I have never been a fan of country music. To me, the singers were either “a lyin’, a cryin’ or a dyin’.” They sang about their trucks and travels, and it just didn’t appeal to me. But, like it or not, country music does have a rich history in how this genre of music opened the door for other sounds.
Country music started in the rural South and West at the beginning of the 20th century. It became a blend of folk ballads of European settlers and African American music like blues and gospel. Before it was “country music,” it was “hillbilly music,” and didn’t have a lot of credibility. It took the radio to give country music its big break, broadcasting from “The Grand Ole Opry,” in 1925. It wasn’t called the Grand Ole Opry then, it was called WSM Barn Dance, WSM being the slogan (“We Shield Millions,”) of the National Life and Accident Insurance Company, who built a small studio in Nashville to broadcast live music.
The first performer heard from this new studio was Uncle Jimmy Thompson, a 77-year-old fiddle player. He performed on November 28, 1925, now commonly known as the day the Grand Ole Opry was born. Instruments like the fiddle, banjo and guitar, were the heart of the new sound in music.
The 1930’s ushered in the era for singing cowboys like Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. Roy Rogers was a member of the Sons of the Pioneers musical group and actually appeared in a Gene Autry movie in 1938.
The 1940’s focused more on the words of a song than the music, hard-luck and heartbreak stories were the main themes with Hank Williams and Ernest Tubb singing their sad tunes on the fiddle and steel guitar.
It was in the 1950’s and ‘60’s that the “Nashville Sound,” became more sophisticated with orchestral arrangements. But it was the 1970’s that brought us “outlaw country.” Performers like Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings offered rebellious and hard time songs but also put the voice of social conscious to the music.
It wasn’t until the late 20th century that the rock and pop musical influence crept into country music and continues to be a big influence today. We started to hear about “cross-overs,” meaning that a song could be on the country music charts as well as the pop or rock charts.
Country music and the Grand Ole Opry have given music some powerful performers. Artists like Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton have appeared there. Larger than life stars like Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash also graced the stage with their musical gifts.
Life without music would be very dull. Whether it’s country, rock, pop, classical, opera or rap, enjoy it and remember the trail blazers who brought us new sounds and great musical memories.
Maybe in October I’ll take a trip to visit the Grand Ole Opry. It could change my mind about country music, but I doubt it!
