Today i will be writing about tradition vs Innovative or new country music. Before we get started i would just like to say the country music today has recreated the genre and is so far off the concept of original country music that they are hard to even compare.  When looking at where country music started we can look to what we have read from our textbook about Honky Tonks and when country music really started to become music for the working class people. Take Hank Williams for example one of the original and maybe most important “Honky Tonk” singers. He grew up in Alabama in a lower class family. Hank started playing music at a very young age and made it to the radio by 13. Hank Williams had a very short term with country music but songs that topped the charts like “I saw the light”. Hank was inducted into the Rock n Roll and Country music hall of fame.  He was one of the very first country music singer to connect with the common working class.  His music was very popular in Honky Tonk bars which is where country music really started. When these bars were created they were a place that everyday people could come gather and unwind from a long work week.  This if where the honky tonk sound was created.

The Honky Tonk sound as well as Most of Mr. Williams songs are know for there two beat rhythm with guitar both steel and electric.  This sound is what people who enjoy the traditional country music associate with it.

When we look at the trail of how we got to where we are today with country music obviously the technology has changed and advancements in music have made a new sound in country.  If you asked someone who they like in country music today they might say Dan + Shay who is a country music duo that currently holds the number 3 spot on iTunes country charts.  Somewhere between now and hank Williams era (1940s) the music changed to what it is today.

To understand the different between the two types of country music one can look at all the variables. When listening to Hank Williams “Hey Good Lookin’ ” listeners can hear the guitar strumming just as loud as Hanks voice. Which leads to my first point. Sometimes people can have a hard time even hearing an acoustic guitar in the modern day music.  Traditional country music is signers like Johnny Cash that when you hear a song by him you know its country.  Artists today combine pop music with country and that is what it is known for today.  The innovation half of this Dichotomy will be focused on Taylor Swift. Fans have mixed emotions about Taylor Swift and some say she is not a country music singer. What fans can’t deny is that she has changed her sound of country music and gotten a few hit singles along the way. Earlier songs by Taylor Swift like “Fearless” guitar can be heard and the vocals are still somewhat country relatable.

Taylor Swift has changed her music style tremendously from music like this. The reason i am using her as an example is because of her most recently released music that some say is country but majority consider pop. In a way she tried to combine country with pop music and become a new unique sound but i think somewhere along the line she was more overtaken by pop music as the country side dissapeared. When comparing the two eras of country music a listener can realize how things have changed.  People no longer want music they can relate to in a dusty old bar.  The Honky Tonk era of country has come and passed and the new country pop sound has arrived and it sounds like this.

Songs like this have no resemblance to the old country music thank artists like Hank introduced to the world. Listen to the continuous rhythm with next to no guitar.  They “String Twanging” style that honky tonk music had is gone and that is the innovation of country.  Sam Hunt uses technology in his music to create different sounds that he can use to make the music more flowing and easier for the audience to sing along to.

I think the country music today has changed and “innovative” country is more about what the audience wants to hear rather than country that is real and relatable.  I think today tradition country does still exist in artists such as Blake Shelton who sing songs more about country lifestyle and sing music more relatable for country fans.  In my opinion if you let someone who was not a country music fan listen to some of the top hits on the country music charts they would enjoy the songs.  That to me spells out innovative. Artists have changed the way of country music in order to appeal to the majority of music fans.

#M4Q3

Works Cited:

Matt Errey(n.d)History of Country Music. Retrieved from:https://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/music-country.htm

Citizen K.(November 11,2008)He walked Alone. Retrieved from: http://killiansaid.blogspot.com/2008/11/he-walked-alone.html

‘Shuffle Along,’ a musical comedy composed by Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle features an all-black cast. An all-black cast was a large achievement for black theatre at that time. However, African-Americans were not accepted nor allowed to perform on stage because “the stage held power,” but they wouldn’t be going up there to claim power. It started as a minstrel show practice where whites performed wearing burnt cork to darken them own selves, but later black performers were allowed to join the stage. For that though, they had also to paint their face with burnt cork to darken there own selves more. They hide behind this new mask; mocking themselves and giving up their self-identity. They wore these masks because of social stigma, also gave up their self-identity for their love to perform. They changed stage presences and were pulling audiences to performances.

