Part 3 The Growth of Vernacular Traditions Chapter 11: Ethnic Traditions and the Urban Folk Revival America’s Musical Landscape 5th edition PowerPoint by Myra Lewinter Malamut Georgian Court University © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Part 3: The Growth of Vernacular Traditions Chapter 11: Ethnic Traditions and the Urban Folk Revival2 The Effect of Ethnic and Regional Styles Upon Country Music Country music characteristically absorbs ethnic and regional styles These styles are adapted to become a part of the country sound As people in Western states welcomed country music, they added distinctive flavors derived from their own experience Hawaiian music Music of the mariachis of Mexico Cajun music and zydeco from Louisiana

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Part 3: The Growth of Vernacular Traditions Chapter 11: Ethnic Traditions and the Urban Folk Revival3 Hawaiian Music Popular today, this music has profoundly affected mainland country music and pop Rooted in old religious chants and hymns, Hawaiian music absorbed rhythms, sounds, and instruments brought to Hawaii by missionaries, tourists, and settlers 1800s: Mexican cowboys brought the guitar to Hawaii Guitar accompanied hula and Hawaiian songs and hymns Slack key guitar, a Hawaiian invention involving loosening (slackening) guitar strings was popular Charles Philip “Gabby” Pahinui ( ), was the master of the slack key guitar and renowned for his virtuosity

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Part 3: The Growth of Vernacular Traditions Chapter 11: Ethnic Traditions and the Urban Folk Revival4 The Hawaiian Steel Guitar Invented around the turn of the 20th century, made popular at the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco A favorite Hawaiian instrument, with metal strings raised above the fret board, held horizontally in the lap The player presses a steel bar against the strings, rather than pressing them to the fret board with the fingers as on a traditional guitar By sliding the metal bar along the strings with the left hand, the player achieves a gentle slide suggestive of country twang By the end of the 1930s the Hawaiian steel guitar was found in Southwestern country bands and their music

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Part 3: The Growth of Vernacular Traditions Chapter 11: Ethnic Traditions and the Urban Folk Revival5 The Ukelele A small 4-string guitar History Portuguese immigrants brought the ukulele to Hawaii in 1879 According to legend enchanted Hawaiians called this instrument “ukulele,” meaning “jumping fleas” As with steel guitar, attracted enthusiasm at the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exhibition By the 1920s ukulele accompanied Tin Pan Alley performers Recently: Ukulele festivals draw large crowds Ukulele

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Part 3: The Growth of Vernacular Traditions Chapter 11: Ethnic Traditions and the Urban Folk Revival6 Cajuns: Background French Acadians in the eighteenth century were evicted from their homeland, Acadia (Nova Scotia), by the British Settled in the remote area south of New Orleans Continued to speak French, evolving a patois, or mixed language of their own These French Acadians became known as the Cajuns

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Part 3: The Growth of Vernacular Traditions Chapter 11: Ethnic Traditions and the Urban Folk Revival7 Cajun Music Talent scouts in the 1920s discovered and promoted Cajun musicians John Lomax ( ) A folklorist who traveled in 1932 to Louisiana and recorded genuine traditional Cajun music for the Library of Congress Blues and hillbilly music reached Cajun regions by radio, influencing the music Cajun musicians translated popular country and country- western songs into French

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Part 3: The Growth of Vernacular Traditions Chapter 11: Ethnic Traditions and the Urban Folk Revival8 Listening Example 38 Cajun Two-Step Traditional Listening guide page 186 Form: A series of 4-measure strains: Tempo: Fast Instrumentation: Accordion, or concertina, and triangle Punctuated with occasional joyous shouts A A B B A A B …, During the 1920s and 1930s the Carter Family collected, arranged and recorded hundreds of American traditional songs, spirituals, and folk songs, laying the foundation for modern country mu Notice the sound of Rodgeel. During his lifetime Rodgers established the solo song as an important part of hillbilly music. Rodgers was the first person elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville. Cajun music is mainly lighthearted, with a hint Of tragedy Dance rhythms, catchy melodies, and accordion “Oh, ya, yaie!” is similar to Bluegrass sounds

