I think a definition of country music--now as before--that doesn't resort
to lists of what it's NOT is still relatively easy. We can then begin (did
I say "begin"?) proposing who that's around fits the bill!
Country music is a commercial extension of Anglo-Celt, Scots-/Irish folk
music as it came to be expressed and played in the American South.
The instruments and vocal styles have evolved from those available there,
and the singing style from the speech patterns there. And if you're going
to bother to call it country, it still oughta be like that somewhere!.
That be twang.
Both of the words at the end there (American...South) COUNT--so as a
product of America, it's no purebred; it has inevitably gathered in and
been impacted by a number of other popular commercial and folk American
music types, especially Afro-American music forms from right next door or
across the tracks, and Tin Pan Alley pop tunes,--plus musics of varied
ethnic immigrants, (Mexican, German, French, Polish, even Hawaiian and a
few Italian and Jewish guest songwriters... and a few Scots/Irish
Canadians. ) .
You don't have to be any of the above to play it or love it. Several
Scandanavians have been known to have twangful feet and chops and
apparently been misplaced, so you never know.
There are certainly artists in so-called mainstream country as well as
alt.country who's music can be described as above. Many of 'em are damn
good. Many of 'em aren't. Whoops--just got negative.
Positively country,
Barry. Strange visitor from the North.