‘Shuffle Along,’ did reinforce blackface by continuing to mock African-Americans. By masking themselves with burnt cork and preventing black performs/people to have their own identity, and not this portrayed imagine on stage. They challenged socials by having black performs, but they continued to push more by introducing “black sexuality.” Black sexuality was a huge taboo because they didn’t want black people to indulge in too much lovemaking. They saw black sexuality as dangerous. ‘Shuffle Along,’ didn’t stop there in challenging the 20th century. They challenged the typical rhythms in musical theatre by introducing ragtime. Ragtime is a mixture of European forms and African inspired syncopation. By introducing this, it meant they were introducing blackness, allowing the mask to slowly come off.

Over the years ‘Shuffle Along’ created many wonderful songs. Original a love song, “I’m just wild bout Harry,” written and composed by Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle, remains to be an iconic song of theirs. Many people can say they have heard the song, and many like myself can say I’ve never heard it before.

Juba or patting Juba was African dancing/ plantation dancing that had certain familiar Celtic elements mixed into it. Juba performed by drumming your body, by slapping your chest, knees, and soles of their feet. By wearing hard sole shoes, it evolved into what is called tap. The second Juba was Juba, the first great American tap dancer. He was the young child who was known to be the best in the world. His real name is unknown and is only referred to as Juba. ‘Shuffle Along’ was nervous to bring him on because he was replacing Diamond, a white juba dancer that was performing in blackface. They thought because he was actually black, spectators wouldn’t accept it. Juba got the position with ‘Shuffle Along’ but had to paint his face with burnt cork, and wear the same black wig to look like Diamond. People loved Juba more than Diamond. He was the first black performer to perform before large crowds of whites in a context that transcended the informal.

Claims of the historical significance of ‘Shuffle Along’ became the first successful all-black Broadway musical. The original creators who put the show together didn’t last long. In less than two years of it being open on Broadway, they split up because they couldn’t agree on how the show’s profit should be split. Miller and Lyles (writers of the books) thought everything should be split down the middle; Sissle and Blake (songwriters) thought otherwise. Credit needed to go to call. Even without William and Walker, the production wouldn’t have been such a great success. It was the transition from ‘Bandanna Land,’ an all-white young crowd base, to ‘Shuffle Along,’ which opened it up to a black and white audience. This shift is what allowed ‘shuffle to advance as it did. People were buying tickets for all sorts of reasons. It was also thanks to the whole team for those whose careers began with the show or later productions, was enough to influence American theater and song. It was said by Landstong Hughes that ‘Shuffle Along’ was the beginning of the Harlem Renaissance because it introduced syncopation and jazz into the American musical.

‘Shuffle Along’ has made a huge impact on our Broadway today. The 2016 show has evolved from not doing ‘Shuffle Along,’ but rather telling the story of the making of ‘Shuffle Along.’ It shows a creative musical way of expressing how the production and creators came to be. The 2016 show expresses both sides, of the white and black perceptive during that time. The creative team brought back tap and jazz in a wonderful Broadway musical that brilliantly showed the story of the original ‘Shuffle Along.’

Upon reading this article, I was astonished by the information. I couldn’t believe that white people felt the need to paint their faces black, and then make African-Americans paint there own selves black to hide the blackness. They allowed mockery of there own selves on stage; because this was the only way they could be on stage. The challenges they faced were to be accepted and express themselves the way they wanted. Despite having to mask their identity and be made a joke, they were able to change the game by being a black performer on stage.

