Bridge to the 21 st Century Music Marcus Coronel

Genre Researched : Country Music What is it? Country music (or Country and Western) is a blend of traditional and popular musical forms found in the Southern U.S. that evolved rapidly beginning in the 1920s. Country music gained popularity in the 1940s when the earlier term hillbilly music came to be seen as a bad name. Country music was widely embraced in the 1970s The term country music is used today to describe many styles and subgenres

Qualities Must have a simple Chord progression. Generally country depends on a limited number of chords. Not musically complicated. Country music should have a strong story line. The song should have a simple/memorable chorus, which supports the storyline. This is what makes listeners remember the song. Identifiable instrumentation. Organs, orchestras, strings, wind instruments aren’t considered country. Guitars, banjos, fiddles, pedal steel guitars, harmonicas definitely are. There are exceptions of course, but instruments must be played in a country manner.

Country music, once known as Country and Western music, is a popular musical form developed in the southern United States, with roots in traditional folk music, spirituals, and the blues. Vernon Dalhart was the first country singer to have a nation-wide hit (May 1924, with "The Wreck Of Old '97").

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Existence and Development Country originated from Southern folk music, which was primarily in Irish and British, with African and continental European music. Before country, the earliest form of modern country would be Anglo-Celtic tunes, dance music, and balladry, then known as hillbilly music. Hillbilly music evolved into a genre eventually known as country and western  Country

After World War II, there was increased interest in specialty styles like country music This produced a few major pop stars. The most influential country musician of the era was Hank Williams. He remains renowned as one of country music's greatest songwriters and performers, viewed as a "folk poet" with a "honky-tonk swagger" and "working-class sympathies”.

21 st Century Country

Impacts Many songs consisted of stories and portrayed many events happening during the 1900s. It was a way for people to express their talents through a creative and entertaining way. Music in general has helped develop the radio by helping expand the FM radio

Country music maintained some great popularity throughout the early 1900’s but slowly began to degrade and new genres became available, even today it is not uncommon for someone to listen to country music as well as one form or another of various rock genres. In today’s society, our generation tends to look over the country genre and listen to many upbeat dance songs and take for granted the great music that has been made.

Interview – My Grandma What’s the difference between country back when you were growing up versus country today? “Well country music back when I was younger had a very different sound than the [country] music you would hear on the radio nowadays. I feel as if some country today has been creeping more towards the pop genre.”

Continued What are your views on Taylor Swift singing “Country”? “Ever since Taylor Swift has become popular, the term country has really changed. Her music is more upbeat, but she still has many traditional country tunes. I do enjoy listening to her songs about her various experiences with boys.”

Works Cited Primary Source: Interview with Grandma Secondary Source: