Topic > Historical perspective and development of country music in the United States

Country music began as the music of the white working class. It was a musical style originating from the southern United States. It derives from Appalachian folk music, blues, and Celtic folk music, and was originally called hillbilly music. Most country music is based on lyrics that deal with topics such as love and life's disappointments, accompanied primarily by one or more guitars. Although country music has always been based on major life events in the way it is played, and the lyrical material constantly changes with what is happening in the world to keep it relevant and popular. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayWhen country music first began, its driving force was a man named Ralph Peer. He was a major businessman in the country music field. He roamed the countryside looking for artists and recorded hillbilly music for his company, OKeh's Records. While good artists were few and far between, he finally broke through with "the first country music record that made money, "The Little Old Log Cabin in the Lane" by Fiddlin' John Carson b/w "The Old Hen Cackled and the Rooster's Going to Crow" was an accidental success (as was Race Music's first best-seller three years earlier (Hagar and Peer's production of Mamie Smith's "Crazy Blues")." (Ralph Peer.) The its main success, known as one of the most important groups in the history of country music, the Carter Family, is the group that gave country music its mainstream start. Their repertoire included adaptations of old songs from the Anglo-American popular musical tradition , old hymns and sentimental songs reminiscent of turn-of-the-century Tin Pan Alley hits Country music became popular in Hollywood with Gene Autry, the first American cowboy to sing “Before World War II, Gene Autry sang with a variety of singing groups in his films, on the radio. After the war, the Cass County Boys were Gene's backing band in films and television shows, on the radio, on records and in personal appearances. A true "multimedia" star, the best-known country singer on records, film, radio and television from the early 1930s through the mid-1950s. This is where country music began to become popular throughout the United States. Country began to fill its place in the music industry Johnny Cash was a highly influential country/rockabilly artist and television host who first found success in the 1950s and experienced a career resurgence in the 1990s. He was a famous country music artist who regularly attended the Grand Ole Opry. Cash was an outlaw country artist in the 1960s known for always dressing in black and performing in prisons. Regarding his songs and lyrics, he adopted Bob Dylan's liberal approach on social issues such as war and correctional facilities, unlike other "outlaw artists" of his time. In 1970 Hank Williams, Jr. signed the largest contract in the history of MGM Records. The 1970s were a time of peace and love in America, with the hippie movement in full swing, it makes sense that "All for the Love of Sunshine", recorded for the film Kelly's Heroes, starring Clint Eastwood, was his first #1 country hit. . Dolly Parton was one of the leading country artists of this period. Continuing with the theme of peace and love, “Parton scored her first No. 1 country hit in 1971 with “Joshua,” a bluegrass-inspired song about two lonely figures who find love. More No. 1 hits followed in the mid-1970s,.).