The textbook gives a rather unfair perspective in blackface in America because it speaks so vaguely about African-Americans during that time, and having to deal with it. It doesn’t go into detail of why they did it but only that promoters billed the minstrel show as an authentic portray of plantation life. Therefore, showed a very stereotyped view. It just goes to voice one reason about blackface and why it was a thing. The only context they have for why blackface was a thing for white and black performers was the inside perspective of William and other black performers; that they had to appear in blackface so that they looked the way, white people thought they should. It doesn’t talk explain the other difficulties African-Americans faced just to become a performer or what it was like performing with all the stigma surrounding them. It lists not an explanation of why blackface was so popular amongst the audience, and what it did for everyone. The textbook could have been fairer about its perspective on blackface in America.

resources

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/27/magazine/shuffle-along-and-the-painful-history-of-black-performance-in-america.html

“The Great American Songbook isn’t really a book. Rather, it’s a notional collection of several hundred pop songs.”(Yagoda, 2015)

The Great American Songbook was the start of something revolutionary. It was a collection of the influential jazz and popular American songs that stemmed from the 20th century. Although called a book, it is more of a grouping of enduring music from the 1920s-1950s that were intended for theatre and musical film in New York city. Many of the earliest influential Songbook classics were composed on New York’s Tin Pan Alley. Around the 1970s many pop and rock artists took over and recreated some of the music included but the original standards were composed by men like Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Michael Feinstein, Richard Rodgers, Johnny Mercer and others. Since some of these names may not be familiar as they were not to me, some more recognizable names may include; Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr.  These men and few women made a living writing sheet music for American musical theatre and Hollywood movies.

Since majority of the composers from the Songbook were men, I have chosen to place a focus on some of the women. Dorothy fields song, ‘I cant Give You Anything But Love, Baby’ which was co-wrote with Jimmy McHugh in 1928 and sung by Adelaide Hall at Les Ambassadeurs Club in New York is a staple example in the Songbook.

The first recording of this songs stems from the 1920s but is again introduced in the Songbook in the late 1930s by the well known, Billie Holiday. This is a perfect example of how songs included in The Great American Songbook were almost passed down or passed on to different artists to place their own swing on. I believe Holidays version of the song became famous because of her incredibly strong vocals, pitch and tone. She sings soft and smooth while still keeping powerful vocals.

This song in particular is one of so many that have continued to influence both the history and world of music we live in today. Although it origionated in the 1920’s, singers have contonued to keep it alive. Ella Fitzgerald also did a beautiful and more groovy version of the song in 1957. The main differance between the 1920s version when compared to the 1950s version is the more upbeat pace. Fitzgerald takes it from a smooth jazz to a more ragtime jazz.

Between the three-different version provided, I personally prefer Ella Fitzgerald’s version not because it is the most recent out of the three but because I prefer a faster-paced beat. It doesn’t mean I don’t like soft smooth music, but everyone has different taste and often, taste changes. I believe a change in musical taste and preferences is one of the main reasons the era of the Great American Songbook may have faded as Rock and Roll took over around the 1970s and post-war period. In Module three the class really gets to understand the impacts technology and advancement had on the world of new music and I think the main reason The Great American Songbook faded can be explained in one statement:

Out with the old and in with the new?

I place a question mark here because this is a widely debated topic. Peoples taste in music prewar was probably very different from their taste in music post-war and post-Great Depression which had a massive impact on places like Harlem where music grew and thrived. People and placed who once flourished with jazz and life became corrupt and worn down, leaving room for new opportunities and new music. People alongside popular music changed after World War II. Another popular belief behind the fade of the Great American Songbook is the fact that in 1953, 34 songwriters sued radio stations and record companies and by the time the suit was over, other artists and music genres such as the African Americans who came after the Great Migration started to open the door to new flavours of popular music. Rock seems to be the most drastic turning point which led to the fade of The Great American Songbook.

So, why were songs not added after the 1960’s?

The Beatles (formed 1960) and Elvis Presley(peaked in the 1960’s).

Are The Beatles and Elvis really the reason The Great American Songbook faded?

No, they are not solely to blame but they, alongside many other artists introduced an entirely new genre of music that people loved. If you listen to ‘I Can’t Give You Anything but Love, Baby’ and then listen to ‘Twist and Shout’ it’s crystal clear the distinct difference between the two and how music drastically began to change in the 1960’s-1970’s and I’m betting more people know those two legendary names and recognized much less of the original composers in the Great American Songbook. It seems all good things come to an end and as time goes on, peoples taste in music will continue to change and some great things may fade while new things bloom.

