Rock’n Me 31: Talking About Western Music - The Evolution of Country Music

Hello, this is Joshua, eager to talk about Western music.
In my 31st edition, I’ll introduce country music.

How many of you have listened to country music? It may not be a familiar genre for many Japanese, but learning that the renowned Taylor Swift started her career in country music might spark your interest. Recently, Beyoncé, the queen of R&B, announced the release of a country album, stirring up conversations. This article will provide a brief introduction to country music, its evolving musical style through the ages, and its permeation into American society.

Country Music

To summarize country music in one sentence: it is “American popular music born 100 years ago that continues to evolve,” with a history much longer than rock music. Originally, country music spread among the low-income, working-class white population in 1920s America. The United States, as you know, has a sorrowful history of African American slavery, and its effects persist today. Consequently, the music cultures of white and African American communities are distinctly different. The stark economic disparities also led to the development of unique music genres within each social class. For African Americans, these genres evolved into jazz, blues, and soul.

Returning to country music, it began with a focus on acoustic guitars...well before the invention of the electric guitar in the 1930s and Fender’s mass production in the 1950s. Over time, the primary instruments in country music have changed. Today, acoustic guitars, electric guitars (particularly the Fender Telecaster), and string instruments like violins (called fiddles) are central. Other string instruments like the steel guitar, banjo, and mandolin, which are less familiar in Japan, are also used. In terms of fashion, it’s common to see artists dressed in cowboy hats and boots, but there are no strict dress codes.

Cowboy Hat, Cowboy Boots

Cowboy-Boots-And-Hat, CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED (Quoted from Wikipedia)

Since the 1950s, country music has evolved by incorporating elements of rockabilly, rock and roll, soul, and gospel. As televisions became more common in households, country artists began hosting TV shows, offering both talk segments and live performances. There are countless greats from that era, but personally, I admire Hank Williams (1923-1953) and the flamboyantly dressed Buck Owens (1926-2006). Buck’s hit song “Act Naturally” was later covered by The Beatles.

■ Hank Williams - “Lovesick Blues”

■ Buck Owens & The Buckaroos - “Act Naturally”

In the 1970s, the fusion of country and pop music progressed further. Country musicians like Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers (1938-2020), and John Denver (1943-1997) began to thrive across genres. John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” is a well-known classic, often sung in schools.

■ John Denver - “Take Me Home, Country Roads”

The 1970s also saw the blend of country and rock music. The Eagles initially had a country-rock style but gradually shifted towards rock. Their debut album’s hit song “Take It Easy” features a banjo interlude (at 1:43 in the video), adding a unique twist to the track.

■ Eagles - “Take It Easy”

The Charlie Daniels Band is another group that merged country with Southern rock. Their 1979 single “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” is a well-known number in the States. The song’s theme is a simple American hero tale where the protagonist defeats the devil in a fiddle contest. This straightforward narrative resonated with the American penchant for heroes, and combined with the vigorous fiddle playing, the song became a Billboard chart-topping hit, reaching number 3.

■ Charlie Daniels Band - “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”

Country music underwent a drastic transformation around the 1990s. Commercialization and mass appeal surged, changing the genre’s essence from what it was before the early 1980s. One pivotal figure in this change was Garth Brooks, who debuted in 1989. His initial songs were slow or mid-tempo, straightforward, with a voice marked by the typical country twang. His appearance was far from striking, just a plain young man in a cowboy hat. Yet, he became immensely popular in the States. His first three albums each sold over 10 million copies, and his concerts were held at stadium-level venues during his peak. However, he remained almost completely unknown in Japan and never performed there.

Garth’s breakthrough was aided by the launch of country music radio stations and the Country Music Network TV channel. With country music becoming a major media content, its commercialization accelerated.

Garth captured the hearts of Americans largely due to the social structure of the time. As mentioned earlier, country music originated among working-class white Americans. By the 1990s, many white Americans felt increasingly left behind by societal progress, accumulating frustration. Garth and other country artists struck a chord with these ‘non-heroic’ Americans. Garth’s hit song “Friends in Low Places” is about gatecrashing an ex-girlfriend’s lavish wedding in a cowboy hat and drinking whiskey with fellow outcasts. It resonates with the ‘underdog but defiant’ spirit, deeply appealing to the conservative white population in America’s heartland.

■ Garth Brooks - “Friends in Low Places”

While Garth was the leading male figure, the top female artist (not from America but Canada) was Shania Twain. Her total album sales amount to around 100 million copies. I plan to write more about Shania later, but her success stemmed from her marriage to renowned rock producer Robert John “Mutt” Lange. Together, they crafted a new sound, described as ‘country-pop-hard rock’. Shania’s exceptional singing talent, beauty, humorous lyrics from a female perspective, and themes of pride and confidence as a woman garnered universal appeal, leading to her global breakthrough. Taylor Swift, now a global superstar, also started as a country singer but transitioned to pop music and achieved great success. However, Taylor’s success wouldn’t have been possible without Shania’s trailblazing.

■ Shania Twain - “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!”

The opening track of her 1997 album Come On Over. The promotional video is a parody of Robert Palmer’s hit “Addicted to Love” (1985).

■ Robert Palmer - “Addicted to Love”

Post-1990s, country music has continued to dominate America’s heartland, integrating pop, rock, and even rap elements. Some artists now embody a ‘country’ style in cowboy hats alone. The genre has also seen a few African American artists emerge, breaking racial barriers. Consequently, country music has become a hybrid genre that embraces “anything goes.” While some Americans criticize post-1990s country music as no longer true country, it’s essential to remember that country music has always evolved by incorporating contemporary styles. After all, it is popular music.

In 21st-century American society, divisions have deepened further. The September 11 attacks, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the rise of President Trump have all driven the inland population towards more conservative values. Country music, deeply rooted in these communities, has also been influenced, with some artists emerging to promote conservative ideals. This topic will be explored in future articles.

Lastly, I’ll share one of my personal experiences with country music. I attended the Country Thunder Festival in 1999 in Phoenix, Arizona. While visiting the States, I stumbled upon the festival and decided to check it out, partly out of curiosity.

■ Country Thunder Festival (1999) Flyer

The venue was a huge farm with a temporary stage. The penultimate act was Toby Keith (third from the top on the left), followed by John Michael Montgomery (the cowboy-hatted man below “May 2”). Both were popular at the time. Toby Keith’s performance, including a rendition of John Mellencamp’s “Authority Song”, felt quite pop-rock, embodying the “anything goes” spirit. Meanwhile, John Michael Montgomery offered a more traditional country set, showcasing his prowess with compelling ballads. What left a lasting impression wasn’t the music but a moment as John left the stage. He removed his cowboy hat and bowed, revealing a significantly receding hairline (he was 34 at the time), prompting gasps and near screams from the female fans. This moment made me realize just how deeply ingrained and idolized country artists are in American society.

The festival attendees were truly diverse, with families bringing young children, creating a peaceful and pastoral atmosphere. The desert night brought temperatures below 10°C. Initially, I thought my chill was due to too much beer, so I sought warm clothing at the merchandise stalls. However, the designs were so quintessentially country that I couldn’t bring myself to buy any and ended up without extra layers.

Postscript: While writing this column, I received news of Toby Keith’s passing. He had been battling stomach cancer and was just 62 years old. Toby became an even bigger name in the 2000s, delivering numerous hits. He remained a prominent figure, both praised and criticized for his conservative stance. However, following his death, condolences poured in from across political spectrums, including from First Lady Jill Biden. My heartfelt condolences to the country music legend.

■ Toby Keith - “As Good As I Once Was”

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