Some of my fondest memories of country music come from riding with my mom in
her 80's something Chevy Cavalier listening to the very distinctive sound of
artists like Randy Travis, Vince Gill, and Dolly Parton coming from her AM
radio. There are few instruments and sounds that can musically describe a genre
of music like a steel guitar does with country music. Maybe there was some
nostalgia in the AM radio or maybe it's the memories of childhood that have me
attached to those songs but something seemed different about country music back
then. It seemed real. It seemed authentic.
So I began to think to myself "what is real country music exactly?" All genres of music have certainly evolved in their own right over the years, why should country music be any different? And should that evolution be right or wrong?
Country music got it's start in the 1920's by blending both folk and blues music to get a truly authentic and different genre of music. Country, just like any other music, talks about life both through it's lyrics and the music. The southeastern heritage of country music lends itself to songs about dirt roads and country life. It's a truly southern and, most importantly, American form of music. Hence the birth and legacy of songs like "Forever and Ever Amen" and "My Tennessee Mountain."
So what happened? How did the twang of a steel guitar get replaced with the crunch of a rock guitar, and how did songs about church, working hard, and heartache become songs about beer, trucks, and partying hard? One thing that I have learned as I get older is that the "now" more and more quickly becomes the "then." I was a kid in the 80's and 90's. Rock bands that I grew up with like Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, and Motley Crue are now on the classic rock stations. Even though I wish that this was some kind of a mistake that they just haven't figured out yet, it isn't, and maybe that's not such a bad thing. Progression of music has lead to some pretty great bands since then and artists like those I grew up with paved the way.
Country music really isn't any different and I think it's important to remember that although times have changed some things that doesn't mean that the old school of country has been lost. For every artist that sings songs about beer, trucks, and hot girls, there are artists out there who are keeping the roots of country music very much alive and well. Our job as country music fans is to continue to support a genre that truly is an American treasure. I was a touring musician for a number of years and I can assure you that these fine men and women do more than sit around and write music and make money. They put in a ton of sacrifice and time before we ever even hear about them. They leave their families and homes for long periods of time to travel and perform for people like you and me. They are the perfect example of the hard working American dream. The dream to create something special and that in the hard work of doing so comes the reward. So whether it's Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, or Florida Georgia Line, they deserve our support and respect and they deserve for us to keep supporting the art of country music both "then" and "now."
So I began to think to myself "what is real country music exactly?" All genres of music have certainly evolved in their own right over the years, why should country music be any different? And should that evolution be right or wrong?
Country music got it's start in the 1920's by blending both folk and blues music to get a truly authentic and different genre of music. Country, just like any other music, talks about life both through it's lyrics and the music. The southeastern heritage of country music lends itself to songs about dirt roads and country life. It's a truly southern and, most importantly, American form of music. Hence the birth and legacy of songs like "Forever and Ever Amen" and "My Tennessee Mountain."
So what happened? How did the twang of a steel guitar get replaced with the crunch of a rock guitar, and how did songs about church, working hard, and heartache become songs about beer, trucks, and partying hard? One thing that I have learned as I get older is that the "now" more and more quickly becomes the "then." I was a kid in the 80's and 90's. Rock bands that I grew up with like Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, and Motley Crue are now on the classic rock stations. Even though I wish that this was some kind of a mistake that they just haven't figured out yet, it isn't, and maybe that's not such a bad thing. Progression of music has lead to some pretty great bands since then and artists like those I grew up with paved the way.
Country music really isn't any different and I think it's important to remember that although times have changed some things that doesn't mean that the old school of country has been lost. For every artist that sings songs about beer, trucks, and hot girls, there are artists out there who are keeping the roots of country music very much alive and well. Our job as country music fans is to continue to support a genre that truly is an American treasure. I was a touring musician for a number of years and I can assure you that these fine men and women do more than sit around and write music and make money. They put in a ton of sacrifice and time before we ever even hear about them. They leave their families and homes for long periods of time to travel and perform for people like you and me. They are the perfect example of the hard working American dream. The dream to create something special and that in the hard work of doing so comes the reward. So whether it's Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, or Florida Georgia Line, they deserve our support and respect and they deserve for us to keep supporting the art of country music both "then" and "now."