Personally, I have the utmost respect for all the composers and songs included in the Great American Songbook as well as all musicians because music is one massive butterfly effect. Without one, who knows where we would be now. The music from the Great American Songbook is beautiful and although it may have faded it is still a staple in the history of popular music.

Works Cited:

Cafe Songbook, www.greatamericansongbook.net

Chilton, Martin. “Cover to Cover: The Story of The Great American Songbook.” You Discover Music, 2018.

Mcdermott, Jeffrey C. “What is the Great American Songbook.” The Centre for Performing Arts, 2016.

Yagoda, Ben. “Have we turned the last page in Americas Songbook?” Zocalo Public Square, 2015.

“The Great American Songbook isn’t really a book. Rather, it’s a notional collection of several hundred pop songs.”(Yagoda, 2015)

The Great American Songbook was the start of something revolutionary. It was a collection of the influential jazz and popular American songs that stemmed from the 20th century. Although called a book, it is more of a grouping of enduring music from the 1920s-1950s that were intended for theatre and musical film in New York city. Many of the earliest influential Songbook classics were composed on New York’s Tin Pan Alley. Around the 1970s many pop and rock artists took over and recreated some of the music included but the original standards were composed by men like Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Michael Feinstein, Richard Rodgers, Johnny Mercer and others. Since some of these names may not be familiar as they were not to me, some more recognizable names may include; Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr.  These men and few women made a living writing sheet music for American musical theatre and Hollywood movies.

Since majority of the composers from the Songbook were men, I have chosen to place a focus on some of the women. Dorothy fields song, ‘I cant Give You Anything But Love, Baby’ which was co-wrote with Jimmy McHugh in 1928 and sung by Adelaide Hall at Les Ambassadeurs Club in New York is a staple example in the Songbook.

The first recording of this songs stems from the 1920s but is again introduced in the Songbook in the late 1930s by the well known, Billie Holiday. This is a perfect example of how songs included in The Great American Songbook were almost passed down or passed on to different artists to place their own swing on. I believe Holidays version of the song became famous because of her incredibly strong vocals, pitch and tone. She sings soft and smooth while still keeping powerful vocals.

This song in particular is one of so many that have continued to influence both the history and world of music we live in today. Although it origionated in the 1920’s, singers have contonued to keep it alive. Ella Fitzgerald also did a beautiful and more groovy version of the song in 1957. The main differance between the 1920s version when compared to the 1950s version is the more upbeat pace. Fitzgerald takes it from a smooth jazz to a more ragtime jazz.

Between the three-different version provided, I personally prefer Ella Fitzgerald’s version not because it is the most recent out of the three but because I prefer a faster-paced beat. It doesn’t mean I don’t like soft smooth music, but everyone has different taste and often, taste changes. I believe a change in musical taste and preferences is one of the main reasons the era of the Great American Songbook may have faded as Rock and Roll took over around the 1970s and post-war period. In Module three the class really gets to understand the impacts technology and advancement had on the world of new music and I think the main reason The Great American Songbook faded can be explained in one statement:

Out with the old and in with the new?

I place a question mark here because this is a widely debated topic. Peoples taste in music prewar was probably very different from their taste in music post-war and post-Great Depression which had a massive impact on places like Harlem where music grew and thrived. People and placed who once flourished with jazz and life became corrupt and worn down, leaving room for new opportunities and new music. People alongside popular music changed after World War II. Another popular belief behind the fade of the Great American Songbook is the fact that in 1953, 34 songwriters sued radio stations and record companies and by the time the suit was over, other artists and music genres such as the African Americans who came after the Great Migration started to open the door to new flavours of popular music. Rock seems to be the most drastic turning point which led to the fade of The Great American Songbook.

So, why were songs not added after the 1960’s?

The Beatles (formed 1960) and Elvis Presley(peaked in the 1960’s).

