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Country Music - The Evolution

Country music is different and joyful in many different ways. The range of topics and feelings the
genre touches is just astounding. There's sad, heartbroken and gloomy lyrics and tunes whereas
anyone can jump right up and start dancing to others.

Tipified by the use of guitar fiddle and banjo in very extravagant manner, country music was
originally found in Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains. It was not until 1920
that country music started to evolve rapidly.

It was in the 1920s when the first "country' recording was released, "Sallie Gooden" by fiddlist
A.C. (Eck) Robertson.Other important early recording artists were Riley Puckett, Don Richardson,
Fiddlin' John Carson, Al Hopkins, Ernest V. Stoneman, Charlie Poole and the North Carolina
Ramblers and The Skillet Lickers. Use of steel guitar was also introduced into the genre when
Jimmie Tarlton met famed Hawaiian guitarist Frank Ferera on the West Coast.

The "golden age" of country music began in 1930s - 1940s when artists such as Johnny Cash,
Loretta Lynn, Porter Wagoner came into the spotlights. Many songs from the golden age are still
adored for their simplicity. Country music hit new heights when "cowboy" music began to feature
in hollywood movies.Major changes in the use of instruments were evidenced. Drums, noted by
early country musicians as being "too loud" and "not pure" started being used. Modernisation of
cowboy music hence began.

1950s and 1960s country music was headed to new direction, Roakability. Johnny Cash and
most famously Elvis Presley dominated this decade. Country music gained television
exposure.As Webb Pierce put it in 1956, "Once upon a time, it was almost impossible to sell
country music in a place like New York City. Nowadays, television takes us everywhere, and
country music records and sheet music sell as well in large cities as anywhere else. Ray Charles,
in 1962, shook the pop world by turning his attention to country and western music and placing
hits such as " I can't stop loving you' and recording the landmark album Modern Sounds in
Country and Western Music.

Derived from the traditional and honky tonk sounds of the late 1950s and 1960s and mixed with
the anger of an alienated subculture of the nation during the period, outlaw country revolutionized
the genre of country music. 1970s and 1980s saw the rise of another sub-country genre in
Country pop. Artists the likes of Willie Nelson, Lynn Anderson and Dolly parton flourished. A
decade further and one of the most successful artist in country music and any other music history
stole the limelight. With records for both sales and concert attendance throughout the decade,
Garth brooks further popularised country music. The RIAA has certified his recordings at a
combined (128× platinum), denoting roughly 113 million U.S. shipments.

Current country artists such as Carrie Underwood, Alison Krauss and ,of course, Taylor Swift are
classified as modern era country musicians. In 2005, American Idol winner Carrie Underwood
rose to fame becoming a multi-platinum and multi-grammy winning artist. Underwood also made
history by becoming the seventh woman to win Entertainer Of The Year for Academy of Country
Music Awards. Three years later, Taylor Swift rose as a major pop country artist, with her single
"Love Story" becoming the first country song to reach number one on the Nielsen BDS CHR/Top
40 chart.

Whatever the decade, artist and influences, country music has almost never failed to entertain
and inspire listeners since it's official introduction back in 1920s. Despite the major changes in
sound, theme and instruments, the way country music continues to match feelings and make us
feel better has never and hopefully will never change.

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