What is culture of Country Music?

What is culture of country music?

I chose country music for my artifact of pop culture.  Country music has changed so much over the 40 years that I have been listening to it, and yet it stays the same. Charlie Rich, Dolly Parton and Patsy Cline are some of the country stars that we listened to growing up in the 70’s. Dolly Parton is still making music today.  One of her biggest hits was “I Will Always Love You” sung by the late great Whitney Houston. Dolly released the single in 1974, it did fairly well, topping the country songs chart. Whitney Houston's version came on the soundtrack for the 1992 film "The Bodyguard," co-starring the singer and Kevin Costner. It topped the charts for 14 weeks in 1992.

Country music follows a long line of tradition that cast back to the turn of the century in Appalachia.  Bill Malone pointed out country music has remained vital to audiences across nearly a century (Lewis, 1991). The term Country comes from Billboard chart “country & western” from more urban stylistic music. The Grand Ole Opry represents the history of many great country singers.  Every country singer wants to achieve singing at the Grand Ole Opry.

In February 2011 the National Pavement Maintenance Convention was held in Nashville Tennessee. My husband and I attended it for our business, but we also celebrated our 25 wedding anniversary.  In a way paving has been associated with people that are more down to earth or rough around the edges. Being a small business owner has its advantages and disadvantages, but I can always relate to country music. They actually hold The National Pavement Maintenance Convention more in Nashville than any other city.

Urban Dictionary defines pop culture “the lifestyle and taste of the majority of mostly younger people” (Urban Dictionary, 2006). This is not true there are many taste of pop culture that many ages can enjoy. Country music has become more main stream with more artist crossing over from different genre.  Darius Rucker, Cheryl Crow and Kidd Rock all have had country songs.  Country music will continue to have fans from the old Grand Ole Opry at the Rhyman to the new Grand Ole Opry at the Grand Ole Opry Hotel.

Reference
Lewis, G. H. (1991). Duellin' Values: Tension, Conflict and Contradiction in Country Music. Journal Of Popular Culture, 24(4), 103-117.

Pop Culture (2006, August 16). Urban Dictionary. Retrieved on September 28, 2012, from        http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=pop%20culture