Country From The 1940 s Through The 1950 s 1940 s Country Goes National Changes in the Recording Industry-In the 1930 s there were basically three types of radio stations: the large networks, the network, and the i dependent stations. -A group called the American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) was in control of the song copyrights. -At the end of the National Broadcasters Company’s contract, ASCAP wanted it renewed at the price of 9 million dollars. -NAB of course said no way and developed their own network called Broadcasters Music Inc. (BMI) -Slowly people were signing with BMI, most important was Ralph Peer’s Southern Music Publishing. -When the disputes were finally settled in 1941, popular music had changed drastically.
-On the tail of the broadcasting ban, the musicians’ union, American Federation of Musicians (AFM) went on strike. -In anticipation of the strike the large companies had been stockpiling records. -The American people were hungry for new music, so they accepted the independent stations of the majors. -Over the span of the next few years the American public would embrace this music known as “Western.” Country Music in the World War II Years-The American presence in World War II redefined many American’s commitment to their country.
-By 1939, the Grand Ole Opry had become the most popular and important music show on the radio. -The four-and-a-half hour program was condensed into three hours. -The people on the Opry were not paid very well if at all. Roy Acuff-One of the first great “stars” of the Grand Ole Opry was a young musician from East Tennesee named Roy Acuff.
-Acuff actually wanted to be a professional baseball player, he actually went to a summer camp with the Yankees. -His first famous son was “The Great Specked Bird.” -Songs about trains became popularized in the music of Jimmie Rodgers. -Since the late 1930 s, it had been popular for country and hillbilly music acts. -Acuff’s popularity grew through the war years.
Fred Rose -Fred Rose began his career in music writing songs in the popular style Tin Pan Alley. -In the 1940 s, he moved to Hollywood and began writing songs for the singing cowboys, among them was Gene Autry. -In Fred Rose’s popularity Nashville Tennesee became the country capitol. The Country Music Boom Period: 1946-1953-By the end of the war in 1945, hillbilly music, which by this juncture had come to be called “Country and Western” was growing exponentially. -In California, country music was gaining a widening audience, this was because of the singing cowboys and the ne nightclubs. -One of the most influential country musicians based in California was Merle Travis.
-He en vented the music style of the guitar called “Travis Picking.” -Another important contribution to country that came from California was the development of electric instruments. -The popularity of Country continued through the 1950 s. -The first million selling song was by Patti Page in 1951. -The popularity of the Grade ole o pry grew and the more it grew the people move to Nashville, Tennesee. Honky Tonk -Unlike the previous decades Honky Tonk originated from an Urban Setting not a rural setting. -The Honky Tonk sound featured piercing guitar licks with personalized, often like melancholy vocals.
-The Honky Tonk style marked a sharp turn away from the wholesome image of Country music. The First “King” of Country: Hank Williams SR. -HW had an incalculable influence on country music. -No other singer, with the exception maybe of Jimmie Rodgers, has influenced more singers and songwriters. -HW grew up in southern Alabama and started singing and playing music as a young child. -He learned to play the guitar from a black street singer named Tee-Tot.
-Tee-Tot taught him, jazz and blues. -Songwriter Fred Rose recognized Williams talent immediately and signed a contract with him at their first meeting. -Fred Rose was like a father or mentor for HW. -Ironically, HW’s success did not come from singing a song of his own, it was “Lovesick Blues” by Cliff Friend.
-HW’s performances at the Opry were so loved he came back six times. -HW formed a back-up band called the Drifting Cowboys, they toured with him for the rest of his career.