Unit 7 - Country and Folk Music Come in from the Outskirts

Jimmie Rodgers (1897-1933)

Born in Mississippi and spent is childhood on the railroad. Made music that represented the opposite of the homeland values that the Carter's shared about. Died from tuberculosis at age 36. Moved to Texas because of his illness but gained a strong following in the Southwest. Is responsible to the Southwestern acceptance of country music. His first recording made him a country music star - he made $2,000 a month in royalties alone. Borrowed from all styles - Tin Pan Alley, blues, jazz. Recorded "Blue Yodel No. 11"

What was the difference in The Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers music?

Carters pointed traditional country - home, values, church Jimmie Rodgers - pointed to the future

What was the Carter families best known recording?

"Wildwood Flower" (1928)

Formula for Country Crossover Success:

- Begin with a vocal sound that is recognizably country, but not intensely so. - Sing a simple melody with simple accompaniment based mainly on 3 chords. - Add in some country instrumental sounds, then mix in a little pop sophistication: more complex chords, melodic lines, and forms. - Package it with an appealing personality.

What were signs of the new era of Country music?

- Billboard folk charts included radio airplay, jukeboxes, and record sales. - Spike in popularity after the military returned from war. - Host of new artists: Hank Snow, Eddy Arnold, Lefty Frizzell, Webb Pierce, Kitty Wells, Ray Price, and Hank Williams, Sr. - Sounds borrowed from pop and black music

Elements of the new country music sound

- Full rhythm section including drums and steel guitar. - A 2-beat rhythm with a crisp backbeat

What features of the "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" stand out?

- Primacy of the lyric - Role of music supporting it - Sincerity and lack of artifice in Well's singing - Newly traditional sound of the accompanying instruments

Chief musical features of Honky Tonk

- Song texts that speak plainly and personally about everyday life; love, alcohol, hard times, loneliness, work, or life on the road - A nasal, often twangy vocal style - Straightforward melodies, delivered plainly and directly with simple accompaniments, usually built from the 3 basic chords: 1,4,5. - The old and new country music instruments: fiddle and steel guitar - A full rhythm section playing a countrified version of a popular dance beat

Who made up the Carter Family?

Consisted of: Alvin Pleasant "A.P." Carter (1891-1960), his wife Sara (1898-1979; after 1933, his ex wife), and his sister-in-law, Maybelle (1909-1978).

What were the 2 most enduring elements of country music?

1) Clear, honest vocal style, often nasal and without vibrato or fullness 2) The fiddle style popular for generations throughout the South and elsewhere through the minstrel show

Country music retained and reshaped it's identity by:

1) Preserving its core features 2) "Countrifying" the influences that is assimilated

3 branches of the Folk movement

1) Professional performance opportunities 2) Composition of topical songs 3) Revival of folk songs by musicians who were not part of the culture that was home to the music.

Western Swing

A country take on big band swing and jazz

Dobro

A guitar with a built-in steel resonator that also was played on the lap. Inspired by the boom of popularity in Hawaiian music in the 1920's. More powerful sound than the prior lap steel guitar. After the Dobro came the Electric Steel. Names comes from the Dopyera Brothers - a family of Czech immigrants who created the first Dobro. Dobro means "good" in Czech.

Huddie Ledbetter "LEAD BELLY" (1888-1949)

A songster. Performed many different kinds of music - blues, ballads, work songs, children's songs, familiar folk songs black and white. Known recordings: "Skip to my Lou" and "Goodnight Irene." Grew up in Louisiana, worked with Blind Lemon Jefferson in Dallas. Sent to prison for murder in 1918 but was released on strength of his good behavior which included entertaining prisoners and staff. 1930 - John Lomax recorded him for the Library of Congress at the Angola Prison in Louisiana. Got him paroled and brought him to New York. Began recording for "American Recording Company."

Honky-Tonk

A working-class bar. Caters to a white clientele, features country music performed by a live band. Also a style of country music that articulates the problems and pleasures of the audience. NOT your traditional country songs that are sentimental or religious.

Why was the founding of BMI influential?

ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers) - the dominant licensing organization since 1914 required 5 hits songs for membership. Country music songwriters/ black musicians, and anyone just starting their careers were excluded. BMI accepted all aspiring songwriters.

Broadside

Dates back to the sixteenth century. A topical text sung to a well-known tune. An urban folk music with printed words.

