dubbed the “high, lonesome sound”. The new music style came to be known as Bluegrass - named after Bill’s group, Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys. BLUEGRASS is characterized by a driving fast pace, high energy, and trading off of instruments, usually the guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, and possibly dobro and upright acoustic bass.² Today, Bluegrass music enjoys a healthy following of fans around the world and much of the music remains in the original format and style, still centered in the traditional region of eastern Appalachia.

1920’s: THE BIRTH IN BRISTOL

Meanwhile, a confluence of Appalachian Hillbilly music, Southern Gospel, Negro Spirituals, and Minstrelsy songs converged on Tennessee by the 1910’s. This new blend of traditions first appeared in fiddle tunes and eventually included songs with voice and other instruments. By the 1920’s, Victor Records had set up a recording studio in Bristol, Tennessee to begin recording local talent. The venture had especial profit potential as big cities like Atlanta, Georgia were attracting a new urban working class off the rural farms and these transplants longed for recordings of their country home.³ Among the recorded acts was THE CARTER FAMILY (A.P., Sarah, and Maybelle - mother of June Carter) who would go on to record 250 of Country’s first recordings over the next decade and a half. In addition, Bristol also recorded the “Father of Country Music,” Jimmie Rodgers. Mississippi born JIMMIE RODGERS worked on the railroad until the age of 27 when a bout of tuberculosis inspired him to devote his full time to music. Due to poor health, Rodger’s career lasted less than a decade, but in this time he managed to record 110 popular songs and tour nationally before his untimely death at the age of 35. Jimmie’s captivating personality, singing style (which often incorporated the yodel technique), and upbeat songs attracted listeners to Country music and set a precedence of the importance of lyrics and storytelling for decades of Country music to come.⁴

1930’s: THE GRAND OLE OPRY

In 1939, the National Broadcast Company (NBC) Radio picked up station WSM’s weekly Country variety show out of Nashville, launching it to national fame. THE GRAND OLE OPRY is a 96-year-old radio production featuring giants and newcomers of the Country music industry. The program drew Country musicians from all over, quickly making Nashville the national hub for all things Country music. The first performer on the show was a 77-year-old fiddle player named Uncle Jimmy Thompson who played in 1925 for then WSM Barn Dance.

Today, the show can be enjoyed in person, via the radio, or live television broadcast. In October 2021, the Opry celebrated its 5,000th broadcast.

1940’s: THE RISE OF THE COWBOY

While Country music is often associated with the South, subgenres of Country were emerging in western states, especially Texas. The genre WESTERN SWING paralleled the era of Big Band Swing and included a swing feel, drum set, steel guitar, and sometimes saxophones. This genre was pioneered by the likes of the “Father of Western Swing” Milton Brown and the “King of Western Swing” Bob Wills.⁵

With the advent of television and the American enthusiasm for Cowboy and Western films, it only made sense that cowboy songs would also rise in popularity during this time. Both GENE AUTRY and ROY ROGERS began their careers as Country & Western singers but also eventually starred in several Western movies where they sang and performed as well as acted.

1950’s: THE AGE OF ROCKABILLY

When Rock’n’Roll came into popularity in the 1950’s it also influenced the Country music scene. Country musicians picked up on the Rock energy of early artists like Elvis Presley and emulated it in their own musical offerings. A hybrid style of Rock and Country was born known as ROCKABILLY which typically featured the swing feel and unbridled energy of Rock’n’Roll and the lyrical and vocal quality of Country with Country music’s harmonic language. Many of Elvis Presley’s songs could be considered Rockabilly including “That’s Alright Mama,” “Blue Suede Shoes,” and “Heartbreak Hotel”.

Meanwhile, much of JOHNNY CASH’s catalog was devoted to the Rockabilly sound. Known as the “Man in Black,” Johnny Cash pioneered much of the Country music scene at this time by incorporating more Blues and Rock elements into the genre. A pivotal year for the artist was 1968 when he recorded a live album for an audience of prisoners at Folsom Prison in California (titled the Folsom Prison Blues album). Throughout his life, Johnny Cash struggled with drugs and relationships (though his marriage to his second wife, June Carter Cash - a Country singer and songwriter in her own right - was a strong relationship for the remainder of his life) and he was considered the first “bad boy” of Country, an otherwise squeaky-clean genre. 42 of his songs made it onto the Billboard Hot 100 list.

