A Step Into Country Music
Admittedly, country music is a US-dominant sound. Part of its staying power may be attributed to such inherent qualities as authenticity and tradition. It is the perfect genre for listening when you are in the mood for melancholy and reflection. The genre was once dominated by artists like Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Elvis Presley, and Waylon Jennings. It is now dominated by artists like Carrie Underwood, Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton. Country music finds its way into every field possible – from the countryside to big city life!
Country music has been around for a long time, and there is a rich history behind it. There is a lot of talent in the country music scene, and today, artists are becoming more diverse. Country music is a genre of popular music that originated in the southern United States in the 1920s. It combines elements of folk music, blues, jazz, rock and roll, and country to create a unique blend that is distinctly American.
Country Music was made to be a reflection of life as it exists for the common man. It comes from a place of heartache and anger because it needs to escape what exists. Country Music has been around since the country’s inception, which means it has been able to adapt with time as society changes. Many artists have helped define the genre throughout the years – Hank Williams, Charlie Daniels, George Jones, Gram Parsons, Merle Haggard…
View this post on Instagram
Country music is the genre of American country and western music that developed from a mixture of folk and blues music. The definition of country varies according to the performer, musician, and songwriter. Four key components often categorize country:
- A strong Backing Track.
- A vocal performance with mostly vocal harmony parts.
- A guitar solo with lots of twangy single-note picking lines.
- Lyrics that speak of heartbreak or personal struggle.
Backtrack is an instrumental track on which the lead singer can improvise their part with vocals harmonizing over it. Two or more singers may sing a vocal harmony part.
There are two prevalent genres of country: traditional country and progressive country. The progressive country is a term used to describe the more pop-oriented branch of the country which uses more electric instrumentation, synthesizers and other electronic instruments rather than acoustic instruments found in traditional country. For example, when Garth Brooks released his debut album No Fences in 1989, he reinvented what it meant to be “country” by incorporating rock.
