Dale: Actually my theory is the opposite, that country music existed before Jimmie Rodgers, and that he is just a step in the evolution. I was refering to a posting that assumed it started there, so your answer is just the thing I was looking for. Sorry I muddled that up.

I would be interested in a bibliography if you can conveniently toss one together.

Tim: I have to admit that I intentionally slurred that distinction. It is my theory, based on little fact, that what is called "western" music has very little basis in Cowboy songs. Western music seems to have evolved from the people in the Southwest trying to sing the blues. 9I would dearly love to be corrected on that. Nobody should get away with such sweeping generalities!)

Jon: I will look for the previous thread. As far as I know, Jimmie Rodgers started recording with that style in 1925. It is hard to tell with him if he did it before he started recording, because a lot of his reputation as a live performer seemed to depend upon the fact that he was a recording artist. His yodeling and his train noises seemed to have been real crowd pleasers in those days.

Murray