1960’s: QUEENS OF COUNTRY MUSIC

The 1960’s saw a surge of female solo acts for the first time as most female Country artists prior to this decade were parts of co-ed or all-female ensembles. PATSY CLINE lead way at the beginning of the 60’s with LORETTA LYNN, TAMMY WYNETTE, and DOLLY PARTON entering the scene by the end of the decade. These women opened the door for later generations of female Country artists including REBA McENTIRE, CARRIE UNDERWOOD, MIRANDA LAMBERT, SHANIA TWAIN, THE CHICKS (formerly the Dixie Chicks), and more recent crossover artists like TAYLOR SWIFT.

However, the undeniable “Queen of Country Music” is Dolly Parton. Parton began her career in a duo with Porter Wagoner before launching her solo act. She is known for her incredible voice and songwriting abilities - many of her songs draw inspiration from her poor upbringing in rural Tennessee - in addition to her fun and cheery attitude and philanthropic work. Parton has also starred in numerous films during her career and founded a theme park. One of her best-loved songs, “I Will Always Love You,” was famously covered by R&B/Pop star Whitney Houston in the 1990’s.

Women of Country Music (organization and website)

1970’s: THE ERA OF OUTLAWS

By the 1970’s, record companies had amassed heavy control over the Country music scene and much of Nashville’s production was becoming commercial and formulaic. Looking for a break from the record companies, artists WILLIE NELSON and WEYLON JENNINGS started the “Outlaw Movement” in Country - which was essentially an intentional move to go independent. Nelson set up headquarters in Austin, Texas (which is still a Country music hub to this day) and began producing his new style of OUTLAW COUNTRY music which had a less produced/manufactured sound and incorporated more traditional elements of American folk music.

1980’s: CMT

MTV launched in 1981 and Country music followed suit with CMT (Country Music Television) in 1983. The first broadcast on March 5, 1983 began with a 12-year-old song (Faron Young’s “It’s Four in the Morning”) performed live for an audience. Eventually, Country music would follow the popular music scene of made-for-TV music videos, increasing the celebrité and iconography of the Country music scene.

1990’s: HONKY TONK

The 1990’s began a trend of Country crossover still continuing to this day. Artists began to work with more elements of other genres, especially Pop and Rock to bring a broader audience appeal to the more traditional Country sound. This time period ushered in Country superstars with name recognition outside the genre including SHANIA TWAIN, GARTH BROOKS, FAITH HILL, TIM McGRAW, and the “King of Country” GEORGE STRAIT.

For several years during the 1990’s, Country music gained popular footing in American culture through the spread of honky tonk. HONKY TONK is a type of piano-driven rhythmic music somewhat between Country Western and Ragtime, but also a saloon-type bar serving as a Country music venue. Honky Tonks were also popular gathering places to LINE DANCE, a social dance where individuals perform a series of repeated steps usually in parallel rows with other dancers. Line dancing, honky tonks, Country music, and even Country music fashion stayed popular in American culture for several years during the 1990’s in somewhat of a Country music revival.

2000’s: GENRES BLUR

The 2000’s continued the trend of the 90’s and saw more experimentation and expression outside the traditional constructs of the Country music scene. Newcomers to Country music took permission from the 90’s trends to stretch Country further into the areas of Pop and Rock and even Rap and Hip-Hop. In the mid-2000’s TAYLOR SWIFT launched her career while still in her teens. The young singer-songwriter has been famously controversial throughout her career as critics question whether her Country Pop sound was Country enough to be considered Country. Meanwhile, others like KID ROCK were irreverently mashing up two polarizing genres: Country and Rap with some success.

THE 2010’s AND THE PRESENT: THE BROS ARE BACK IN TOWN

In perhaps a direct reaction to the fracturing trends of the 2000’s, the last decade has seen a huge surge in a subgenre that has been come to be known as BRO COUNTRY. Bro Country is music driven by the male Country music consumer’s experience with an emphasis on content relating to trucks, girls, and having a good time and a relaxed, carefree sound to the music. Bro Country artists include FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE, SAM HUNT, LUKE BRYAN, BLAKE SHELTON, and JASON ALDEAN amongst others. The current longest running no. 1 hit on the Billboard Country chart is Sam Hunt’s “Body Like a Back Road” which fits into the Bro Country subgenre.

COUNTRY MUSIC AND RACE

In the century of Country Music’s history, it has had a complex relationship with race.