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Part 3: The Growth of Vernacular Traditions Chapter 11: Ethnic Traditions and the Urban Folk Revival9 Zydeco: A more recent accordion- based music The music of southern Louisiana’s Creoles (“free persons of color”) Spicy-hot Caribbean and Latin rhythms Background Late eighteenth century revolution in Santo Domingo sent black and white French citizens north to the French-speaking communities of Louisiana The black refugees brought Caribbean rhythms, religious practices and spicey cuisine In the US, they developed a distinct French dialect or patois

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Part 3: The Growth of Vernacular Traditions Chapter 11: Ethnic Traditions and the Urban Folk Revival10 Zydeco The word “zydeco” is a corruption of the French, translated to mean “the snap beans aren’t salted” A saying indicative of hard times Instruments: Accordion Harmonica Frottoir, a washboard-like instrument strapped to a musician’s chest (textbook figure 11.2, page 188) Electric guitar and bass Drums Sometimes saxophone

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Part 3: The Growth of Vernacular Traditions Chapter 11: Ethnic Traditions and the Urban Folk Revival11 Zydeco’s sound and influence Is heard along the Gulf Coast in contemporary zydeco bands Exhibiting the energy and amplification of rock Playing exotic melodies of Cajuns Clifton Chenier was the late “king” of zydeco Mainstream artists who show the influence of zydeco and Cajun music include Paul Simon Mary Chapin Carpenter

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Part 3: The Growth of Vernacular Traditions Chapter 11: Ethnic Traditions and the Urban Folk Revival12 Listening Example 39 “Tu le ton son ton” (“Every now and Then”) Performed by Clifton Chenier Listening guide page 189 Form: Twelve-bar blues Meter: Quadruple Tempo: Moderately fast Hear how the performnace suggests the influence of rock or rhythm and blues Chenier, who sings and plays accordion, is Accompanied by electric Bass, drums, and Washboard:

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Part 3: The Growth of Vernacular Traditions Chapter 11: Ethnic Traditions and the Urban Folk Revival13 Urban Folk Music Urban folk musicians performed folklike music in a polished, suave manner designed to appeal to fans of popular music Some performers used traditional tunes, writing new words Others composed new songs in the folk or country style Folk music was used to express political beliefs The urban folk revival evolved in the 1950s and early 1960s into a popular movement of mainly young people Fans were often socially counscious, politically active Folk enthusiasts drew inspiration from singing hobo Woody Guthrie

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Part 3: The Growth of Vernacular Traditions Chapter 11: Ethnic Traditions and the Urban Folk Revival14 Woody Guthrie, America’s Greatest Folk Poet ( ) Singer-songwriter Guthrie evolved From a simple hobo and hillbilly singer of the Great Depression… into a Sophisticated composer and performer of protest songs His family devastated by dust storms, fire, bank failures, and illness, Guthrie decided that only by banding together common people could survive Guthrie’s music, often set to traditional and religious songs, expressed this belief

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Part 3: The Growth of Vernacular Traditions Chapter 11: Ethnic Traditions and the Urban Folk Revival15 Woody Guthrie Inspired the folk revivalists of the late 1950s and 1960s Guthrie’s famous song “This Land is Your Land” (“God Blessed America for Me”) protested Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America” Guthrie changed the verses over the years Later Guthrie expressed frustration that his song became popular without its protest verses Within Guthrie’s verses he describes “One bright sunny morning in the shadow of the steeple By the relief office I saw my people— As they stood hungry, I stood there wondering if God blessed America for me”

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Part 3: The Growth of Vernacular Traditions Chapter 11: Ethnic Traditions and the Urban Folk Revival16 The Movement Evolves: Pete Seeger (b. 1919) Seeger left college to collect folk songs, learn banjo, and travel with Woodie Guthrie Later Seeger formed the Weavers (named to reflect the qualities of rhythm and work) Huddie Ledbetter (aka Leadbelly, ) popularized the Weavers’ first hit, “Goodnight Irene” Leadbelly was a gifted black blues singer and songwriter, discovered in jail by musicologiests John Lomax and son Alan Lomax ( ) The Lomaxes helped to release Leadbelly from jail, launching him on a successful music career

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Part 3: The Growth of Vernacular Traditions Chapter 11: Ethnic Traditions and the Urban Folk Revival17 The Weavers in the McCarthy Era Red Scare hysteria forced the Weavers to restrict performances to union halls, civil rights and peace benefits, college campuses In 1955 Pete Seeger faced censure by Congress Accused of subversive influence in entertainment, Seeger’s lack of cooperation resulted in being blacklisted from television for leftist leanings At the end of the decade Seeger left the Weavers and became a successful soloist The 1990s: Seeger was inducted into the rock and Roll Hall of Fame

