CUSMLT301A

Apply Knowledge of Genre to Music Making

Class 2 14/2/2013

Blair Hughes

MUSIC GENRES2013MSIT

WEEK 2 : COUNTRY

A music genre i s a ca tegor ica l and typological cons t ruct tha t ident i f ies musical sounds as belonging to a par t icular ca tegory and type of music tha t can be d is t inguished f rom other types of music .

There are a number of cr i ter ia of ten used to c lass i fy musical genres inc luding:

The Ar t /Popular /Tradi t ional d is t inc t ion ( I .e Class ica l /genera l publ ic /Folk)

Time per iod ( I .e . 60’s rock)

Regional and nat ional d is t inc t ions ( I .e . Aust ra l ian music can be ‘Aust ra l ian Pub Rock’)

Technique and ins t rumenta t ion ( I .e Rock Music= Gui tars / Dance Music= synthes izers and/or drum machine)

Fusional or ig ins ( I .e Blues Rock or Swamp Hip Hop)

Socio logical funct ion ( I .e Wedding music or Chr is tmas music)

MUSIC GENRES

Rhythm of the train…chugg-a-lug soundTwangHardships, harsh times, blues, heartbreaking, emotionalSense of HomeBeer and whiskyCowboys and Cowgirls Texas, Tennessee, Memphis, Mid-West America. By and for adults, not teenagersOrigins in white working class of 1940’s-50’sBroken hearts, redemption, destroyed lives, melodrama

COUNTRY MUSIC IS……

Im m ig ran t s t o Nor th Am er i ca b rough t t he m us i c and i n s t r um en t s o f t he O ld Wor ld a long wi th t hem .

Most impor t an t posse ss ion was an i n s t r um en t and t he i r f o lk t a l e s , f o lk songs and m us i ca l t r ad i t i ons .

E ar ly Sco t t i sh se t t l e r s en joyed the f i dd l e because i t cou ld be p l ayed t o sound sad and m ourn fu l o r b r i gh t and bouncy

Othe r ea r l y i n s t rum en t s t ha t con t r ibu t ed t o t he coun t ry sound wer e t he f i dd l e , t he I t a l i an m ando l in , t he Span i sh gu i t a r, and t he Wes t Af r i can ban jo

T hi s ea r l y coun t ry m us i c i s o f t en r e f e r r ed t o a s “o ld - t im e” m us i c .

T he ru sh to t he eve r- expand ing wes t e rn f ron t i e r s aw m us i c becom e in t eg r a l t o Am er i can l i f e i n t he 19 th cen tu ry. A l l a spec t s o f l i f e we re ce l eb r a t ed i n song .

T he i nven t ions o f t he r ad io , t e l ev i s i on , and o the r e l ec t ron i c m ed ia shape t he p rog re ss o f coun t ry m us i c i n t he 20 th cen tu r y.

Rea l ly began t o ga in w ide r exposu re i n t he ru r a l Sou the rn Un i t ed S t a t e s i n t he 1920s w i th t he Ca r t e r Fam i ly. Beg inn ing i n 1927 , and fo r t he nex t 17 yea r s , t he Ca r t e r s r eco rded som e 300 o ld -t ime ba l l ad s , t r ad i t i ona l t unes , coun t ry songs and gospe l hym ns , a l l r ep r e sen t a t i ve o f Amer i ca ' s sou th - ea s t e rn f o lk lo r e and he r i t age .

WEEK 2: COUNTRY MUSIC

Often, when many people think or hear country music , they think of i t as a creat ion of European-Americans. However, a great deal of s tyle—and of course, the banjo, a major instrument in most ear ly American folk songs—came from African Americans.

One of the reasons country music was created by Afr ican-Americans, as wel l as European-Americans, is because blacks and whites in rural communit ies in the south of ten worked and played music together on the ra i l roads.

