Country music is one of the most popular genres of music throughout America. There are many influential figures that have changed the way country music sounds, and how people interpret it. Two important people who have made a huge impact on country music overtime are Johnny Cash and Luke Bryan. From their early life, their career, and how society views them, they have opened the minds of people and country musicians all over the country. Johnny Cash’s songs help people to experience his life growing up through the Great Depression and how people lived back then. Through Luke Bryan’s songs people could understand what life was like for Luke growing up in Georgia and all the hardships he faced. Johnny Cash and Luke Bryan are two of the many country singers that have influenced country fans to be more optimistic and hopeful.
Johnny Cash was born in Kingsland, Arkansas on February 26, 1932 (Enslow 19). He began to take an interest to music when his father bought a radio. His mother loved listening to music and his mother and Johnny would sing songs all throughout the house. Taught by his mother and childhood friend, he learned to play guitar (Enslow 19). Working hard and practicing, he became very good at guitar and singing. However, he grew up through the Great Depression and this was very difficult for him and his family. In Edward Enslow’s “The Man in Black” Johnny Cash states, “We were very poor, and I almost died of starvation as a child.” This quote shows how life was a struggle for Cash in his early life. Facing all the many challenges was difficult for him but he found a way through it. Through his older brother Jack, he was able to cope with his life growing up. Jack was a huge role model to Johnny growing up, he would teach...
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Times have changed, and along with the times so has country music. American country music lovers have went from Loretta Lynn and Waylon Jennings, just two of the many classic oldies, to Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan, two very appealing country music artists. However, it is not only the tune of the music that has changed, it is the image, the appeal, and overall the type of icons the media is portraying these modern music stars as. Icons such as Lynn and Jennings had identifiable features within their music as well as their appearance that spoke sweet southern belle and rugged twang. Whereas Underwood’s and Bryan’s appeal now is much more sexualized than it was during the oldies. These changes affect the way modern day singers are marketed compared to former country music stars, instead of focusing on talent it is now looks.
Scott Joplin, commonly known as the "King of Ragtime" music, was born on November 24, 1868, in Bowie County, Texas near Linden. Joplin came from a large musical family. His father, Giles Joplin was a musician who had fiddled dance music while serving as a slave at his master's parties. His mother, Florence Givens Joplin, born free and out of slavery, sang and played the banjo, and four of his brothers and sisters either sang or played strings.
LUKE BRYAN LIVING THE DREAM. FINAN, EILEEN. People. 8/5/2013, Vol. 80 Issue 6, p113. 1p.
Country music, as we know it today, was first called “Hillbilly music”. The name “Country” was not widely used until around the 1950s. The creation of this Hillbilly music, very much like American culture, was influenced from many different cultures and styles of music.
Kenney Chesney has definitely made a name for himself in the country music industry. Through his had work and persistence, this guy from a small town in Tennessee has become a “Big Star.” Although Kenney Chesney is known thought the world, Chesney said for me, it’s “about the guy in the baseball hat and the girl that guy thinks is pretty. Real life the double platinum boy, who finds his solace in the ocean, realizes doesn’t’ always who up with the glided edges and profound pronouncements – you gotta find the truth as it rolls by with tan lines, an easy smile and a twinkle in its eye. And you know, so far, that’s worked just fine” (Official Website).
Hank Williams Jr as we know him was born Hank Randall Williams, born in small town Shreveport, Louisiana, on May 26, 1949. Hank Jr was only three when his father Hank died, but that did not stop his music dream. At just the age of 8 Hank Jr began singing his dad songs on stage. “Williams made his stage debut at the age of 8 and his first appearance at Nashville's famed Grand Ole Opry at age 11. At age 15, Williams had his first Top 5 hit on the country charts. " (http://www.biography.com/) Even though his father was gone, Hank Jr helped carry on his legacy through music. His mother being his biggest supporter, helped him along the way.
Tichi, Cecelia. 1994. High lonesome: the American culture of country music. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press.
