Where Did Country Music Originate?
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Although no one can say for sure where country music originated, there are a few theories. One theory suggests that country music originated in the Appalachian Mountains.
Origins in the United States
Country music is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from the genres of folk music and blues. Country music often consists of ballads and dance tunes with generally simple forms, folk lyrics, and harmonies mostly accompanied by string instruments such as banjos, electric and acoustic guitars, steel guitars (such as pedal steels and dobros), and fiddles as well as harmonicas.
Early history in the Southeast
The first commercial recordings of what was considered country music were “Arkansas Traveler” and “Turkey in the Straw” by fiddlers Henry Gilliland & A.C. (Eck) Robertson on June 30, 1922, for Victor Records and released in April 1923. Columbia Records began issuing records with “hillbilly” music (series 15000D “Old Familiar Tunes”) as early as 1924.
In 1927, Okeh Records added black country music to its catalog with Mamie Smith’s hit single “Crazy Blues”. Other companies such as RCA Victor, Brunswick, and Edison also issued race records in the 1920s. The topic of African-American country music was broached in Country Song Roundup No. 8 (1928), a column written by George Hay about songs sung by black farmers and laborers in the Mississippi Delta: “We reckon that at least 10 percent of the real downhearted Negroes of the South are devoted followers of what is called ‘race records’—the output of several small phonograph companies which make disks exclusively for and about members of the Negro race.”
The Grand Ole Opry started as a radio show in 1925 featuring mainly local talent from Nashville and its surrounding areas. WSM’s 50,000-watt signal—heard across almost three-quarters of North America at night—gave the Opry national reach for the first time. The Opry grew into one of live country’s most revered shows, continuing to broadcast weekly until 1971 and then intermittently thereafter. It remains world renowned and is now based out of Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, where it is once again a weekly event.
The influence of Appalachian music
Appalachian music is a type of folk music that is closely related to the music of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. It is also closely related to the music of Africa and the Caribbean. Appalachian music has been influences by many different types of music, including blues, bluegrass, gospel, and Appalachian folk songs.
The development of country music
Country music is a genre of music that originated in the Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from the folk music of the Appalachian Mountains and the blues of the American South. Country music has its own unique sound that is a blend of these two genres.
The rise of Nashville
In the 1940s, a style of music known as Western swing became popular in the southwest. This type of music combined country, jazz, and blues. Western swing was led by Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys.During the 1950s, Nashville became the center for country music. Chet Atkins, Owen Bradley, and other Music Row producers helped create a smooth sound that was very popular with country fans. This sound became known as the Nashville Sound. Some of the most successful Nashville Sound recording artists were Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves, and Danny Floyd.
The influence of radio and records
The influence of radio and records can’t be understated when discussing the development of country music. Radio provided a way for people to hear music from all over the country, and records allowed people to take that music home with them.
The first country music radio station was WSM in Nashville, which began broadcasting in 1925. The station played a mix of music, including country, gospel, and pop. The popularity of WSM’s broadcasts led to the development of other country music radio stations across the United States.
The first commercial country music recordings were made in 1922 by Fiddlin’ John Carson. These recordings were made on wax cylinders and were distributed by mail order. The popularity of Carson’s recordings led to more companies making records of country music. In 1927, Victor Records released the firstCountry Music record, which featured performances by Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family.
The development of radio and records allowed people to hear different styles of country music from all over the United States. This exposure helped to create a more unified sense of what country music was and led to the development of new subgenres, such as western swing and honky-tonk.
The popularity of country music
Country music is a genre of music that originated in the Southern United States in the 1920s. It has since spread to other parts of the United States and Canada, and has become one of the most popular genres of music in the world. There are many different subgenres of country music, each with its own unique sound and history.
Country music in the 21st century
In the early 21st century, country music enjoyed a resurgence in popularity. By the mid-2000s, a new generation of artists had emerged who were influenced by traditional country music but incorporated elements of pop, rock, and hip-hop. These so-called “bro-country” artists (a term coined by journalist Jody Rosen in 2013) were led by Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney, and Brad Paisley. Brooks was the best-selling solo artist of the decade, while Chesney and Paisley were the genre’s biggest stars. Other popular artists included Miranda Lambert, Jason Aldean, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, and Florida Georgia Line.