The Hispanic American music genre, TEJANO (or Tex-Mex) evolved in parallel to Country music in the Southwestern region of the United States and Northern parts of Mexico. Tejano music is similar to other Mexican genres such as Norteño and Ranchera in that they are a blend of various music traditions from the indigenous Mexican populations as well as colonist groups that settled the area from European countries such as Germany, England, and the Czech Republic. The music generally has a distinctive danceable beat based on the European dance patterns of Polka (a 2-beat pattern) or Waltz (a 3-beat pattern). The lyrical content of Tejano tends to mirror Country music in that songs are mostly about love, heartache, rural culture, and other day-in-the-life topics. The most successful artist of this genre is the “Queen of Tejano Music” herself, SELENA QUINTANILLA-PÉREZ (stage name Selena) who gained popularity in both the Latin and mainstream American culture in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s with her vibrant, fun, and captivating music, style, and voice. In 1995, Selena was murdered at the peak of her career by her fan club president when she confronted the woman over money embezzlement. Since this time, Tejano music has continued to be popular with Hispanic Americans but not had as widespread general commercial success with other demographics.⁶

While Tejano wouldn’t every be classified as Country Music (it would fall under Latin and we are not studying Latin Music in this course for time’s sake), it fills the Country Music niche in the American Latin Music category. It may come as no surprise, therefore, that the history of Country Music also includes several Latin American artists who share their musical talents with English speaking audiences.

While Hip-Hop artist LIL NAS X made waves in late 2018 with the release of his collaboration with Country legend Billy Ray Cyrus, “Old Town Road”, there are other Black artists who’s entire catalog fits squarely into the Country Music genre. This small minority of Black Country musicians may or may not incorporate other Black-driven music genres into their Country offerings (such as Lil Nas X and Cowboy Troy rapping some lyrics) but, more often than not, follow the popular trends of mainstream country. American Country/Folk musician RHIANNON GIDDENS works to reclaim the banjo and early American folk styles into the realm of modern Black expression.

MUSIC ELEMENTS OF COUNTRY

An enormous generalization …

ACOUSTICNESS

Country tends to trend more acoustic than electric than other American music genres because of the preference for acoustic instruments such as acoustic guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, and dobro. However, the inclusion of the electric guitar and steel guitar have been prevalent inclusions in Country music since the mid-20th century and more recent crossover trends incorporate electronic beats and other elements of Pop and Hip-Hop into the traditional Country sound.

DANCEABILITY

Country music is generally highly danceable with faster songs that can be line or square-danced to and slower songs that can be danced to as a slow pair. Country music performance has often been connected with social gatherings so dancing has always been a common activity when Country music is performed.

ENERGY

Country music has, on average, a medium high energy to it. Most of the music is relaxed and stable, even when uptempo, which does not peak the energy levels in the same way EDM or more frenetic Rock music would. In addition, many Country ballads are meant to be slow and sad and on the lower energy end of the spectrum.

INSTRUMENTALNESS

Country music has quite a lot of instruments as far as American music genres go including the acoustic or electric guitar, steel guitar, dobro, fiddle, mandolin, banjo, harmonica, electric or upright acoustic bass, and drum set. Country does have a history of instrumental songs although most include one or more vocalists. When vocalists are included, they are the main focus but instruments will still often play intros, transitions, and solos around the voice, skewing this genres slightly more instrumental than vocal.

LIVENESS

Depending on the era, the live quality of Country music goes in and out of style. As Nashville developed in influence and resources, many Country acts of the 1960’s began to be more produced until the Outlaw period of the 1970’s sought to return to a more natural, live sound. Today, most Country songs are performed by live musicians, but heavily mixed and filtered in studios in order to produce a polished record.

SPEECHINESS

Most Country songs are sung though the occasional “talk down” (where the singer may speak, rather than sing, to the audience or the subject of the song) is more common in this genre than many other American popular forms. In addition, with the prevalence of Country Rap, spoken word will continue to find its way into more Country songs.

TEMPO

The tempo of Country songs usually stick to a range that is comfortable for amateur dancers to move. The faster songs tend to range from 92-120 bpm while the slower songs may be from approx. 60-76 bpm but with a triplet subdivision.

VALANCE

Valence varies wildly from song to song though Country is most well-known for its sad songs (where the singer laments about all the things they’ve lost or have left them) so while each song would need to be evaluated on an individual basis, overall, Country is known for being a low-valance genre.

REFERENCES

1. “Appalachian Music.” Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200152683/
2. “A Brief History of Bluegrass Music.” (2021) Bluegrass Heritage Foundation. https://bluegrassheritage.org/history-of-bluegrass-music/
3. “Country Music Timeline.” Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/collections/dolly-parton-and-the-roots-of-country-music/articles-and-essays/country-music-timeline/
4. “Jimmie Rodgers Bio.” Country Music Hall of Fame. https://countrymusichalloffame.org/artist/jimmie-rodgers/
5. Egge, Sara. (2017) “The Origins of Country Music.” Norton Center for the Arts. https://nortoncenter.com/2017/03/19/the-origins-of-country-music/
6. “Selena Quintanilla Biography.” (2014) Biography. https://www.biography.com/musician/selena