The f i rs t commercial recordings of what was considered country music were "Arkansas Travel ler" and "Turkey in the Straw" by f iddlers Henry Gil l i land & A.C. (Eck) Robertson on June 30, 1925 for Victor Records.

Columbia Records began issuing records with "hi l lbi l ly" music (ser ies 15000D "Old Famil iar Tunes") as ear ly as 1924.  

In Apri l 1924, "Aunt" Samantha Bumgarner and Eva Davis became the f i rs t female musicians to record and release country songs.

 

EARLY COUNTRY MUSIC RECORDINGS

One effect of the Great Depression was to reduce the number of records that could be sold.

Radio, and broadcasting, became a popular source of entertainment, and "barn dance" shows featuring country music were started all over the South, as far north as Chicago, and as far west as California.

The most important was the The Grand Ole Opry radio show which aired starting in 1925 by WSM-AM in Nashville to the present day.

WSM's 50,000 watt signal (1934) could often be heard across the country and helped to popularise country music.

COUNTRY MUSIC AND THE GREAT DEPRESSION OF 1929

During the 1930s and 1940s, cowboy songs, or Western music, which had been recorded since the 1920s, were popularized by films made in Hollywood. Some of the popular singing cowboys from the era were Gene Autry, the Sons of the Pioneers and Roy Rogers.

 Patsy Cline was best known for her rich tone, emotionally

expressive and bold contralto voice. She died in a place crash aged 30.

She helped pave the way for headlining women in country music. Prior to the early 1960's, so-called "girl singers" were seen by the male-dominated realm of country music as mere "window dressing", only necessary to attract male listeners to their shows.

SINGING COWBOYS AND DANCING COWGIRLS

By the end of World War II, "mountaineer" string band music known as bluegrass had emerged when Bill Monroe played at the Grand Ole Opry.

In the post-war period, country music was called "folk" in the trades, and "hillbilly" within the industry. In 1944, The Billboard replaced the term "hillbilly" with "folk songs and blues," and switched to "country" or "country and Western" in 1949.

Good examples include: Alison Krauss, Bob Monroe, Nitty Gritty Dirt Grass Band, OCMS, The Stanley Brothers.

BLUEGRASS

THE RYMAN THEATRE NASHVILLEBIRTHPLACE OF BLUEGRASS

Another type of stripped down and raw music with a variety of moods and a basic ensemble of guitar, bass, dobro or steel guitar (and later) drums became popular, especially among poor white southerners.

Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys personified this music which has been described as:

"a little bit of this, and a little bit of that, a little bit of black and a little bit of white...just loud enough to keep you from thinking too

much and to go right on ordering the whiskey.”

HONKY TONK

Rockabilly was most popular with country fans in the 1950s, and 1956 could be called the year of rockabilly in country music.

Rockabilly was a mixture of rock-and-roll and hillbilly music. During this period Elvis Presley converted over to country music. He played a huge role in the music industry during this time.

Good examples include: Elvis and Johnny Cash

ROCKABILLY

Beg inn ing i n t he mid 1950s , and reach ing i t s peak du r ing t he ea r l y 1970s , t he Nashv i l l e sound t u rned coun t ry mus i c i n to a mu l t imi l l i on -do l l a r i ndus t ry cen t e red i n Nashv i l l e , Tennessee .

Under t he d i rec t i on o f p roduce rs such a s Che t Atk in s , Owen Brad l ey, and l a t e r B i l l y She r r i l l , t h e sound b rough t coun t ry mus i c t o a d ive r se aud ience and he lped rev ive coun t ry a s i t emerged f rom a commerc i a l l y f a l l ow pe r iod .  

Thi s subgen re was no t ab l e fo r bo r rowing f rom 1950s pop s ty l i ng ' s : a p rominen t and " smoo th" voca l , backed by a s t r i ng sec t i on and voca l cho rus .

  Nashv i l l e ' s pop song s t ruc tu re became more p ronounced and i t morphed in to wha t was ca l l ed

coun t rypo l i t an .