Widely considered country music’s first superstar, Hiram/Hank Williams was born September 17, 1923, in mount olive, Alabama. Williams, the third child of Lon and Lillie Williams, grew up in a household that never had much money. His father worked as a logger before entering the Veterans’ Administration hospital when young hank was just six. Father and son rarely saw each other over the next decade, with William’s mother, who ran rooming houses, moving the family to Greenville, and later, Montgomery, Alabama. (Hank Williams) Everyone knew Hank was a good guy, but like any man had his ups and his downs throughout the short life he lived. Hank grew up rough and he knew it; however nothing was going to stop this young man from doing what he set out to pursue. What he did was astonishing changing art or “so called” music. Hank redefined country music with his personal opinion on what music really was.
Charles Hardin Holley, widely known as Buddy Holly, was an American singer with a brilliant talent. (“Buddy Holly Biography,” Buddy Holly) Born on September 7, 1936 in Lubbock, Texas, Buddy Holly was the youngest of four. Lawrence Odell Holley and Ella Pauline Holley were Buddy Holly’s parents. (“Buddy Holly Biography,” Amburn) Holley was born into a family of music. Even though Holley’s father Lawrence Odell Holley had no real musical talent, he made each of his children learn an instrument. (Drape) Buddy Holly learned how to play the piano and fiddle at an early age. (“Buddy Holly Biography”) Later on, one of Holley’s brothers taught him how to play the guitar. (Amburn) Not only did Holley’s guitar playing have a sense of proficiency and individual style, but it also progressed with a great speed that astonished his family. (Amburn) At first, Holley’s parents though he showed no real signs of musical talent. After learning the guitar so fast and well, Holley’s parents changed that opinion pretty fast. (Drape)
Johnny Cash was born and raised in Arkansas. He was the son of a poor Southern Baptist sharecropper who moved his family to new farms when Johnny was only three (“Johnny
Hank Williams was arguably the most influential country music star of all time. Though his life of fame was short-lived, his legend continues to live among millions of fans. Hank was the first legendary country music singer, and he was an innovator of his time. Hank helped country music spread from the rural south to other parts of the nation. Hank was launched to fame with many songs such as “Your Cheatin Heart,” “Jambalaya,” and “Cold, Cold Heart.” The legacy of Hank Williams continues to influence country music fans worldwide.
Right away when he got to Nashville he got a contract from a publishing house. Bryan performed at night in different clubs for a while. In the summer of 2007 his first major record came out (biography.com editors). After his first major record came out his sister died of unknown causes while she was home with her three year old child at the time. With Kelly’s ( Luke Bryan sister) death no one could figure out why she dead. They called it a abnormally tragic death because that was that best they could call it. Bryan was only in Nashville for six years when his sister died (Finan, Eileen). A few months later he gave the song Good Directions to an artist by the name of Bill Currington (Stark, Phyllis). Seven years later he won the Entertainer of the Year and the ACM(Biography.com Editors, Finan, Eileen). Winner these rewards were really meaningful to him after what he has been through(Finan,Eileen). Over the years Luke Bryan has had so many number one hits for all his different albums and songs, that it’s too many to list, but a couple is Drink a Beer and That's My Kind Of Night. Just recently he sing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl 52. Today Bryan helps out three different charities they are St.Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Make A Wish Foundation, and Young Men Christian Association (YMCA)(Biography.com Editors). Bryan’s music career is still growing today even with his busy life that he
The Male Vocalist of the year was given to him in 1984 as well as the Top Male Artist and Overall Top Artist award in 1986. He had Number One Top Country Artist of the year award in 1987. George collected the Hot Country Singles and Tracks Artist in 1995 and 1996 and the Top Male Country Artist and Overall Top Artist in 1996. Strait obtained the Male Vocalist of the year and Album of the year for “ Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind ?”
Johnny cash, the man in black is a country legend, him and the Tennessee two, made a name for themselves in the mid 50's. There orignal songs where gospil, but when trying to get a record deal was turned down for the gospil ,but then played a song Johnny cash wrote. The first hit was "Cry,Cry,Cry", other hits were " i walk the line","folsom Prison blues" , and others such as " man in black"" Hey Porter", and " get rhythm". Johnny cash marride his early wife Vivian Liberto in 1954, and moved to Memphis, Tennessee.His band The Tennessee two consited of Luther Perkins and bass player Marshall Grant. They were known for there sound, people say they had a "boom-chik-a-Boom" sound like a train. Johnny wore dark clothing which got him the name "man in black", and hestarted his performanced with the simple entrance "Hello im Johnny Cash". {wikipedia}