Country Music Icons: The Legends Who Inspired Us
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In this blog post, we take a look at some of the most iconic country music artists who have inspired us over the years. From Hank Williams to Dolly Parton, these legends have helped shape the genre and make it what it is today.
The Origins of Country Music
Country music is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern United States in the late 1920s. It takes its roots from the music of the American South, including folk, blues, and gospel. Country music has seen a great deal of evolution over the years, but the genre remains firmly rooted in its humble beginnings.
The Carter Family
The Carter Family was a country music group that performed and recorded between 1927 and 1956. The group was composed of Alvin Pleasant “A.P.” Delaney Carter (1891–1960), his wife Sara Dougherty Carter (1898–1979), and their cousin Maybelle Addington Carter (1909–1978). Maybelle’s daughters, Helen, Valerie, and Anita, were also members of the group at various times during its existence.
A.P. Carter met Sara Dougherty in Maces Spring, Virginia, when he was 21 years old and she was 17. They married on June 18, 1915 when she was pregnant with their first child, Gladys. A.P. and Sara had four more children: Janette, Joe B., Johnnie bisquettes Boone Jr., and Annette complete the family quintet . The Carters’ first recordings were made on July 18, 1927 with Victor Records in Bristol, Tennessee. These original recordings were released on 78 rpm records and two songs (“Wandering Boy” and “Poor Orphan Child”) became hits.
In addition to their own performances, the Carter Family also backed up other musicians including Jimmie Rodgers and the Delmore Brothers on some of their recordings. By 1933, the Carters were regular performers on the Grand Ole Opry radio show. In 1935 A.P., Sara, Maybelle, her daughters Helen, Anita and June formed The Original Carter Family band which continued to perform together until 1943 when the act broke up due to helped fuel a commercial resurgence in traditionalist country music.”
Jimmie Rodgers
One of the first country music superstars, Jimmie Rodgers was born in Meridian, Mississippi, on September 8, 1897. He was exposed to music at an early age by his mother and father, who were both musicians. Rodgers began performing in medicine shows and traveling minstrel shows as a teenager. He also worked as a brakeman on the Railroad while continuing to pursue his musical career. In 1927, Rodgers made his recording debut with “The Soldier’s Sweetheart.” The following year, he had his first hit with “Blue Yodel.”
Over the next decade, Rodgers became one of the most popular recording artists in the country. He was known for his distinctive yodeling style and for songs that told stories about the lives of everyday people. Among his best-known songs are “T for Texas,” “In the Jailhouse Now,” and “Waiting for a Train.”
Rodgers died of tuberculosis in 1933 at the age of 35. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1961.
The Development of Country Music
Country music has been around for centuries, developing from a blend of folk music, blues, and other genres. Early country music was simple and often unsophisticated, but it has since evolved into a complex and diverse genre. Country music icons like Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, and Johnny Cash have helped to shape the sound and style of country music over the years. Let’s take a closer look at the development of this genre.
Hank Williams
Hank Williams is considered by many to be the father of country music. His career spanned just 13 years, but in that time he released some of the most influential and iconic country songs of all time.
Williams was born in 1923 in rural Alabama. He was exposed to music at an early age, and by the time he was a teenager, he was already performing on local radio stations. In 1947, he signed his first recording contract and released his first hit song, “Move It on Over.”
Williams’ career took off from there. He became one of the most popular country music stars of his time, with hits like “Jambalaya (On the Bayou),” “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” and “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry.” His simple, traditional style of country music was a stark contrast to the more polished sound that was beginning to dominate country radio at the time.
Williams’ personal life was plagued by personal demons, and he struggled with alcoholism and drug addiction for much of his adult life. He died at the age of 29 from heart failure, but his legacy has lived on in the many artists who have been influenced by his music.
The Nashville Sound
Nashville sound is a subgenre of country music and a style of popular music that was developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s in Nashville, Tennessee. It was derived from a more polished version of existing honky tonk and Western swing music, and incorporated elements of pop music. The “Nashville sound” characterized by the use of string sections, background vocals, riveting lead vocals, and smoothproduction values became one of the most popular sounds in country music and influenced artists such as Charley Pride, Barbara Mandrell, Kenny Rogers, Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Ricky Skaggs, Vern Gosdin, Randy Travis, Dwight Yoakam, among many others.
The Modern Era of Country Music
Country music has come a long way since its humble beginnings in the early 20th century. While the genre has always been popular in the southeastern United States, it has only recently begun to gain mainstream attention. Today, there are many different subgenres of country music, each with its own unique sound and style. However, one thing remains the same: the legends who inspired us.
