Country music

Country (also called country and western) is a music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is primarily focused on singing stories about working-class and blue-collar American life.[2]

Country music is known for its ballads and dance tunes (i.e., "honky-tonk music") with simple form, folk lyrics, and harmonies generally accompanied by instruments such as banjos, fiddles, harmonicas, and many types of guitar (including acoustic, electric, steel, and resonator guitars).[3][4][5] Though it is primarily rooted in various forms of American folk music, such as old-time music and Appalachian music,[6][7] many other traditions, including Mexican, Irish, and Hawaiian music, have had a formative influence on the genre.[8] Blues modes from blues music have been used extensively throughout its history as well.[9]

Once called "hillbilly music", the term country music gained popularity in the 1940s. The genre came to encompass western music, which evolved parallel to hillbilly music from similar roots, in the mid-20th century. Contemporary styles of western music include Texas country, red dirt, and Hispano- and Mexican American-led Tejano and New Mexico music,[10][11] which still exists alongside longstanding indigenous traditions.

In 2009, in the United States, country music was the most-listened-to rush-hour radio genre during the evening commute, and second-most popular in the morning commute.[12]

  1. ^ Fontenot, Robert (February 24, 2019). "What Is Swamp Rock? A look at this Southern mix of country, funk, and soul". Liveabout. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  2. ^ Fox, A.A. (2004). Real Country: Music and Language in Working-Class Culture. Duke University Press. ISBN 978-0-8223-3348-7. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  3. ^ "Country music – Definition". Dictionary.com. Archived from the original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2011.
  4. ^ "Country music – Definition". Oxford Dictionaries. Archived from the original on September 9, 2011. Retrieved October 30, 2011.
  5. ^ "WordWeb: Free English dictionary and thesaurus download". Wordweb.info. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  6. ^ Duncan, Dayton; Burns, Ken; Steisel, Susanna; Shumaker, Susan; Baucom, Pam Tubridy; Mosher, Emily; Hinders, Maggie (2019). Country music. New York. ISBN 978-0-525-52054-2. OCLC 1057241126.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  7. ^ Anderson, K. (2020). Traditional Country & Western Music. Images of America. Arcadia Publishing Incorporated. ISBN 978-1-4396-7153-5. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  8. ^ Egge, Sara (March 19, 2017). "The Origins of Country Music". Centre College's Norton Center For The Arts. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  9. ^ Ripani, Richard J. (August 1, 2006). The New Blue Music: Changes in Rhythm & Blues, 1950–1999. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. p. 22. ISBN 978-1-57806-861-6.
  10. ^ Trevino, G. (2002). Dance Halls and Last Calls: A History of Texas Country Music. Taylor Trade Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4616-6184-9. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  11. ^ Stefano, Michelle (June 8, 2020). "Live! In the Archive: an Interview with Lone Piñon - Folklife Today". Library of Congress Blogs. Archived from the original on November 24, 2022. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  12. ^ AARP Bulletin. Vol. 53 No. 1. "50 Minutes on the Road." Betsy Tower. Page 50, citing Commuting in America III and Arbitron.