Coun t rypo l i t an was a imed s t ra igh t a t ma ins t ream marke t s and i t so ld we l l t h roughou t t he l a t e r 1960s i n to t he l a t e 1970s .

I t s t a r t ed wi th s inge rs l i ke Glen Campbe l l , Bobb ie Gen t ry, John Denve r, Ol iv i a Newton -John , Anne Murray, Mar i e Osmond , B . J . Thomas , The Be l l amy Bro the rs , and L inda Rons t ad t hav ing h i t s on t he coun t ry cha r t s .

 

THE NASHVILLE SOUND AND COUNTRYPOLITAN

Country pop or soft pop, with roots in both the countrypolitan sound and in soft rock, is a subgenre that first emerged in the 1970s.

Although the term first referred to country music songs and artists that crossed over to top 40 radio, country pop acts are now more likely to cross over to adult contemporary music.

  During the mid-1970s, Dolly Parton, a highly successful mainstream

country artist since the late '60s, mounted a high profile campaign to crossover to pop music, culminating in her 1977 hit "Here You Come Again”.

COUNTRY POP

In the aftermath of the British Invasion of 60’s, many desired a return to the "old values" of country and rock and roll. What resulted was a crossbred genre known as country rock.

Early innovators in this new style of music in the 60s and 70s included Bob Dylan who was the first to revert to country music with his 1967 album John Wesley Harding followed by rock n' roll icon band The Byrds, the Grateful Dead, Neil Young, Commander Cody, The Allman Brothers, The Marshall Tucker Band, Poco, Buffalo Springfield, and The Eagles among many. The Rolling Stones also got into the act with songs like "Honky Tonk Women" and "Dead Flowers”.

Gram Parsons EmmyLou Harris

COUNTRY ROCK

Derived from the traditional and honky tonk sounds of the late 1950s and 1960s and mixed with the anger of an alienated subculture of the nation during the period, outlaw country revolutionized the genre of country music.

The term outlaw country is traditionally associated with Hank Williams, Jr, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, David Allan Coe, Whitey Morgan & The 78's, John Prine, Billy Joe Shaver, Gary Stewart, Townes Van Zandt and with a few female vocalists such as Jessi Colter and Sammi Smith.

OUTLAW COUNTRY

"Swamp" is a fusion genre of country which originated in the southern US.

It is the result of the integration of rockabilly and country artists with the soul explosion of the mid-60s, aided by a heavy infusion of the gritty sub-genre known as "swamp blues," and also with a heavily rhythmic backbone that, at its loosest, could almost be described as funk. It 's a style whose primary yardstick is earthiness.

Best example is Creedence Clearwater Revival

COUNTRY SWAMP

Alternative country (sometimes alt-country, insurgent country, or Americana is a loosely defined sub-genre of country music, which includes acts that differ significantly in style from mainstream or pop country music.

It has been used to describe country music bands and artists that have incorporated influences ranging from roots rock, bluegrass, rockabilly, honky-tonk, alternative rock, folk rock, and sometimes punk.

Good examples in 2012 are Gillian Welch and Band of Horses

ALTERNATIVE OR ALT-COUNTRY

In the 1990s, country music became a worldwide phenomenon thanks to Bil ly Ray Cyrus and Garth Brooks.

Female art is t such as Reba McEntire, Faith Hil l , LeAnn Rimes and Shania Twain all released plat inum sell ing albums in the 90s.

The Dixie Chicks became one of the most popular country bands in the 90s and early 00s. Their 1998 debut album Wide Open Spaces went on to become cert ified 12x platinum while their 1999 album Fly went on to become 10x plat inum.

In the early-mid 1990s, country western music was influenced by the populari ty of l ine dancing.

  Rise of Sugarland, Lady Antebellum and Taylor Swift  

COUNTRY MUSIC IN THE 1990’S-2000’S

I n f lu e n ce d b y Am e r i c an co u n t r y m u s i c i t h a s d ev e lo p e d a d i s t i n c t s t y l e , sh a p ed b y Br i t i sh a n d I r i sh f o lk b a l l ad s a n d Au s t r a l i a n b u sh b a l l ad ee r s l i k e He n ry L awso n an d Ban jo Pa t e r so n .

