Country Music

Hi Puzzlers,

Recently I was out with friends and in typical fashion a lively debate began about American music. I said there was only one music style to have come out of America and that was Jazz, all other forms had been imported with the early settlers. Well, let me tell you, that statement got the Blackberrys and the Googling going. Finally the truth was to be told… I WAS WRONG! Yes you read it right! I made a mistake…a blunder…a goof. The research queen had fallen face-first off her pedestal. The fact is, Country Music also started in the USA. So in a humbling attempt to regain my top research queen status I present to you, my fellow puzzlers and friends, a blog post on the History of Country Music.

The early settlers of the Southern Appalachian Mountains of North America, like most immigrants, could only bring with them their most valued possessions and for many this was an instrument. For the Scottish and Irish it was the fiddle, which could sound sad and melancolic or bright and cheerful. For German immigrants it was the dulcimer, the Italians brought the mandolin, the Spanish brought the guitar, and the West Africans brought the banjo . This fact surprised me a little. I was always under the impression that the banjo had a Southern American origin not an African one. Lesson learned…research the facts before you speak!!!

The intermingling of musicians from different ethnic groups thus produced a unique musical sound. These early 20th century Applachian string bands usually consisted of the fiddle, guitar, and banjo. These ethnic groups migrated to Texas and brought their music with them. Today this type of hillbilly music is commonly referred to as old-time music.

In the1920s radio stations began playing music by local performers from Atlanta and Fort Worth. Barn-dance programs also became popular among radio stations of this time. The radio stations quickly realized this type of music fit the lifestyle of the country's agricultural employees. One of the most significant occurrence in Country Music happened in 1925 when WSM-AMs radio aired the Grand Ole Opry.

As the singing cowboys and cowgirls gained popularity in 1930s-1940s for their Hollywood films so too did their music. Some western music bands infused Jazz into their sound and it would soon be known as Western swing within the dance halls. In 1935 Bob Wills added drums to his band’s instrument line up and in 1938 added the electric guitar. The integration of these two types of music became know as Country & Western music and as they say, the rest is history.

Happy Puzzling!