Folklore: Beyonce and origins of country

Subject: Folklore: Beyoncé and origins of country
From: Thompson
Date: 22 Feb 24 - 01:48 PM

I was, as is my custom, dozing and listening to BBC World Service radio (which is one of the excellent channels available on the app Tune-in Radio Pro). But dammit, I can't now find the programme I heard on the schedules.
The programme was about Beyoncé's country songs, but also about the way that she was reclaiming the origins of country music in black music. I thought the programme was The Compass, but can't find it at the time I was listening (around 7 or 8 GMT) on the schedule. If anyone's got a link, please post it; it was very interesting.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Beyonce and origins of country
From: GUEST,Roger
Date: 22 Feb 24 - 04:37 PM

I think this might have been part of a BBC R4 Front Row earlier this week.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Beyonce and origins of country
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 22 Feb 24 - 06:56 PM

^ Yes Front Row, Radio4 Tuesday 20th Feb 2024
starts with a Beonce track then interviews Rhiannon Giddens
Rhiannon Giddens, the musician, composer and former lead singer of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, performs live with her band. She talks about her work in uncovering the real history of the banjo and writing her first solo album of original material.
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001wjgh

Report back if you heard something different ;)

---

Thompson if you want more folk from BBC radio there's the thread for 2024
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=172936#4193638

and a thread for programmes available for a year or more
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=171922

Subject: RE: Folklore: Beyonce and origins of country
From: Thompson
Date: 23 Feb 24 - 02:36 AM

Thanks!
Very interesting discussion on the carefully forgotten black origins of some beautiful American music.
I hadn't heard her songs - these bluegrassy songs are lovely, though the accompanying video is a bit strange to me - not so much the normal prancing around in cowboy hats, but the semi-naked bits made me go eww.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Beyonce and origins of country
From: GUEST,James Phillips
Date: 24 Feb 24 - 12:31 PM

Country music has a lot of influences and origins - but to my ears, it's a mixture of black, Irish and Scottish influences. Which pretty much describes the origins of most popular music in America tbh, whether black or white.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Beyonce and origins of country
From: GUEST,IS
Date: 24 Feb 24 - 12:47 PM

It's interesting to note that the song 'Texas Hold'em' is basically a twelve-bar blues in structure.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Beyonce and origins of country
From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch
Date: 24 Feb 24 - 03:34 PM

“Country” - Beyoncé is born and raised in post Urban Cowboy era Texas. Two Texans, three opinions and Oklahoma will beg to differ. Jimmie Rodger's studio musicians were (mostly) not even American mainlanders.

The banjo is primarily an East Coast instrument. Texan 'country' will lean more to dobro and pedal steel guitar. AKA “Western”... like Beyoncé's 'cowboy' hat and the Nudie suit wardrobe in general.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Beyonce and origins of country
From: Thompson
Date: 02 Mar 24 - 04:08 AM

BBC World Service right now: discussion by various people around the world of their love for country music: "Host James Reynolds brings together three African-American women in country music, including musician Rissi Palmer who first reached the country charts in 2007 and has had several hits since." - the introduction said it's also got country musicians from Nigeria, Argentina and… somewhere.

It's the Weekend programme; you can listen back to it if you miss it.