COUNTRY MUSIC Country Good Music TWO OF THE

COUNTRY MUSIC!

Country = Good Music • TWO OF THE TOP SELLING ALBUMS OF ALL TIME WERE COUNTRY ARTIST’S ALBUMSELVIS PRESLEY AND GARTH BROOKS

COUNTRY/WESTERN • BEGAN BEING CALLED COUNTRY MUSIC IN THE 1940’S WHEN THE TERM “HILLBILLY” MUSIC STARTED TO BECOME OFFENSIVE

OLD TIME MUSIC • EVOLVED FROM THE EUROPEAN IMMIGRANT MUSIC FROM THOSE WHO SETTLED INTO THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS AND WAS ORIGINALLY COMPOSED OF FIDDLES, GUITARS AND BANJOS, SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS OLD TIME MUSIC

Progressions • GREW IN TEXAS DUE TO IMMIGRANTS FROM EUROPE AND MEXICO SETTLING THERE • SOME OF THE EARLIEST COUNTRY SONGS DATE BACK TO 1922, WHEN THEY STARTED TO PLAY THIS TYPE OF MUSIC ON THE RADIO IN TEXAS AND GEORGIA.

First Big Sounds • “SALLIE GOODEN” = FIRST COUNTRY SONG, BY A. C. ECK ROBERTSON • VERNON DALHART – 1924 – FIRST BIG COUNTRY HIT WITH “WRECK OF THE OLD ‘ 97” • JIMMIE ROGERS AND THE CARTER FAMILY LEAD THE WAY

Later on… • 30’S AND 40’S – GREAT DEPRESSION LEAD TO LESS RECORDS, MORE RADIO PLAY • BILL HALEY SANG COWBOY AND ROCKABILLY SONGS ROCK AND ROLL • EDDY ARNOLD – 8 HITS • SINGING COWBOYS MADE FAMOUS THROUGH FILMS (ROY ROGERS)

GRAND OLE OPRY

History of the Opry: • • • • • The “Grand Ole Opry” is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville. Has presented the biggest country stars since 1925 Started as a 1 hour “barn dance” show “The show that made country music famous” “Country’s most famous stage” Owned by Ryman Hospitality (Own the Ryman Auditorium too. ) Saturday night musical tradition for 30 years Name came in 1927 – Grand opera Opera show before – down to earth music Opry moved to the Ryman Auditorium in 1943 Hank Williams – only guy to be banned (He was too drunk all the time) Shows are broadcasted on TV as well Elvis played in ’ 54 No drums for a long time, no loud electric music, 60’s – no “long hairs on the show” 1974 - show started to be broadcasted at the Grand Ole Opry House, east of the city Circle from the Ryman cut out and put in the Opry House 2010 Flooding Christian fan base? Chely Wright not asked back Resort and convention center, museum

• Membership: “hall of fame” status- artists who define country music, must be nominated; after they die they are no longer a standing member, Mailboxes, plaques • Musicians can play there if they are not members, but must be asked to join. • Only 66 living members right now • How do they get in? ? • “The decision to increase the Opry’s ranks is, and always has been, made exclusively by the show’s management. The people who’ve been entrusted with the Opry’s tradition and future direction take into account all the standards of success in country music—radio airplay, recorded music sales, touring success, industry recognition—when considering an act for membership. The Opry considers career accomplishment as well as the potential for continued success. ” • Recent additions: • 2008 – Carrie Underwood • 2010 – Blake Shelton • 2011 – Rascal Flatts • 2012 - Darius Rucker, Keith Urban • 2013 – Old Crow Medicine Show • 2014 – Little Big Town

• PATSY MONTANA – COWGIRL SONGS • NO DRUMMERS – TOO LOUD – UNTIL THE 60’S • BOB WILLS – FIRST ELECTRIC GUITAR IN 1938 • HILLBILLY BOOGIE – JOHNNY BARFIELD “BOOGIE WOOGIE”

EARLY GENRES • 40’S BLUEGRASS WENT IT’S OWN WAY, GOSPEL BROKE OFF TOO • TEXAS HONKY TONK –BAR ROOMS AND WHISKEY DRINKERS – “PISTOL PACKIN’ MAMA”, AL DEXTER

• HANK WILLIAMS, LEFTY FRIZZELL = TRADITIONAL COUNTRY GEORGE JONES, ROCK AND ROLL • ROCKABILLY = ROCK + HILLBILLY … 1956 • ELVIS, JOHNNY CASH • NASHVILLE SOUND – MULTI MILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY IN THE EARLY 60’S

OUTLAW COUNTRY – 70’S ANGRY, BACK TO THEIR ROOTS. WAYLON, WILLIE, HANK JR, DAVID ALLEN COE, JESSI COLTER Nashville Texas

• PATSY CLINE, EDDY ARNOLD • “COUNTRYPOLITAN” MAINSTREAM SOUND – TAMMY WYNETTE, CHARLIE RICH • BAKERSFIELD SOUND – MERLE HAGGARD, BUCK OWENS, DWIGHT YOKAM – SHARP, EDGY, ELECTRIC

COUNTRY GOES POP – 70’S + • DOLLY, KENNY, GLEN CAMPBELL, EDDIE RABBIT • 80’S – NEOTRADITIONALISTS – RANDY TRAVIS, TRAVIS TRITT. KATHY MATTEA, RICKY SKAGGS • 90’S – CLINT BLACK, GARTH BROOKS • LINE DANCING • Making history? • 2000’S MAINSTREAM Barbara Mandrell – I was country when country wasn’t cool

Today’s Country • MAINSTREAM COUNTRY POP? What sells? – What actually is Country today? ? • “Bro-Country” Country pop/rap – Hell no, we won't bro • • • Martina Mc. Bride, Carrie Underwood - Ladies George Strait – 65 #1’s T- Swizzle- what happened? Brooks and Dunn – Sugarland – FLA-GA line Crossovers- Faith, Shania, T-Swift, Rascal Flatts? Idol stars – Carrie, Kellie, Josh, Scotty, Lauren Why country music was awful in 2013

Nashville Vs. Red Dirt • • • Red Dirt country is based out of Oklahoma, called red dirt, because the dirt is red there. “Progressive Country, ” Expanded into Texas (Austin) Started with the outlaws, Waylon and Willie Allows musicians to be who they want to be Critics say that Red Dirt can best be likened to the indie genre of rock 'n' roll as there is no definitive sound that can be attributed to all the bands in the movement. Most Red Dirt artists would be classified by the music industry as Americana, folk, or altcountry, though the range of sounds in the Red Dirt spectrum goes beyond these genres. It has been described as a mix of folk, rock, country, bluegrass, blues, Western swing, and honky tonk, with even a few Mexican influences Some define Red Dirt music as "country music with an attitude. Different themes than Nashville singers, many sing about Texas (anthems) Own music charts – focus on playing out not hunting down people on music row/non commercial Artists: Pat Green, Stoney Larue, Wade Bowen, Brandon Rhyder, Jason Boland the Stragglers, Josh Abbott Band, Reckless Kelly, Roger Creager, Cory Morrow

Musicians • Artists: Pat Green, Stoney Larue, Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers Band, Brandon Rhyder, Jason Boland the Stragglers, Josh Abbott Band, Reckless Kelly, Roger Creager, Cory Morrow

Themes/Issues • • Drinking songs Eric Church /Zac Brown - drugs Family? Not country anymore? Where are the steel guitars? Too stereotypical? All lyrics similar? Songs about me? /Relatability? – This is country music

Nash-Vegas