  Fo lk so n g s su n g in Au s t r a l i a b e twe en th e 1 7 8 0 s a n d 1 9 2 0 s b a se d a r o u n d su c h t h e m es a s t h e

s t r u g g l e a g a in s t g o v e r n m e n t t y r an n y, o r t h e l i v e s o f b u sh r a n g e r s , swag m e n , d r o v e r s , s t o ck m en an d sh e a r e r s

Po p u la r so n g s f r o m th i s t r ad i t i o n i n c lu d e T h e Wi ld Co lo n i a l Bo y, C l i c k Go T h e Sh e a r s , T h e Qu ee n s l a n d Dr o v e r an d T h e Dy in g S to ck m a n . L a t e r t h em es wh ich en d u r e t o t h e p r e sen t i n c lu d e t h e ex p e r i e n c e s o f wa r, o f d r o u g h t s an d f l o o d in g r a in s , o f Ab o r ig in a l i t y an d o f t h e r a i lway s a n d t r u c k in g r o u t e s wh ic h l i n k Au s t r a l i a ' s v a s t d i s t an ce s .

Sl im Du s ty Ka sey Ch a m b e r s , Sa r a S to r e r, T h e M c Cly m o t s , G in a Je f f e r i e s , T h e Wa i f s , JBT Ke i th Ur b a n , Tr o y Casse r Da ly, Jo h n Wi l l i a m so n , Ar c h i e Ro a ch , J im m y L i t t l e , Ad a m Ha r v ey

Co u n t r y m u s i c h a s a l so b ee n a p a r t i c u l a r ly p o p u la r f o r m o f m u s i c a l e x p r e s s io n am o n g I n d ig e n o u s Au s t r a l i a n s . Tr o y Cassa r- Da le y i s am o n g Au s t r a l i a ' s su cc e s s f u l co n t em p o r a r y i n d ig e n o u s p e r f o r m er s Ab o r ig in a l a r t i s t s a n d Ke v Ca r m o d y an d Ar ch i e Ro a ch e m p lo y a co m b in a t io n o f f o lk -r o ck a n d c o u n t r y m u s i c t o s i n g a b o u t Ab o r ig in a l r i g h t s i s su e s .

 

COUNTRY MUSIC IN AUSTRALIA

Country music often consists of ballads and dance tunes with generally simple forms and harmonies accompanied by mostly string instruments such as banjoes, electric and acoustic guitars, fiddles such as violins, and harmonicas

INSTRUMENTS USED IN COUNTRY MUSIC

J o h n n y C a s h T h e C a r t e r F a m i l y B u d d y H o l l y J o h n D e n v e r H a n k Wi l l i a m s Wi l l y N e l s o n T h e E a g l e s L o r e t t a Ly n n K e n n y L o g g i n s D o l l y P a r t o n G a r t h B r o o k s K e i t h U r b a n D i x i e C h i c k s S e a s i c k S t e v e E m m y l o u H a r r i s R a y C h a r l e s Wa y l a n d J e n n i n g s E l v i s P r e s l e y C r e e d a n c e C l e a r w a t e r R e v i v a l P a s t y C l i n e G e o r g e J o n e s M a r t y R o b b i n s B a n d o f H o r s e s O l d C r o w M e d i c i n e S h o w G i l l i a n We l c h a n d D a v e R a w l i n g s

COUNTRY MUSICIANS

Top 100 Country Tracks: http://countrymusic.about.com/od/charts/a/top100clovesong.htm

Top 500 Country Songs of All Time: http://countrymusic.about.com/library/top500/bltop500.htm

CMT Country Music Top 100: http://www.harpinanawhinin.com/CMTs_100_top_country_music_songs.htm