What did each member of the Carter family do?

All 3 sang. Sara - played guitar and autoharp. Maybelle - developed one of the most widely imitated guitar styles in the history of country music "thumb-brush style. Sang in "Traditional country" voice - flat, nasal, without much inflection. A.P. grew up playing the fiddle and learning ballads and other songs from his mother and never lost his love for music. Performed and recorded songs A.P. had collected and arranged.

Bluegrass

Descends directly from early string bands. Was the postwar country music that was closest to old-time music like "Fiddlin' John Carson." Acoustic instrumentation and mountain vocal style. Includes... 1) Expanded Instrumentation - fiddle, guitar, banjo, mandolin, string bass 2) Chop-chord Mandolin Style - Percussive sound occurring in alternation with the bass 3) Earl Scruggs Banjo Playing - Combined continuous stream of notes found in earlier banjo styles with syncopated groupings of ragtime and the occasional blues lick at fast tempos. 4) Collective Improvisation - Several instruments simultaneously improvise over a timekeeping rhythm section with occasional breaks for soloists. 5) Exceedingly Fast Tempos - Listening music only. Too fast for the most agile dancers.

What was the sound of the Carter family?

An intriguing mix of old and new. No fiddle, just guitar and a clear development between melody and accompaniment.

"South of the Border" (1939)

Autry's most popular musical western. His sidekick and federal agents investigate funny business in Mexico. Also the name of the title track. "South of the Border" is written by Irish lyricist Jimmy Kennedy and British Songwriter Michael Carr. A pop songwriter's take on an American cowboy song. Melody consists of short, un-syncopated phrases. Rich string section and piano and percussion-less rhythm section are from Hollywood. 2 featured instruments: Accordion (from Mexico) and Steel Guitar (Country music)

WSM Tower in Nashville

Began broadcasting in 1925 (off the exit to cool springs). 50,000 - watt station the covered most of the country when the sun went down. Became the home of the Grand Ole Opry in 1928.

"Wildwood Flower" (1928)

Best known recording by The Carter Family. Started out as a commercially published parlor song composed in the 19th century titled "I'll Twine 'Mid the Ringlets" but "Wildwood Flower" found its way into oral tradition.

Electric Steel Guitar

First electric guitar. Signature instrument for ONLY 2 kinds of music: 1) Hawaiian 2) Country

Almanac Singers

Folk-singing group that included Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Millard Lampell, and Lee Hays. Spiritual forebears of the protest signers of the early 1960s.

How long did the Carter families career last?

From their discovery by Ralph Peer in 1927 until 1943. After World War II, Maybelle and her daughters continued to tour as the Carter Family and subsequent incarnations of the group performed through the 1960's.

FRC General Order 40

Issued in August 1928. Reallocated AM radio spectrum along local, regional, and clear channeled stations. Range of radio signal correlated to its wattage. On a good night, clear-channel stations could be heard hundreds of miles away. Caused country music to spread West.

How did radio impact country music?

It broadcasted artist's everywhere which changed the recording industry. Artist's live appearances on the Grand Ole Opry or WLS's Barn Dance boosted record sales. Recording help spread the sound of "old-time music" beyond the South. Radio connected rural southerner's to the outside world. Appearances on radio and records led to live performance opportunities. Created a class of professional/ semi-professional country musicians.

What was the impact of "The Prisoner's Song" on country music?

It showed country musicians the path to commercial success - blend country with other more popular styles. It brought to light an ongoing tension in country music - identity versus popularity.

Village Vanguard

Jazz club located at Seventh Avenue South in Greenwich Village, New York City. Became the home base for the Folk scene in 1941.

Explain the difference between Weaver and Led Belly's recording of "Goodnight Irene."

Led belly Recording - An authentic folk version. Told in plain language with simple guitar accompaniment. Weaver's Recording - Strings and choir. Warm and hearty singing. Close harmony and supporting vocals.

Hank Williams (1923-1953)

Main influence on the new sound of country music. Popularized honky tonk. Recorded "Lovesick Blues" in 1948. Born to poor family in Alabama. Performed at Honky Tonks in his teens. Nashville pianist, songwriter, and publisher Fred Rose boosted his career. Gained exposure through appearances on Grand Ole Opry and Lousiana Hayride. Fused country and blues. Unlocked the expressive potential of country music.

