Rock Roots 3:

Blues and Country Music

Blues

• Most influential form to emerge from matrix of 19th c. American music • Foundation for nearly all popular music in the U.S.

Ancestors of the Blues

• Work songs – strongly rhythmic – often

call and response

: • one person sings phrase, “answered” by group • Spirituals – African-American adaptation of European hymn singing – include blue notes, more rhythmic vitality • Ballads • Syncopated dance music

Early blues

• Classic Blues • Country Blues

Early blues

• Classic Blues – Earliest popular blues – Formally composed, commercial music – Accompanied by small jazz combo or jazz pianist – Performed by female singers from vaudeville tradition – Ex. Bessie Smith, Back Water Blues

Bessie Smith (1895-1937)

• • • • • “Empress of the Blues” Straddled line between vaudeville and the blues Extremely expressive Chose appropriate vocal tone for material Nuanced phrasing and timing

Bessie Smith, Back Water Blues

• 12-bar blues • rough, “gritty” vocal style • conversational style • short instrumental breaks at end of each line – typical of blues – like call and response with instrument

Country Blues

• Mainly male solo performers • Improvised, not composed • Performers accompany themselves on guitar or piano – Guitar style: • rhythmic strumming • plucked melody • slide guitar: sliding between notes = blue notes

Bottleneck or Slide Guitar

• Probably Hawaiian origin!

• Common in blues, hillbilly, Western swing, honky-tonk

Robert Johnson

• “King of the Delta Blues” • Sophisticated guitar technique – – Single string soloing Extensive use of slide • Major influence on lead guitar styles in rock – Especially blues rock of 1960s • Ex. 1 Cross Road Blues

Robert Johnson, Come On In My Kitchen • blues verse/chorus form – 12 bar blues progression, but abc lyrics – Last line functions as chorus • Number of spoken phrases, vocalizations, dropped or slurred words • Johnson plays both melody and harmony; melody mirrors vocal line

In cities country blues develops into…..

• Hokum blues • Boogie Woogie • Chicago blues • Rhythm and blues

Hokum blues

• Novelty blues • Combination of jazz, country blues, Classic blues, and popular music – Some of jazz “bounce” – Singer with guitar or piano accompaniment – Silly lyrics, or filled with double-entendres

Tampa Red and Georgia Tom, Tight Like That

• Verse and refrain, with weight on refrain • “Naughty good humor” • “walking” guitar riffs • • Expanded rhythm section

stop time

- instruments stop playing abruptly, vocals continue

Boogie-Woogie

• Piano blues • Country blues + ragtime • Shuffle rhythm established in left hand • Riffs in right hand build up blues inflected melody • Eight-beat rhythm • Ex. Pinetop Smith, Pinetop’s Boogie Woogie

Boogie-Woogie

• Boogie-woogie at fast tempos = eight beat rock rhythm • Ex: Roll ‘Em Pete - Pete Johnson and Big Joe Turner

Country Music

• Anglo-American folk music from Britain influenced by African-American music – Fiddle, banjo, guitar preferred instruments – High, nasal singing style • Called “old-time” music – Emerges from matrix of influences at undetermined time • Commercial version = country music

Country music

• Two broad, early categories: – Mountain tradition = Carter family – Hillbilly • Heavily influenced by popular music, African American folk music, jazz and blues • Ex. Jimmie Rodgers

Carter Family - Wildwood Flower

• Nasal vocal tone • Strophic form • Two-beat style beat • “Thumb-brush” guitar style – melody played on lower strings – chords played on upper strings – influenced folk, country guitarists

Country vocal harmonies

• Both country styles share vocal harmony “sound” – Harmony singing with lines a 3 rd apart – Influenced by Sacred Harp or shape note singing method – Called tight vocal harmonies – Ex. Bailes Brothers, You Can't Go Halfway (and Get In)

Jimmie Rodgers - Waiting for a Train

• Sparse, chordal accompaniment • Blues inflected vocal tone • Blue yodel • Definite influences from popular music, country music, jazz, and blues

Western Swing

• Hybrid of cowboy music, dance music, jazz, blues • Strong dance beat • Heavy two-beat style, but with accent on backbeat • Jazz instrumental ensemble, including drums • Ex. Bob Wills, Steel Guitar Rag

Honky-tonk

• Fusion of hillbilly and Western • Emerges in years after World War II • Primarily played in beer joints, aka honky-tonks • In response to loud environment, electric AND acoustic guitars used

Pedal Steel Guitar

Honky-tonk

• “Country two-beat” • Emotional singing style, with blues inflections • Emotional content expressed in direct language • Ex. Hank Williams, Your Cheatin’ Heart