Garth Brooks
Garth Brooks is one of the most successful country music artists of all time. He has sold over 148 million albums, making him the best-selling solo artist in the United States. His musical style is characterized by its fusion of traditional honky-tonk and contemporary pop sounds. He is also known for his outgoing and friendly personality, which has endeared him to fans and critics alike.
Brooks was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1962. He began playing guitar and writing songs as a teenager, and he soon began performing at local clubs and bars. In 1985, he released his self-titled debut album, which generated several popular singles, including “If Tomorrow Never Comes” and “The Dance.” The album helped to launch Brooks’s career, and he would go on to release a string of successful albums throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s.
In 1993, Brooks collaborated with country music legend Waylon Jennings on the album “Kickin’ Out the Footlights…Again.” The album featured a duet between Brooks and Jennings on Jennings’s classic song “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys.” The album was well-received by fans and critics, and it helped to further cement Brooks’s place as a leading figure in country music.
In 1996, Brooks released his most successful album to date, “Double Live.” The album featured live recordings of some of his most popular songs, including “Friends in Low Places” and “The Thunder Rolls.” The album was a massive commercial success, selling over five million copies in the United States.
In 1998, Brooks announced his retirement from recording and performing. However, he made a highly publicized return to music in 2005 with the release of his album “The Ultimate Hits.” The album featured three new songs, as well as remastered versions of some of his classic tracks. It became one of the best-selling albums of that year, further cementing Garth Brooks’s place as one of the greatest country music artists of all time.
George Strait
George Harvey Strait Sr. (born May 18, 1952) is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor, and music producer. George Strait is known as the “King of Country” and is considered one of the most influential and popular recording artists of all time. He is known for his neotraditionalist country style, cowboy look, and being one of the first and main country artists to bring country music back to its roots.
George Strait has had more number-one hit singles than any other artist in the history of country music according to the RIAA. He holds the record for most number-one hits on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart with 58 singles; 33 of these were consecutive number-one hits, a streak that began in the fall of 1983 with the release of his single “Right or Wrong” and lasted until 2012, when he surpassed Ronnie Milsap’s mark of 31 consecutive number-one hits with his single “Give It All We Got Tonight”. In 2009, George Strait broke Conway Twitty’s previous record for having the most Number Ones with 55.
The Future of Country Music
As the world of country music changes, so do the legends who inspired us. The past few years have seen the rise of a new generation of country music icons, including Maren Morris, Chris Stapleton, and Keith Urban. But what does the future of country music hold?
Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood is one of the most successful country music artists of all time. She has won numerous awards, including seven Grammy Awards, and has sold more than 65 million records worldwide. She is also one of the most popular country music artists on social media, with more than 10 million followers on Twitter and over 15 million fans on Facebook.
Underwood was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, in 1983. She began singing when she was just a child, and by the time she was in her teens, she was performing at local talent shows and festivals. In 2004, she auditioned for American Idol, and though she did not win the competition, she quickly became one of the show’s most popular contestants.
After American Idol, Underwood signed a record deal with Arista Nashville. Her debut album, Some Hearts, was released in 2005 and quickly topped the country music charts. It went on to become the best-selling solo female debut album in country music history. Underwood’s follow-up albums, Carnival Ride (2007) and Play On (2009), were also huge successes, cementing her status as one of country music’s biggest stars.
Underwood has continued to enjoy both critical and commercial success in recent years. Her fourth studio album, Blown Away (2012), debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and earned her a Grammy Award for Best Country Album. Her fifth album, Storyteller (2015), was another chart-topping release that earned rave reviews from critics.
There is no doubt that Carrie Underwood is one of the biggest names in country music today. With her powerful voice and undeniable talent, she is sure to inspire other country artists for years to come.
Keith Urban
Keith Urban is one of the most popular country music singers of all time. He has been nominated for numerous Grammy Awards and has won multiple Country Music Association Awards. Keith is known for his unique blend of country and rock music, as well as his cross-genre collaborations with artists such as Carrie Underwood and Eric Church.
Born in New Zealand, Keith moved to Australia at a young age and began playing guitar at the age of six. He rose to prominence in the Australian music scene in the early 1990s, and released his self-titled debut album in 1991. Keith’s career took off in the United States in the 2000s, with his fourth studio album, Golden Road, becoming his biggest hit to date.
Keith has continued to churn out hits over the past decade, cementing his place as one of the biggest names in country music. With no signs of slowing down, Keith Urban is sure to remain a force in the world of country music for years to come.