Thumb-brush style

Maybelle's style of guitar accompaniment. Plays the melody on the lower strings and between melody notes, brushes the chords on the upper strings.

Woodie Guthrie (1912-1967)

Musical commentator on the iniquities of life in America, persistent musical voice for social justice, musical advocate for the cause of the working class. Had a hard childhood. His sister dies from exploding stover, his father went bust after riding the oil boom, his mom in a mental institution. Left home at 16 to Texas where his uncle nurtured his interest in Country music. Assembled the "Corncob Trio." Wrote more than 1,000 songs, told stories and authored articles that commented on social injustice. 1940 - Went to New York and was discovered by Alan Lomax (LOC folklorist). Lomax recorded him at the Library of Congress and featured him on his radio show 1941 - Joined Pete Seeger and 2 others to from the Almanac Singers

Where is the home base for country music?

Nashville, TN.

"Goodnight Irene" (1936, 1950)

Nineteenth century parlor song written by black songwriter from Cincinnati. Became a popular hit for the Weavers, Jo Stafford (pop singer), and Ernest Tubb (Country singer). Style of a Folk Ballad. Tells the story of a failed marriage. Led belly adapted a different musical persona singing "white songs." Performed without any blues style except his husky voice. No bent notes or syncopation.

"Blue Yodel No.11" (1929)

One of 13 Blue Yodel's recorded by Rodgers. Blues in its lyrics, melodic style, harmony, and form, and style. Sounds natural singing a blues. Captured essential elements of the blues singing style and is more expressive than pretty.

"Lovesick Blues" (1948)

Pop song from the early 1920's that had been recorded by Emmett Miller - one of the last blackface minstrels. Recorded by Hank Williams. His ticket to an appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Included yodels, dropped beats. Accompaniment was a modern country band with rhythm and steel guitar instead of jazz. Singing is thin, nasal, flat, yet expressive. Tinged by the blues.

Weavers

Post war pop success. Grew out of the Alamanac Singers. When Guthrie left, Seeger and Hays continued. 1949 - they joined Veronica "Ronnie" Gilbert and Fred Hellerman. Known for their influence. They updated traditional folk music and used it to advance their political agenda. They all sang. Men plated the accompaniment: Seeger- banjo. Kellerman - guitar. Hays - Bass Playing the Village Vanguard sprung them into the pop limelight. Signed with Decca Record. First and biggest recording coupled, "Tzena, Tneza" (a folklike Israeli song) with "Goodnight Irene." Pop market was short-lived. Conservative politics made them a target of McCathy era witch hunts.

Bob Wills (1905-1975)

Put the swing in country music. Grew up in musical family, learned Mandolin and Fiddle - but was drawn to new Blues and Jazz sounds of the 1920's. Formed a band called "The Texas Playboys" and blended country string-band with pop, blues, and jazz + steel guitar forming "Western Swing."

"It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" (1952)

Recorded by Kitty Well as a rebuttal to Thomson's "The Wild Side of Life". Written by J.D. Miller who stole the title from a line in Thompson's song. He also re-wrote the lyrics to a previously known melody to highlight that it was an "answer" song. Used the melody of "Great Speckled Bird" - a white gospel song recorded by Roy Acuff in 1936. It resonated with everyone because of Wells sincere vocal timbre and straightforward delivery. Has the authenticity of the blues, but short repetitive melody, simple harmony, and unobtrusive accompaniment.

"It's Mighty Dark to Travel" (1947)

Recording by Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys.

Kitty Wells

Reluctant feminist. Married to Johnnie Wright. Was stuck on the fringes of country music for 2 decades until 1952. 1952 - She was persuaded by Paul Cohen to record "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" as an "answer" song to Hank Thompson's "The Wild Side of Life." She agreed to do it for $125. It sold 800,000 copies, topped Billboard country disk jockey chart, & reached top 10 on best sellers and jukebox charts. Became one of the top stars of country music.

Who were other singing cowboys?

Roy Rogers, Tex Ritter

"The Prisoner's Song" (1924)

Secured Vernon Dalhart's place in history. Recorded in 1924 as the "B" side of the event song "The Wreck of the Old 97 (about an old train wreck)." Music - Simple. Melody is a single phrase with alternate endings. 3-chord accompaniment supports it. Violinist plays the melody when Dalhart doesn't sing and plays an obbligato at the end. Lyric - Simple and confusing. Language and images are simple but the narrative moves from one scene to the next and at the end, the story of why the protagonist is in jail has never been told. History, style, success - Confusing. Dalhart insists its a folk song thats been around for years, but guitarist and producer each claim a share of the song. We hear Dalhart's country accent next to a trained voice without twang, and viola instead of banjo and fiddle.