Country’s Top 100: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/special/section/countrys-top-100/

COUNTRY TRACKS

Country Music Channel: www.cmt.com/ Country Music Association of Australia: www.country.com.au/ Country Music Bulletin: www.countrymusicbulletin.com.au/ History of Australian Country Music www.historyofcountrymusic.com.au/ History of Country Music: www.roughstock.com/history/ Country Music History: www.countrymusicplanet.com/history/ Country Music Startpage: www. countrys tartpage.com/ - United States International Country Music Conference: www.internationalcountrymusic

.org/ Tamworth Country Music Festival: www.tamworthcountrymusic.com.au/ Brisbane Country Radio: http://www.989fm.com.au/ Australian Country Music: http://www.countrymusic.com.au/ Urban Country Music Festival: http://www.urbancountry.com.au/ Gympie Music Muster Festival: http://www.muster.com.au/

COUNTRY LINKS

Andrew MorrisThe Gin Club Texas TeaKev CarmodySteve GradySue RayThe Good ShipRattlehandHalfway

COUNTRY MUSIC IN BRISBANE

Bring two songs to class on the following genre

Soul Music

1. Present one YouTube clip to play in class and talk about for 30 seconds.

2. Post one to the Class Forum

3. Include in both of these, your brief comments on some of following aspects.

The style and look of the artist/genre Musical instruments used Cultural significance Geographical location Other artists in this genre What influences does this genre pull from?

HOMEWORK

BBC coun t ry mus ic documen ta ry : h t tp : / /www.you tube .com/wa tch?v=m9n4YKNEZho Car te r Fami ly : h t tp : / /www.you tube .com/wa tch?v=ZbmQQ4RfzVE Arkansas Trave l l e r : h t tp : / /www.you tube .com/wa tch?v=z i0ws tPuncc Grand Ole Opry : h t tp : / /www.you tube .com/wa tch?v=kKNqSfULbXI Pa tsy C l ine : h t tp : / /www.you tube .com/wa tch?v=K-wJNpWgss8 OCMS: h t tp : / /www.you tube .com/wa tch?v=LA-Wfa87 jg4 Bob Wi l l s and His Texas P layboys : h t tp : / /www.you tube .com/wa tch?v=KvX8Mi jgeW8 Elv i s : h t tp : / /www.you tube .com/wa tch?v=MMmljYkdr-w&fea tu re=re la t ed Johnny Cash : h t tp : / /www.you tube .com/wa tch?v=gRl j5v jp3Ko John Denve r : h t tp : / /www.you tube .com/wa tch?v=kz ldLJco rbo Dol ly Pa r ton : h t tp : / /www.you tube .com/wa tch?v=1p lvBR02wDs Eag le s : h t tp : / /www.you tube .com/wa tch?v=XByaqHhBFqE Emmylou Har r i s : h t tp : / /www.you tube .com/wa tch?v=RG1qTFZSiAM Wil l i e Ne l son : h t tp : / /www.you tube .com/wa tch?v=R7f189Z0v0Y&ob=av2n CCR: h t tp : / /www.you tube .com/wa tch?v=pAVhKjs ImeI Gi l l i an Welch : h t tp : / /www.you tube .com/wa tch?v=TNUB56jwu-k Band o f Horse s : h t tp : / /www.you tube .com/wa tch?v=YH8QICzCO8g Bi l ly Ray Cyrus : h t tp : / /www.you tube .com/wa tch?v=byQIPdHMpjc Sl im Dus ty : h t tp : / /www.you tube .com/wa tch?v=8E0aZ387M_I Andrew Mor r i s : h t tp : / /www.you tube .com/wa tch?v=rWkg1wCv6Mg The Gin C lub : h t tp : / /www.you tube .com/wa tch?v=gUNaNGTVDRM Texas Tea : h t tp : / /www.you tube .com/wa tch?v=5xKtv6 jXB6U&fea tu re=re la t ed

LINKS TO SONGS USED TODAY