Are The Beatles and Elvis really the reason The Great American Songbook faded?

No, they are not solely to blame but they, alongside many other artists introduced an entirely new genre of music that people loved. If you listen to ‘I Can’t Give You Anything but Love, Baby’ and then listen to ‘Twist and Shout’ it’s crystal clear the distinct difference between the two and how music drastically began to change in the 1960’s-1970’s and I’m betting more people know those two legendary names and recognized much less of the original composers in the Great American Songbook. It seems all good things come to an end and as time goes on, peoples taste in music will continue to change and some great things may fade while new things bloom.

Personally, I have the utmost respect for all the composers and songs included in the Great American Songbook as well as all musicians because music is one massive butterfly effect. Without one, who knows where we would be now. The music from the Great American Songbook is beautiful and although it may have faded it is still a staple in the history of popular music.

Works Cited:

Cafe Songbook, www.greatamericansongbook.net

Chilton, Martin. “Cover to Cover: The Story of The Great American Songbook.” You Discover Music, 2018.

Mcdermott, Jeffrey C. “What is the Great American Songbook.” The Centre for Performing Arts, 2016.

Yagoda, Ben. “Have we turned the last page in Americas Songbook?” Zocalo Public Square, 2015.

Hi everyone! I’m Kaitlyn, a fourth year BA Honours Psychology student. I have taken ten years of piano lessons and am so blessed to say I have been teaching piano for the past six years. Although my major is in psychology, I have taken many Women and Gender Studies classes, and after a quick Google search of Ma Rainey, I knew I wanted to learn more about this strong, shameless woman! With that said, here is my blog post about Ma Rainey.

Even if her name is not familiar to you, Ma Rainey’s impact on jazz culture and performance has likely impacted the work of some of your favourite entertainers. Ma was the first popular stage performer to integrate true blues music into her pieces. Before she was dubbed “Mother of the Blues”, Rainey was Gertrude Pridgett, a charismatic girl born in Columbus, Georgia on April 26, 1886. By the time Pridgett was 14, she was travelling around the South singing cabaret in various talent and tent shows.[2] In fact, Rainey first experienced blues at one of these shows, when a fellow performer shared a song about a man leaving her – Rainey was instantly intrigued. At age 18, Gertrude married William Rainey, a comedy songster. The couple began touring together in 1915 and were dubbed the “Assassinators of Blues”.[3]  Only a year later, William and Getrude separated, which led to Gertrude choosing to venture into solo headlining under the name Ma (short for Madame) Gertrude Rainey.[4] Ma’s performances were known for their extravagance: acrobats, contortionists, and comedy bits were common before Ma hit the stage, and when she finally graced the audience with her presence, it wouldn’t be unlike her to do so in a golden gown, tiara, gold-capped smile, and with an ostrich plume and gun in hand.[5] She was a true performer, always bringing zest and power to slow, blues songs with her commanding voice and amazing stage presence. It is safe to that Ma Rainey was one the original black divas, as she was confident in dazzling costumes and felt completely comfortable being herself on stage. Her lyrics also often included messages of poverty, racial inequality, and sexual fluidity, which adds to her significance as an artist.[6] Instead of trying to succeed by hiding the challenging parts of her identity, such as an appearance that was not deemed beautiful by society, being a member of a marginalized race, and a sexual orientation that was outside of the societal norm, Ma was open about these aspects of her life and used them to help build her legacy.

In 1923, Rainey began recording for the Paramount label. “See-see Rider” was among the few songs she released that year, which became one of the most well-known blues songs of all time.[7] Since this song was such a success for Rainey, I have chosen it to show to you. As you listen to the song, you may notice that the lyrics are quite sad – it chronicles the story of a woman who is in love with an unfaithful man, which can be heard through a slow tempo in duple time with various instruments accompanying Rainey’s voice. The pretty clarinet tune in the background gives an interesting contrast to the otherwise morose song, and the trumpet brings in the blues feel. I think that the emotion in Ma Rainey’s voice in this song is likely why it became so popular.

