Full Description
Over its eighty-year history, country music has evolved from little-known local talents to multimillion-dollar superstar musicians. In the 1920s, the first country music was broadcast from WSB radio in Atlanta and WBAP in Fort Worth, and the first records were recorded for Victor. In the 1930s, the first singing cowboys, among them Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, became film stars. After the war years, recordings boomed, and the Country Music Association was founded in 1958. Country music programs began on television with Porter Waggoner's program in 1960, followed by The Johnny Cash Show and Hee Haw. The Nashville Network channel was established in 1993, and from then on, the popular stars of country music have continued to break records, selling millions of copies of their albums. This book examines country music as it developed in regions throughout the United States, noting characteristics of its various subgenres such as bluegrass, honkytonk, and neotraditional music. It provides an indepth look at the people and events that have shaped the industry, and identifies the landmark recordings that old and new fans alike will want to add to their collections.
Provides a detailed history of the following subgenres: hillbilly music, cowboy music, western swing, country rock, bluegrass, Nashville sound, and neotraditional, among others. Includes a chronology of country music and an extensive chapter of biographical sketches of all the major songwriters, musicians, and people in the industry.
Contents
Series Foreword
Preface
Chronology
Introduction: A Brief Survey of 80 Years of Musical History
Southeastern Dominance: The Early Years of Hillbilly Music, 1922-1941
Cowboys and the West: Real and Reel
Western Swing
Hillbilly Music II: Honky-Tonkin Around this Town, 1941-1955
Rockin' in the Country, 1954-1960
The Nashville Sound and More, Since 1958
Biographical Sketches
Bibliography
Index
