A History of Country Music
When some people hear talk of country music, they think only of singers of
sad songs with stereotypically twangy accents. These misconceptions did
impede country music's growth at its birth, but the stereotype did not
prevent it from becoming one of the most popular music forms of the 20th
century. In fact, country music is one of the best-selling genres after
rock/pop. This site will take you from country music's origins in the late
19th century through all the changes and sub-genres that have developed
over the past 100 years or so.
To better understand country music, it is helpful to understand the most
commonly used musical instruments in the genre. The fiddle (or violin) was
the most common instrument since it was easy and inexpensive to make and
not a major burden to carry around. At first it was the sole lead
instrument, but later it became popular to add more accompanying
instruments. The banjo, brought to the American South by slaves, became
popular in the mid-1800s. The guitar did not come into the picture until
the early 1900s when they became mass-produced and affordable for the
everyday person. At first, the guitar was only a rhythm instrument, but
picking styles later became popular. Contemporary country music often uses
the electric guitar, which became popular in the '50s. Other stringed
instruments include the dobro, the dulcimer, the steel guitar, the
mandolin, the zither, bass guitar and the autoharp. In other types of
country music you might hear the accordion (since the 1920s), the
harmonica, the piano (beginning in the 1930's with the rise of Western
swing), washboards (as rhythm instruments) or drums (not popular until the
1960s).
Country music has its beginnings in music styles brought over by the first
European settlers. In medieval...
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