Bill Monroe (1911-1996)

Singer and mandolin player known as the "Father of Bluegrass." Responsible for the sound of Bluegrass and for making Kentucky the bluegrass state. Born in Kentucky. Grew up around skilled folk musicians like his uncle Pendelton Vandiver. 1939- Played the Grand Ole Opry 1945 - Banjo player Earl Scruggs joined his group

Vernon Dalhart (1883-1948)

Stage name for Marion Slaughter. Grew up near Jefferson, Texas. Slaughter's father killed his mother's brother during a saloon fight when he was 10. 1912 - He decided to change his name for the first time after moving to New York to "Vernon Dalhart." Began his professional career as an opera singer. 1916 - Made his first recordings. By the end of the teens, he recorded everything from opera to pop. Recorded under 2 dozen names and never signed a contract with one company. His alias let him move from label to label. Made more recordings than any other singer. 1924 - Recorded "The Prisoner's Song."

John Lomax (1867-1948)

The first curator of the Library of Congress's "Archive of American Folk Song." Born in Mississippi and grew up in Texas. Met folklorist George Kittredge while a grad student at Harvard. Was a teacher and banker. At retirement age, he returned to music. 1932 - Secured a contract from leading publisher for a wide ranging anthology of folk ballads. After signing, he examined the Archive of American Folk Song. 1933- Made a field trip through the South recording folk singers with equipment on his truck which he brought to Washington, DC. 1940 - Folk movement began.

Robert W. Gordon

The first director of the "Archive of American Folk Song" established in 1928 by the Library of Congress.

Tumbling Tumbleweeds

The first musical western (or horse opera). The plot depends on the singing ability of Autry's character. Created the demand for singing cowboys.

Gene Autry (1907-1998)

The first singing cowboy on screen. Worked as a young man as a telegraph operator. One day he was playing guitar when Will Rogers walked in to sell a telegram. Suggested he get a job in radio. Landed a radio show in 1929 which led to a recording contract. Featured on the Grand Ole Opry and National Barn Dance. 1934 - made it to Hollywood. Starred in "Tumbling Tumbleweeds." Most popular film was "South of the Border. " His singing has a distinct Western flavor without the Twang.

Country Music

The folk music of white southerners that began when commercial radio came on the air and commercial records of this music arrived in stores. Transported in from the British Isles.

Ralph Peer (1892-1960)

The most influential man in country music. Responsible for finding good country music, sharing it, and helping performers make money from selling phonographs. Founded BMI (Broadcast Music Incorporated) Grew up in Missouri and helped his father sell sewing machines and phonographs as a kid. Worked for Columbia Records. 1920 - moved to Okeh Records and set up the first race-recording session which produced Mamie Smith's "Crazy Blues." Moved from town to town setting up temporary recording studios wherever he could. Responsible for the first money making record "The Little Log Cabin in the rain" (1923) by Fiddlin' John Carson. Coined the term "Hillbilly music" from a recording session with Al Hopkins in 1925. Created his own publishing firm "Southern Music" in 1928.

Will Rogers

The most popular humorist of the twenties and thirties.

Traditional country vocal sound

Vocal sound taken on by Maybelle. Flat, nasal, and without much inflection

Which musicians were part of the folk revival?

Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, John Lomax's daughter (Bess), Sonny Terry (black bluesman), and Brownie McGhee.

"Steel Guitar Rag" (1936)

Written by Bob Wills and performed by "The Texas Playboys." Features Leon McAuliffe playing electric steel guitar. Featured a blues and jazz influence. Evident in the heavier beat, fuller instrumentation, and styles of the soloists.

"Do-Re-Mi" (1937)

Written by Woody Guthrie. Tells of the tough time story of the desperate people who migrated West for a better life. Says it with humor that intensifies the grim circumstances. His singing wasn't "beautiful" and his accompaniment wasn't sophisticated. We listen for the WORDS. Echoes British broadside ballads. Occasionally came up with new words to familiar songs.