Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Is Country Music, Soul Music?

 Ray Charles thought so,
And so did "Hootie".
Both genres were heavily influenced by Gospel music - although from different (yet similar) perspectives.

Poor Black parishioners were not singing hymnals in a way to which they could relate.
Many added beats and sounds from their native lands in an effort to refine their music (prayers) to suit their own ears.
Poor white ethnic parishioners (not part of The Establishment) added sounds and beats from their own lands to their services as well.
Maybe Dolly Parton is correct when she states that Country Music is Soul Music.

4 comments:

Val said...

From what I've heard a lot of Black people back in the day (1920's - 1950's) listened to country music radio stations because there were very few radio stations that played music by Black artists. And that's why people like Ray were influenced by country.

DF said...

All of it's soul music. Country is the soul music of country folk. Rap is soul music of the inner city. Blues is the soul music of the deep south.

Whenever you add words to rhythm if it's telling your story it's from your soul

Reggie said...

The thing that I hate most about country music is how they always seem like they're whining about something.

Hard time, a wife that leaves them, crops that went bad, a dog that dies.........etc.

Anonymous said...

The thing I dislike about it is the whiiiiny sound too. and the,....everything.
Like a soul song will say,"got nothing to eat, I'm hungry as hell" no rain, earth dry" etc. The country song will tell you the whole story, how it didn't rain and the crops dried, and know they had to sell the farm, and yo de lay deee ooooo etc.

The soul song will say, "I'm so down Lord, she's gone and I'm dying inside" etc. The country song will say "she was screwing my best friend, I walked in on them, kicked her ass, she left yo de lay dee ooooo" and so on.

I think the difference is that the country kinda doesn't talk too much about feelings, just happenings?

I really don't now.I just can't relate to it I guess...
yo de lay deeeee oooooooooo