difference between city blues & country

Subject: RE: difference between city blues & country
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 06 Dec 09 - 01:48 PM

Country blues were more typically acoustic, although some of the blues musicians like John Lee Hooker and Lightnin' Hopkins who were primarily electric guitar players also played some acoustic.

Country and western music is to country music as rock and roll is to rock.

Jerry

Subject: RE: difference between city blues & country
From: GUEST,Libby :) x
Date: 06 Dec 09 - 11:57 AM

thankyou for putting this question on here because i had the same question. by any chance do you go to kjs - connor freeman i recognise your name. in year 8??

Subject: RE: difference between city blues & country
From: Stewie
Date: 08 Dec 00 - 09:14 PM

KB, in their introduction to 'The Encyclopedia of Folk, County & Western Music', Irwin Stambler and Grellun Landon wrote:

It is the authors' premise that there is a strong relationship between the major categories of folk, country and western music. If you were to place an elite group of country and folk authorities in one room to formulate what should be in an encyclopedia covering these disciplines and attempted to define what country and folk, or a combination of the two, really are, it would be wise to bring a sleeping bag, several changes of clothing, and survival rations for a long stay.

In respect of the term 'country and western', I agree with Gary that it was a label that embraced the broad range of musical styles that he referred to. By the 1970s, however, the 'western' part of the equation had become subsumed or assimilated into the 'country' part - for example, the Academy of Country & Western Music changed its name to the Academy of Country Music. This did not mean that 'western' style music had died out. Ironically, as many of the 'country' artists were seeking for the crossover pop hit, 'western' music was being given a shot in the arm with bands like Asleep at the Wheel, Riders in the Sky, Alvin Crow and the Pleasant Valley Boys and singers like Michael Murphey, Don Edwards etc. 'Country rock' seemed to develop as a category of its own for a while, ranging from rockabilly though the Byrds, Flying Burritos etc. Later, all manner of sub-genres emerged with their own handles, but the term 'country' still seems to embrace the whole shemozzle.

In respect of the adjective 'country' when used in the term 'country blues', I believe Jeff Todd Titon has a persuasive argument. He suggests that its use became widespread among writers on the blues after the publication of Samuel Charter's 'The Country Blues' in 1959. 'Country' refers to a physical place - a rural landscape with low population density or where a town 'ain't nothin' but a wide space in the highway'. Titon prefers to use the term 'downhome' in place of 'country - and he points out that black Americans have employed both terms - because it refers 'not to a place but to a spirit, a sense of place evoked in singer and listener by a style of music'. The term 'country' is problematic in that the style of music which it seeks to depict was performed regularly in towns and cities, and by people who grew up there - Lightning Hopkins, Blind Willie McTell etc.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: difference between city blues & country
From: Gary T
Date: 08 Dec 00 - 10:22 AM

I believe "Country/Western" was a label for radio stations, roughly depicting the range of music played. It's a fairly broad category. I see it going from the folky side of county (Appalachian ballads) through old Nashville stuff, Western Swing, to cowboy songs. (That was 30-60 years ago. What the "Country" stations play nowadays is mostly insipid pop ballads with a nasal twang and rock music with steel guitar thrown in--and no, I'm not at all opinionated about this [BG]). So I guess the answer to your question, KingB, is that Country is one part of the Country/Western category. As to where the lines are drawn, that could be tough to nail down.

I recall a discussion of this in some previous thread, and I think it was Catspaw who gave a clear and fairly thorough run-through of the genre(s).

Subject: RE: difference between city blues & country
From: mkebenn
Date: 08 Dec 00 - 07:18 AM

Country is Tammy Wynette, country western is early Marty Robbins{not countin' White Sport coat}, as diffent as folk and country.IMO Mike Bennett

Subject: RE: difference between city blues & country
From: KingBrilliant
Date: 08 Dec 00 - 07:07 AM

I have a similar query. Is Country the same thing as Country and Western? There's a Country/Folk music night started up recently near me & I don't want to make a pratt of myself by singing the wrong genre!! Please advise....

Kris

Subject: RE: difference between city blues & country
From: KingBrilliant
Date: 08 Dec 00 - 06:04 AM

I have a similar query. Is Country the same thing as Country and Western? There's a Country/Folk music night started up recently near me & I don't want to make a pratt of myself by singing the wrong genre!! Please advise....

Kris

Subject: RE: difference between city blues & country
From: Maddog
Date: 07 Dec 00 - 11:48 PM

Thanks for all your help. I will let you know how WE did. Thanks again. Maddog

Subject: RE: difference between city blues & country
From: mousethief
Date: 05 Dec 00 - 12:42 PM

Blues as feel-bad music and blues as feel-good music.

alex

Subject: RE: difference between city blues & country
From: Peter T.
Date: 05 Dec 00 - 10:50 AM

Muddy Waters in 1941 vs. Muddy Waters in 1947. That should get you an A. yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: difference between city blues & country
From: Brendy
Date: 05 Dec 00 - 04:45 AM

And here

B.

Subject: RE: difference between city blues & country
From: Brendy
Date: 05 Dec 00 - 04:40 AM

Yo, Mad dog!

Found this.
Hope it helps.

B.

Subject: difference between city blues & country
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 05 Dec 00 - 03:55 AM

Copied over from the help forum:

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From: [e-mail]
Date: 05-Dec-00 - 12:06 AM

I have a school project and I have to find the difference between city blues' performers and writers and country blues' performers and writers. Thank you for your help. I am from Mobile Alabama.