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Part 3: The Growth of Vernacular Traditions Chapter 11: Ethnic Traditions and the Urban Folk Revival18 Urban folk revival reached full bloom The popular Kingston Trio’s recording of “Tom Dooley” (1958) A murder ballad innocent of political overtones “Tom Dooley” formed a tie between country music and mainstream pop Suburban, collegiate, clean-cut groups produced commercial music for a sophisticated urban audience, reviving interest in early folk music The Limelighters The New Christy Minstrels Peter, Paul, and Mary Joan Baez revived and modernized the Carter Family’s songs

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Part 3: The Growth of Vernacular Traditions Chapter 11: Ethnic Traditions and the Urban Folk Revival19 Bob Dylan (b. Robert Zimmerman, 1941) Dylan followed Woody Guthrie to New York Performing in clubs and recording his original folklike protest songs, Dylan learned from Guthrie Dylan’s passion and stirring, often personal lyrics made him the favorite figure of the folk revival

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Part 3: The Growth of Vernacular Traditions Chapter 11: Ethnic Traditions and the Urban Folk Revival20 Bob Dylan’s Influence Upon the Urban Folk Revival Before Dylan, the folk revivalists had mostly performed songs composed or handed down by others Dylan’s original songs inspired others in the folk revival movement to write their own material Rather than performing new arrangements of traditional tunes, the folk revivalists now produced original “folk” songs Dylan would soon connect with rock by making a transition from leader of urban folk to electric rock performer

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Part 3: The Growth of Vernacular Traditions Chapter 11: Ethnic Traditions and the Urban Folk Revival21 Bob Dylan and the Newport Folk Festival In the early 1960s the Newport Folk Festival was the central annual event for those who loved folk music Guitar pickers, blues singers, old-time fiddlers, banjos players joined gospel singers, Cajun bands, bluegrass groups, and folk stars for concerts, workshops, jamming People saw folk music as a tool for social change, revering Bob Dylan and his socially relevant songs including “Blowin’ in the Wind” By 1965 Newport Festival fans were outraged by the change in Dylan’s style to rock and songs about personal relationships

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Part 3: The Growth of Vernacular Traditions Chapter 11: Ethnic Traditions and the Urban Folk Revival22 Later in Dylan’s Career: By the 1990s Dylan returned to traditional folk and blues material “Good as I Been to You,” “World Gone Wrong,” and “Time Out of Mind” His 2001 album “Love and Theft” includes sounds of blues, jazz, folk, and rockabilly Dylan is now acclaimed as a poet, whose words have been set to music by others, including American composer John Corigliano’s song cycle Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems of Bob Dylan

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Part 3: The Growth of Vernacular Traditions Chapter 11: Ethnic Traditions and the Urban Folk Revival23 A New Romance Rock and country now meet on increasingly congenial ground Country artists who flirted with rock include Bob Dylan Johnny Cash, who jammed with Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins in the mid-1950s Pete Seeger, who said “Rock is what future centuries will probably say was the twentieth-century folk music

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Part 3: The Growth of Vernacular Traditions Chapter 11: Ethnic Traditions and the Urban Folk Revival24 Alternative Country In existence since the 1990s, rivals the polished professional sounds of mainstream country music from Nashville Blends punk with rock and roll effects plus country sounds Alternative country’s own magazine: No Depression, named after the Carter Family’s song “No Depression in Heaven”

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Part 3: The Growth of Vernacular Traditions Chapter 11: Ethnic Traditions and the Urban Folk Revival25 Rock and Country Music today Audiences seem willing to accept elements of each other’s music Summer 2004, rocker Matt (Uncle Kracker) Shafer toured successfully with country music star Kenny Chesney and the country trio Rascal Flatts Country and rock merge on modern country radio and in some of Nashville’s videos Country is one of the roots of rock and roll

© 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Part 3: The Growth of Vernacular Traditions Chapter 11: Ethnic Traditions and the Urban Folk Revival26 Image Credits: Slide 5: Ukelele, © Getty Images Slide 12: Washboard, © C Squared Studios/ Getty Images Slide 19: Bob Dylan, © AP/ Wide World Photo