Roots of Country: The Legends Look Back

by Robert K. Oermann

Two hundred photographs in both black and white and full color complement an oral history of the evolution of contemporary country music, as legendary musicians of the past and present recall the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1570362289
• ISBN13: 9781570362286
• Release Date: January 1996
• Publisher: Turner Publications Inc
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 1.98 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 8.5" x 10.8"

Customer Reviews

How do you define Country Music?

Don't let the fact that this book was published in 1996 deter you from reading this excellent book about Country Music. I have read and reviewed several books about Country Music;but this one is very different.Most are a collection of the stars,a bit about their careers,a couple of photos,usually head shots,and and varying degrees of lists of songs and albums. This book does this but does much more.It traces Country Music since its beginnings in America and shows how it expanded up to the present time.While there are great debates about what is truly Country Music and what isn't.Over the years,with beginnings,probably from Irish and Scottish ballads and music,brought to America by its early settlers;it has added many other music forms;all from the people who enjoyed it as a form of entertainment,songs accociated with their work ,religious practices,etc.The one thing about all forms of this music is that ,without exception ,it was "the music of the people" as opposed to music made up and promoted by organized establishment or industry.That is not to say,that even if this music started wilh people and musicians,more often than not,looked upon scorn and contempt by the music establishment;it did not take the establishment long to step in and take over when they saw it becomming popular. This book deals with all forms such as,Hillbilly,Mountain,Cowboy,Bluegrass,Honky- Tonk,Rock 'n Roll,Blues,Folk,Rockabilly,Western Swing,Nashville Sound,Bakersfield Sound,Heartbreak Music,Railroad Music,Gosspel,Countrypolitan,Hayseed music,music from the cotton fields and the prairies,Hobo Music,drinking songs,gunfighter songs,Cajun Music,African-American Music,and even more. The big difference with this book is that it is made up of quotes by the people involved with the music.They make very personal quotes about other artists and give their personal experiences they have had over the years.In the early days they made great sacrifices to spread their music around the country and how it was a great thrill to earn even a modest living at what they loved to do.They were close to their fans,and appreciated them,not like the remote aloufness we see today. The book shows how Country Music hit its greatest popularity in the 1950's and 60's with the performers travelling all around the country with their shows and performances.Then, you can't dismiss the impact of radio and the programming, where today there is little music played ,either Pop or Country. The music establishment pushes Rock Country and Line-Dance music.This is not the music of the people who supported and loved traditional Country Music;and the real Country Legends with their ballads,songs about life,are now in their 70's and it now seem that Country Music is becoming a thing of the past. However,we saw this before,and let's hope it might return.Thank God that we have the recordings to listen to,and have learned to live without Radio for our music.In the last several years I have stopped buying any Co