Regina Montonaro

Professor Jerome McKeever

English 1020
June 22, 2016
Word Count: 1684
Society in Country Music History: Review
Country music is a genre that is frequently debated for its quality, content
and depth of lyrics as well as musical layers within the background band. It is no
secret that country has drastically changed over the course of the past few
centuries. Somehow, the art of country music has moved as a regional-rooted type
of music and moved to something much larger. While that change might not seem
like a problem, country music has lost some of its original values along the way. In
the article titled Society in Country Music History composed by the Shmoop
editorial team, the authors expand on the ideas about how society has change
country music. The group of authors sets out with the intention of informing their
audience about how country music has changed over time and why those changes
took place in the first time. As they step back from including their own personal
opinions, their article becomes credible and educational. Society in Country Music
History is written in a realist point of view and does not beat around the bush in
sharing fact about the changing country music industry. The Shmoop editorial team
hooks their readers attention with their straight facts, hopeful thought and
unbiased statements throughout their work.

The Shmoop editorial team begins their article by giving the reader a short
background of where country music came from. They give a short background of
country music starting as a local music form in several small towns, to a major
music industry that is broadcasted nationally. The editorial team states Combining
an anthropologists enthusiasm for field recording with a Hollywood scouts eye (and
ear) for talent, Peer was part of a larger process that extended the reach of the
major record companies beyond Urban America and into the homes and the culture
of the rural South and the West(Shmoop 1). By learning that the major record
companies were able to reach beyond Urban America, the reader is able to see that
country music was once not nearly as large as it is now. By mentioning that this
type of music started in humble homes gives a visual of simple music in simple
times. The Shmoop editorial team goes on to mention that country music
developed alongside the nations media technologies(Shmoop ). For me, my
attention was immediately grabbed as I wanted to learn how modern technology
has had an impact on music over the years. The editorial team makes another
powerful statement in saying that the expansion of country music was nearly as
influential as the proliferation of mass media and the national popular culture. Since
this is located in the beginning of the article, the reader is inspired to keep reading
to gain more knowledge about how and why country music has changed over time.
The introduction to this article was extremely effective in grabbing the readers
attention in a light-hearted, yet educational way.
In the next section of Society in Country Music History, the authors begin
talking about the roots and original traditions of country music. For the reader, this
is effective in several different ways. First and foremost, it is educational fact that
helps the reader fully understand how this type of music started. Chances are, the

reader has heard some form of recent popular country music and can easily and
quickly understand that current music is not all that similar to the origins. The
Shmoop editorial team includes the fact the history of country music as we know
it is entwined with the history of recording technology. Before it existed on the
record for commercial purpose, there was no country, just many regional musical
styles With this information, the reader is able to understand that the label
country music merely exists for the purpose of sales in todays music industry.
Instantly, the reader is filled with the realization that their idea of country music
may not be what the original artists wanted it to be.
To be more specific, the editorial team that composed this article talk in detail
about instruments and musical styles that were frequently used in original country
music. The readers learned that original country music was often a mash-up of
country style fiddling with jazz and polka mixed in to create a unique and blended
piece of music. At this point in reading, it is very apparent that country music has
changed with society over time. It is not that common to hear jazz or polka- let
alone fiddling- in popular radio country music today. Appalachian folk music was
also very common and used a banjo frequently as part of the musical tradition. In
todays country music, there is actually very few traditional instruments being used.
Most obviously, the guitar is still in use. However, instruments including banjos,
violins, washboards, certain drums and accordions are next to never used in country
music today. While there might be the occasional time when a current country artist
uses one of those instruments in his or her song, there is a good chance that is
merely a setting on a classic keyboard that only sounds somewhat like the intended
instrument. These changes in country music are outlined by this team of authors to
show the reader that there is such a deep difference in the original value of country

music to how it is seen and heard today. The Shmoop authors described
Appalachian folk music as unlike anything anywhere in the world. (Shmoop 2) The
audience learns that this type of country music once valued traditions of carrying
the stamp of the real life experiences of its creators and came with a powerful
meaning behind each song. Today, the majority of people wouldnt know what a true
Appalachian folk song sounded like. Not only has this particular style of music faded
away, but the tradition of including true life events of the creator of the song has
also faded. In todays music business, most artists dont actually write their own
music. While that is not true in every case, most artists have a team of writers that
create everything about their songs from lyrics to background music and
instruments. For me, knowing that current artists dont create their own music takes
away a certain level of meaning from the final product. It almost feels as if there is
no tradition or meaning left in country. This proves that the roots and traditions of
country music has drastically changed.
Next, the authors explain how radio technology had an effect on the
development of country music as well. The point is made that as music is more
heavily broadcasted, whether it be on the radio or live performances, techniques
and traditions are so often lost in the race to make money instead of valuing the
roots of the music itself. The editorial team states Rather than drawing on local
tradition, artists would begin to draw on contemporary popular culture. The success
of the traditional and regional sounds created a threat to musical regionalism and
traditionalism itself (Shmoop 2). The reader learns that as soon as a certain style
or technique becomes popular enough to make money and leave its regional area, it
is used over and over again while other styles nearly vanish in the process. As
traditional techniques and styles are lost, songs are lost as well. For me, and many

other readers, the fact that styles and songs are lost along the way is very sad.
Personally, I am the type of person that really listens to music to enjoy diversity of
different cultures. Music can be an extremely effective way of learning about
different cultures and lifestyles, and the Shmoop editorial team does a wonderful
job outlining the reasons why and how country music has evolved over time. As
the money factor takes over the music business, songs and albums are becoming so
desensitized and distant. There is almost no personal roots left in country music at
all. The authors of this article remain unbiased, but provide factual information
about how country music used to be and allow the reader to realize the comparison
to current music on their own.
Society in Country Music History is concluded on a light note that states
that there are certain qualities and styles of traditional country music that have
lived on and stayed popular even through all the changes this form of art has seen.
And its [bluegrass] a music with a strong sense of tradition that remains vital in
the present. And of course, it is more popular now than ever before (Shmoop 3).
The authors from the Shmoop editorial team mention that bluegrass is still popular
today. The reader learns that bluegrass is rather new, as it was first established in
the 1940s. Bluegrass originally included faster tempos, higher key signatures and
the popular lengthy instrumental breaks mid-song. Bluegrass was able to give a
new life to old songs. The authors did mention that over time, bluegrass has
suffered periods of being less popular and then being revived once again to make a
new, even better appearance. By ending the article in this way, the authors are
providing food for thought and hope for the readers. By showing that music styles
being revived is possible, no matter how rare that might be, gives the reader a
chance to hope and think that maybe one day country music will revert back to the

origins of being truly deep in its meaning and revert back to its original instrumental
use. This gives any country music lover hope that their favorite type of country
music can be revived over time by slight changes such as a tempo increase or
bringing back older instruments. The Shmoop editorial team enforces the idea that
change is not always a bad thing in the world of music.
In the article Society in Country Music History, the Shmoop editorial team
keeps an unbiased point to their readers. They are cleverly able to provide their
audience with credible information about the history and development of country
music while allowing their audience to make inferences about current country music
in relation to old country by themselves. The authors provided facts to the readers
through thought provoking wording and specific and familiar examples that are
relatable. The hopeful and light-hearted tone that ended the teams work along with
the credible and unbiased statements throughout make the Shmoop editorial
teams work a great source for the audience.