Mark Henderson answered
In the 1920s, country music began to emerge from the southern states of America- and came into existence mainly due to the fusion of American folk and western cowboy music. This trend was complemented by influences from African American, Native American and Mexican musical traditions.
Country songs usually take a simple form and use traditional harmonies. The instrumentation used in the genre is a reflection on its multicultural roots. Banjos from western Africa, Guitars from Spain and fiddles from the British isles are all utilised heavily. The harmonica is another instrument that frequently features in the genre.
How did country music come about?
Initially country was referred to as hillbilly music, and the label "country" was not given to the genre until the 1940s. Early European settlers brought their music and instruments to the United States and this began to form into American folk music. Then, interactions among musicians from varying ethnic groups began to develop the musical traditions further until eventually a general form was beginning to develop.
By the 19th century, this process began to gather momentum. This was because of the cohabitation of varying ethnic groups and cultures, and caused the fusion of European and African American music. With the introduction of nationwide radio stations and recording technology in the 1920s, the genre began to spread out of its southern homeland, and became popular across the whole of the United States.
Country songs usually take a simple form and use traditional harmonies. The instrumentation used in the genre is a reflection on its multicultural roots. Banjos from western Africa, Guitars from Spain and fiddles from the British isles are all utilised heavily. The harmonica is another instrument that frequently features in the genre.
How did country music come about?
Initially country was referred to as hillbilly music, and the label "country" was not given to the genre until the 1940s. Early European settlers brought their music and instruments to the United States and this began to form into American folk music. Then, interactions among musicians from varying ethnic groups began to develop the musical traditions further until eventually a general form was beginning to develop.
By the 19th century, this process began to gather momentum. This was because of the cohabitation of varying ethnic groups and cultures, and caused the fusion of European and African American music. With the introduction of nationwide radio stations and recording technology in the 1920s, the genre began to spread out of its southern homeland, and became popular across the whole of the United States.