Country Music Has African Roots!

Check it out!!!! Country music actually began in Africa and within the African American community.

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Music

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• Country
• Music
• African
• Roots
• Charlie
• Pride
• Rissi
• Palmer
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[oaklandlatinosunited]

you know i once told an African American that Country music has African Influences and he didn't believe me . if you hear many of he original blues music from the south it had a very strong Country sound and feel to it .

[HillbillyBoogie1]

Country music actually comes from the Hillbillies in Appalachia

[ThothWisdom]

All our American music in some way shape or form... including Country has mixed roots it is not one single influence

[ThisYoungLibertine]

the banjo was invetned by african slaves. Countries biggest influence is OLD TIME music.. which is a mix of all kinds of countries.

[BarnacleBillsBastard]

gonna start charging for history lessons. LOL!

I doubt you listen to country music; I doubt you've heard much of anything (outside the K mart country that they play on the radio nowadays). If you did, you might know more & understand it better. I'll tell you what though: Why don't you ask Mike Johnson. He's a black country musician, yodels, & has recorded for library of congress. I've talked to him a few times. He's a great guy. He knows as much as any1 about country's roots. I'll message ya.

[BarnacleBillsBastard]

was created, to give southern whites music to listen to, as many began moving into the cities or up north. In fact, 1 of the 1st Country artists to record was Fiddlin' John Carson. He recorded mostly WHITE SOUTHERN FOLK TUNES. In fact, MOST of the country musicians recording at that time, waxed SEVERAL white southern folk tunes. Blues didn't really begin until the 1890's. Vaudeville & ragtime were a bigger influence on (what would become) country, than even blues. Do you have a credit card? I'm

[BarnacleBillsBastard]

Not true. Some artists, Jimmie Rodgers, in particular, used blues chord progressions in many of his songs. Blues uses a lot of minor chords. Country songs mostly use major chords (as was the case w/ the Carter family & others). As far as "story telling," I don't know where you are going w/ that.. A ballad is still a SONG. A ballad can be a FOLK SONG (as is the case of "John Hardy" - a black southern folk song. As far as the Country genre, itself, goes (it was initially called "hillbilly"), it

[mokellyreport]

Look at the RISE of country music, look at the dates and its immediate precursors...it's Blues. There is a distinct difference in arguing that country music is "influenced" by a certain music set and that it originates from one.

Nobody would sensibly argue it's not heavily influenced by Irish/English folk traditions, but it's RISE in the 20th century is directly related to blues music. There is no "COUNTRY" music of the 20th century without the blues music to precede it...

[mokellyreport]

The emphasis here is MUSIC, not folks songs/story telling. The chord progressions mirror in many ways the blues progressions, not folk song progressions. The genre of country music is a definitive music movement, catapulted by the blues movement.

Of course you can make the argument that since it is "melodic" in focus it is ergo related to the melodic evolution of music in Europe.

[mokellyreport]

The fallacy in your argument is that this is a discussion of Country Music...not English folk ballads. Country music is a 20th century phenomenon, rising concurrently with the blues tradition.