COUNTRY
The "birth" of country
was in 1925, when the radio was just beginning to become "big".
Country music itself is relatively young, but it ties into old-time folk
music. Folk music was relatively popular in Tennessee in 1925, and
so when a new radio show (called the "Grand Ole Opry") at the WSM station
started, it became a big hit. This radio show figured out that the
people in and around the Nashville, Tennessee area enjoyed folk music,
and had plenty of performers. The first live performer that played
the "Grand Ole Opry" radio studio was Uncle Jimmy Thompson. He took
requests, and the studio received many telegram requests. From this,
many more live performances went on-air during the show. And as more
folk musicians played, their music flowed into being what we now call "country
music".
Some of the
more recognized and famous country singers include the Blue Grass Boys,
Faith Hill, and Randy Travis. And the "counrty-western capitol of
the US" is still in Nashville, Tennessee.
For more information
on country music and it origins (also about the "Grand Ole Opry"), check
out these books and online sites:
Grand Ole
Opry by Chet Hagan
COUNTRY.com
Listen to
the Stories by Nat Hentoff
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