1. Country: America’s Music
Early Influences and Instruments

2. Appalachian Mountains
Image Source: pictures/html/pages/landscape_jpg.htm

3. Birthplace of Country Music
Appalachia is a thirteen state region that stretches along the Appalachian mountain range, extending from southwestern New York State to northeastern Mississippi.
Downloaded from Google Images on 7/30/07. Original source: ~econdev/arc/index.html

4. Log Cabin Symbolized Frontier
Appalachian forests provided plenty of logs
Cabins were simple and fairly quick to build
No sawmill was needed to cut timber into boards
Thick walls made log cabins warm in winter
Downloaded from: appalachia_museum.htm

5. Early Settlers Lived Off the Land
Sheep grazing at the Museum of Appalachia.
Downloaded from: anderson_sheep.shtm

6. Old-Time Entertainment
But people who lived in log cabins on the frontier were a long way from the city.
Television and radio had not been invented.
Neither had movies or video games.
In the evening, there was only a fireplace or candle for light. So reading was difficult.
What could people do to entertain themselves?

7. People Made Their Own Music
Musicians were much in demand on the frontier
When a wagon train went west, people liked to take musicians along
In the evening, people would listen, sing along, or even dance
What instruments were popular in Appalachia?
homepage.mac.com/ crabtree/otm.htm

8. Old-Time Country Instruments
What instrument is played by the musician on the left?
What instrument is played by the musician in the middle?
What instrument is played by the musician on the right?
Charlie Poole
bacm.users.btopenworld.com/

9. Which of the instruments is missing from this picture?
Chasin Steel
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10. History of “Drum with Strings”
The banjo originated in Arabia, came to West Africa with Islam
African version had drumhead over a body made of hollow gourd
Enslaved Africans adapted instrument design to North American materials

11. Early Banjo Player
banjo/index.html

12. The Banjo: Key Points Banjos have how many strings? [five]
How did the banjo come to the U.S.? [Enslaved Africans in the South created instruments that resembled African instrument with a drum-like body]
How is the banjo played? [held in lap, plucked or strummed]
How does a banjo sound? [tinny, metal sound]

13. From Spain via Ireland The modern guitar has its roots in Spain
A smaller-bodied version was created to accompany Irish singers
When they immigrated to the United States, musicians from Ireland took the guitar along
guestbook_Add.asp

14. Passing Time at Sea
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15. The Guitar: Key Points Guitars have how many strings? [six]
How did guitars first come to the U.S.? [The Irish adapted Spanish guitars and brought them when they immigrated to the U.S.]
When was the guitar introduced to the U.S.? [in the 1800s, or the 19th century]
How is the guitar played? [held in lap, strummed or plucked]

16. Fiddle or Violin?
Scots-Irish immigrants brought the fiddle to the United States
The fiddle is the same instrument as the violin
But fiddlers have a different way of playing
They seldom use vibrato
Most set the fiddle up so they can play quickly

17. Can you spot the fiddler?
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18. The Fiddle: Key Points Fiddles have how many strings? [four]
What is the fiddle made of? [wood]
Who first brought the fiddle to the U.S.? [Scots-Irish]
How is the fiddle played? [It is rested on the shoulder and bowed or plucked.]
When was it introduced to the U.S.? [1700s, or the 18th century]