A Conversation On Country

Written By: Steph Ward and Clay Copper

A Brief History of Country Music

Beginning in Bristol, Tennessee, the country music genre dates back to the 1920s. It transpired from artists like Vernon Dalhart and Jimmie Rodgers, who mixed aspects of jazz, blues and bluegrass to create a new sound that became wildly popular by the 1930s. As the sound progressed, artists like Hank Williams (the artist behind the original yodel boy’s “Heartsick Blues” track) and Roy Acuff led way to the Honky Tonk era, which embraced a more wild lifestyle. Loud and fun, the Honky Tonk era was influential to many of the pioneers of early rock and roll, which highly influenced and drove the popularity of this style of country music. By the mid-1950s, Nashville, Tennessee, became the Country Music Capital of the World. During this time, country artists started to dig deeper into their roots by producing a more distinct and twangy sound that led to artists like Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and other “outlaw country” artists who sang of life on the road and the depravity that may come with it. This era of the country music genre lasted throughout the 1970s. Shortly after, many pop artists like John Denver, Olivia Newton-John and Linda Ronstadt began recording albums heavily influenced by country. This pop-styled country paved the way for perhaps the most notable artists of the era, including Garth Brooks, George Strait, Reba McEntire and Tim McGraw. By the late 1990s and early 2000s, artists like Sheryl Crow and Carrie Underwood began to gain popularity. Over the last decade, the rise of pop country has brought much popularity to artists such as Taylor Swift, Luke Bryan and Florida Georgia Line. These artists, and those alike, make up the current state of country music.

We sat down and chatted with our Director, Steph Ward, and one of our Event Supervisors, Clay Copper, about their opinions on country music as a whole. Read below for the interview, conducted by Erin Diaz, one of the Assistant Directors here at SA.

Q: List your top 5 artists within this genre.

Steph: I have six…I couldn’t narrow it down to five.

1. Lee Brice – a newer artist, probably my favorite. His “Love Like Crazy” album has been important to me personally.
2. Sugarland – Jennifer Nettles’ voice is distinct from any other woman in country music. I appreciate her vocals a lot.
3. George Strait/Tim McGraw – but 90s only. Tim McGraw is not the same now as he was then.
4. Lady Antebellum
5. Chris Cagle

Clay:

1. Willie Nelson – it’s gotta be Willie.
2. Kris Kristofferson
3. Johnny Cash
4. Chris Stapleton – probably the only current artist that I enjoy.
5. George Strait – but I agree with Steph, 80s/90s was his golden age.

The first three guys I mentioned pioneered the sound of country music when it was more bluegrassy and stripped down. They turned it into something more. They have all been huge influences on blues as well, and I don’t think it’s common for a country artist to be a big-time influencer on other genres.

Q: What is your overall opinion of this genre?

Steph: My overall opinion is that I love and appreciate country music. I think it is completely undervalued. That portion comes from what everyone thinks country music is now, which is more of a pop-country where top charts mostly include Florida/Georgia Line, Thomas Rhett, etc. That’s how people define country music, but my appreciation roots deeper into years ago. You can’t deny that there is creativity in that type of music, even if you don’t like it.

Clay: I would for the most part agree with that. Unfortunately, when country music comes on the radio it’s probably not going to be something I enjoy. I think a lot of artists today still make country music that has more depth and an old-school sound, but they’re harder to find. The style of people like Chris Stapleton isn’t really popular right now. I like blues in general and his is a bluesy country. Old country was something I have always liked because of the heart-heavy lyrics – they’re always heartbroken and complaining about something, which I like. My overall opinion is that I love and hate country music. I really do not like the vast majority of what country music today is, but I still am holding onto hope for the future of the genre.

Steph: Same, Clay. Same.

Q: What specifically about the genre forms your opinion about it?

Steph: One of the things that Clay talked about a little bit in his opinion is something I relate to – I’m a bit of a sap for slower love songs. I think that’s what a lot of classic country was. Music, if you allow it to, can be based on experiences or nostalgia that you feel is related to times in life. I can pinpoint specific moments that I have listened to country music in my life, like when I would go to my aunt and uncle’s house in high school. It was an hour drive there and back and we would listen to country music, and I love getting to think about those memories. I think that’s why the time of country music that I love the most was the 90s, because that’s when I was growing up. I grew up in a small town in Ohio, so maybe everybody expects that of me. Those experiences I had when I grew up formed my love for country music, but this is a broad answer because anybody could relate to feeling this way about a certain style of music.

Clay: My overall opinion is that I like older country music, both because I like it musically but also for the reason of nostalgia – it was played in my home growing up. The new sound of country is cookie-cutter, everything sounds the same. Lyrically, it’s pretty shallow. There is a lot of talk about pick-up trucks.

Steph: Yeah, literally every song is about pick-up trucks. (rolling eyes)

Clay: Steph, I looked up the top country song right now and the first line is actually “baby lay back and relax, kick your pretty feet up on my dash.” Anyway, for the same reason that you like country music because of sentiment, I dislike it because of that. For years I had a built-up hatred for country music because in my small town, everybody loved it. There was a weird stigma that if you didn’t listen to it you were weird. Classic rock? That’s okay, but alternative rock was not accepted. Now, looking back on those people that listened to the genre and dismissed other types of music, it feels like a lot of them are in a place I wouldn’t want to be in when it comes to complacency. Unfortunately, that is something that I associate the genre with.

Q: Where would you like to see this genre go in the future?

Steph: I wish it could return back to the classics. I agree with Clay in that Chris Stapleton is doing that, however there are not enough artists doing it. The problem as to why it can’t happen this way is because technology dilutes music. It’s available to anyone and you can create music so easily. There is positivity and discovery in technology, but it makes it easier for all pop country or music on the radio to sound the same. it seems like anyone who has the desire to “make it” can do it now, and it doesn’t mean you’re good just because you’re on the radio. I want it to go back to the classics – Reba McEntire, Willie Nelson. I don’t know how that happens with a generation that seems turned off to it and more interested in a feel-good, roll my windows down type of music (which in some ways I love, admittedly).

Clay: I think I’m just different because I don’t always enjoy listening to happy music. Good mood music for me is upbeat rock or pop punk. A lot of people think that because it’s a beautiful day, it’s time for some pop country. But people like Chris Stapleton – that’s what I want to see more of. I also recently came across a song by Courtney Marie Andrews and I listened to it all day yesterday. She’s kind of alternative country, but she’s really good lyrically and she has that country/soul-driven voice. As I’ve stated already, I would like to see the old style come back, but I don’t know if that’s possible. I feel like that’s asking for Def Leppard and Lynyrd Skynyrd to come back. I don’t know what it would look like, but I just want it to get away from that pop sound.

Steph: I thought you loved Florida/Georgia Line – “Cruise”!

Clay: Shhhhh, don’t tell!

Check out our country music playlist on Spotify and let us know your thoughts! Contact us @libertysa on social media or studentactivities@liberty.edu.