The next song that I have picked to help represent Ma Rainey is called “Prove It On Me Blues”, which is one of Ma Rainey’s songs that suggests her interest in women. Ma sings “Went out last night with a crowd of my friends / They must’ve been women, ’cause I don’t like no men”. The discussion of sexual matter as observed in this song is typical for blues songs. I find this song to be one of Ma’s catchier tunes even though the speed is not too fast. The inflections that Ma uses during the song and her powerful voice make it quite the earworm, especially due to the strophic form of the song in which the “Sure got to prove it on me” part is often repeated. Ma Rainey’s label promoted this song with a picture of her in a three-piece suit and fedora, talking to some women while police men watch from across the street watch (see below). Ma maintains a lower register for most of the song, and the instrumentation seems to include drums, a bass, piano, and a nice melody mimicking Ma’s voice from 1:25-2:00 that sounds like a horn of some sort.

Lastly, I have chosen “Big Feelings Blues” to share with you. I chose this song because it is the last song that Ma recorded before she was dropped by her label in 1928. Ma’s contract was cancelled because Ma was unwilling to change her music style to represent a change in audience’s preference, and male swingers and swing music was taking over.[9] This song utilizes less instruments, with just a banjo mainly strumming chords in accompaniment with Rainey’s soothing voice. The tempo of this song is slightly faster than that of the last two examples I have shared: I find that this song also has a bit more of a sway to it than the last two, and it seems to have a 4-beat syncopation with an accent on the first beat of each four. I find it ironic that this is the last song that Rainey recorded with her label, because I think it best highlights the power of her voice that does not require intricate instrumentation in accompaniment.

Ma officially retired from the music scene in 1935, choosing to instead spend her time on the two entertainment venues she was involved in.[10] Four years after her retirement, on December 22, Rainey died in Rome, Georgia. Through her bold performative and musical choices, and especially her impact on blues, Rainey has inspired various other musicians such as Big Mama Thornton, Dinah Washington, and Bessie Smith, as well as poets such as Langston Hughes and Sterling Brown.[11] Ma Rainey’s integration of blues into her music has had an indescribable impact on all blues musicians to this day.

Bibliography

[1] The Biography.com website. “Ma Rainey Biography’. Biography.com. April 27, 2017. Accessed July 11, 2018. https://www.biography.com/people/ma-rainey-9542413

[2] Giamo, Cara. “The Queer Black Woman Who Reinvented The Blues”. Atlas Obscura. April 27, 2016. Accessed July 10, 2018. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-queer-black-woman-who-reinvented-the-blues

[3] The Biography.com website. “Ma Rainey Biography’. Biography.com. April 27, 2017. Accessed July 11, 2018. https://www.biography.com/people/ma-rainey-9542413

[4] Giamo, Cara. “The Queer Black Woman Who Reinvented The Blues”. Atlas Obscura. April 27, 2016. Accessed July 10, 2018. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-queer-black-woman-who-reinvented-the-blues

[5] Ibid.

[6] Obrecht, Jas. “Ma Rainey: The Life and Music of “The Mother of the Blues””. Jas Obrecht Music Arhive. August 7, 2010. Accessed July 15, 2018. http://jasobrecht.com/ma-rainey-the-mother-of-the-blues/

[7] The Biography.com website. “Ma Rainey Biography’. Biography.com. April 27, 2017. Accessed July 11, 2018. https://www.biography.com/people/ma-rainey-9542413

[8] Obrecht, Jas. “Ma Rainey: The Life and Music of “The Mother of the Blues””. Jas Obrecht Music Arhive. August 7, 2010. Accessed July 15, 2018. http://jasobrecht.com/ma-rainey-the-mother-of-the-blues/

[9] Ibid.

[10] The Biography.com website. “Ma Rainey Biography’. Biography.com. April 27, 2017. Accessed July 11, 2018. https://www.biography.com/people/ma-rainey-9542413

[11] The Biography.com website. “Ma Rainey Biography’. Biography.com. April 27, 2017. Accessed July 11, 2018. https://www.biography.com/people/ma-rainey-9542413