Folk vs. Country

Subject: RE: Folk vs. Country
From: Bill D
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 12:02 PM

'country' was a subset of 'folk'. Same roots, but with special emphasis. What 'country' in these days is a subset of greed, bad taste and urban beer halls.

Who, me? Opinionated? naawwwwww.

Subject: RE: Folk vs. Country
From: Folkiedave
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 11:59 AM

You don't get this in folk music.

Subject: RE: Folk vs. Country
From: Roger in Baltimore
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 11:09 AM

I agree with Wesley that modern country owes a lot to rock and roll. I also agree with Quokka, that many country tunes fit easily into folk music or owe some roots to folk music. Kathy Mattea's new album focusses on coal mining and includes many tunes most people would call folk. I am not sure we will be able to parse out easily the differences. It falls back to the old "What is Folk Music" question. I have seen folk venues that offer traditional folk offer a group that was singing traditional country like the Osbourne Brothers. For myself, I find that some country music falls easily into my repertoire. Other country music wouldjust as easily fall into the rock and roll.

Listen to what you like. Play what you like. Don't sweat the categories.

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: RE: Folk vs. Country
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 11:00 AM

Old country (Jimmie Rogers, NLCR, Charlie Poole, Norman Blake, fiddle tunes, traditional bluegrass...)can be called "folk", but all folk is definitely not "country". Country is a sub-catagory of Folk.
I wouldn't call Jean Redpath, Planxty, Alan Mills, Mississippi John Hurt... "country", but they are certainly "folk".

On the other hand, I wouldn't call what passes for country these days "country" nor "folk".

Subject: RE: Folk vs. Country
From: Wesley S
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 10:59 AM

It's easy to spot the difference between folk and country - they are in two seperate bins at the record store. That's assuming you can find a record store that stocks folk and country recordings.

Modern country owes a lot more to 70's rock and roll than it does to folk.

Subject: RE: Folk vs. Country
From: quokka
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 10:50 AM

It depends how narrow (or broad)you like your definitons...I love a great variety of 'folk music' and also what some people call 'country'...and then there are some amazing musicians and singers who seem to transcend such narrow categories, like Emmy Lou Harris or Hank Wlliams or Alison Krauss, or even our very own Bruce Murdoch!Idont get Shania Twain et al...sorry if I am offending anyone here! Yet I love most of the stuff that's modern folk...the trendy term now is 'roots' or "blues'n'roots" music, at least that's how it's marketed here in Australia. It actually covers a great variety of different styles that are sort of hard to categorise in the traditional sense - which suits me fine. Some of the best music of the last fifty years is a hybrid of two or more different styles anyway...just my opinion!! Feel free to disagree ;-)

Cheers

Quokka

Subject: RE: Folk vs. Country
From: Zen
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 10:20 AM

True country music deceased long ago

Nashville killed real country music

There is still a lot of excellent Appalacian, old-timey, bluegrass and other forms of "country" music around so far as I can see!

Zen

Subject: RE: Folk vs. Country
From: john f weldon
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 10:13 AM

We've done this before.
Folk & Country were considered almost interchangeable terms before the fifties. (After all, Uncle Dave Macon is clearly claimed by both sides.)

When the Weavers referred to themselves as "folk", those not wishing to be associated with lefties called their music "country".

But, like many distinctions, there's no clear edge. Bluegrass? Old Timey? Stingbean? Johnny Cash singing with Bob Dylan?

Subject: RE: Folk vs. Country
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 10:12 AM

Nashville killed real country music, there was no difference between real ' country ' and folk music.

Dave H

Subject: RE: Folk vs. Country
From: BobKnight
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 10:11 AM

There's an old saying, "Comparisons are odious."

Subject: RE: Folk vs. Country
From: GUEST,Stew
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 10:02 AM

I think that Folk music is still lingering around in it's original form. True country music deceased long ago. There, I said it!
Stew

Subject: Folk vs. Country
From: GUEST,Cyparissa
Date: 23 Feb 09 - 09:58 AM

So, what exactly (in your opinion) is the difference between "folk music" and "country music?" Is there a difference worth noting? In my experience there is, but it can be difficult to spot sometimes. I've heard the opinion that any folk music sung in a Southern accent is country. I've also heard that any folk music with excess banjo is country.

What do you think?