I have been watching the Ken Burns film "Country Music" and have thoroughly enjoyed myself.
It is narrated by Peter Coyote which gives me the warm fuzzies. I have learned so much. Country music in all it's iterations is purely story telling that covers the gamut of American life.
First episode was all about Maybelle Carter and her guitar playing style. Their style was mostly hill country tunes that came with them originally by way of Scottish, Irish, immigrants. It also dawned on me that part of the Hatfield/McCoy feud may well have been partially due to the English Hatfields and the Scottish McCoy's. The roots of that cultural conflict goes back several centuries.
I watched Episode two last night and is was all about hard times. The Carters sang "Hardtimes" a plaintiff song that was very popular.
I also learned about the importance of live play at radio stations, there were lots of string bands driving all over and one of the most famous was a 50 thousand watt station just across the border in Texas that broadcast as far away is Canada. The station also sold goat gland medicine for what ails ya.
The influence of Country in the Berglund family was not all that pervasive. We listened to Grand Ole Opry and popular talent shows such as the Ed Sullivan show etc. And the car did not have a very good radio, so we sang tunes until Mom turned on the radio in self defense.
Mom and Dad liked to dance to Glenn Miller and big band sounds. That didn't happen much after the children came along but I have been informed that at the popular dances they danced a fast hard jitterbug and cleared the floor as they say.
But we did get a general exposure to the really old stuff', Letter Edged in Black, Old Shep, real tear jerkers.
Episode number three is Blue Grass. I hope they play "Rank Stranger", that is a tune with close plaintiff nasal harmony that will raise the hair on the back of yore neck. Pass the jug.
It is narrated by Peter Coyote which gives me the warm fuzzies. I have learned so much. Country music in all it's iterations is purely story telling that covers the gamut of American life.
First episode was all about Maybelle Carter and her guitar playing style. Their style was mostly hill country tunes that came with them originally by way of Scottish, Irish, immigrants. It also dawned on me that part of the Hatfield/McCoy feud may well have been partially due to the English Hatfields and the Scottish McCoy's. The roots of that cultural conflict goes back several centuries.
I watched Episode two last night and is was all about hard times. The Carters sang "Hardtimes" a plaintiff song that was very popular.
I also learned about the importance of live play at radio stations, there were lots of string bands driving all over and one of the most famous was a 50 thousand watt station just across the border in Texas that broadcast as far away is Canada. The station also sold goat gland medicine for what ails ya.
The influence of Country in the Berglund family was not all that pervasive. We listened to Grand Ole Opry and popular talent shows such as the Ed Sullivan show etc. And the car did not have a very good radio, so we sang tunes until Mom turned on the radio in self defense.
Mom and Dad liked to dance to Glenn Miller and big band sounds. That didn't happen much after the children came along but I have been informed that at the popular dances they danced a fast hard jitterbug and cleared the floor as they say.
But we did get a general exposure to the really old stuff', Letter Edged in Black, Old Shep, real tear jerkers.
Episode number three is Blue Grass. I hope they play "Rank Stranger", that is a tune with close plaintiff nasal harmony that will raise the hair on the back of yore neck. Pass the jug.
1 comment:
I don't know if you recall the record collection in the house included Hank Snow, Jim Reeves and a few other country folks not to mention Lawrence Welk and Herb Alpert. I never appreciated country and blue grass until "Hee Haw" love me some Buck Owens and Roy Clark. Now I play songs from all of these musicians. Jimmy Rogers was the best.
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