Traditional Country vs. Modern Country
Today, there are distinct differences between traditional country music and modern country music. The artists of traditional and modern country music are influenced by different life events, the instruments they use are different, and their performance styles are different. Over time, the genre has become very broad and has changed significantly.
Johnny Cash a traditional country singer and Garth Brooks, a modern country singer are two of the many famous artists credited for having greatly influenced this change. Exactly what are the differences between traditional and modern country music? Comparing the lives and careers of Cash and Brooks shows that traditional and modern country music differs not only in sounds, but also in influences, instruments, and performances. Country music evolves out of Anglo-Saxon ballads brought to the United States originally by the first Americans in the 17th century. The music often focuses on sacred religious hymns or grim, century-old tales of murder or other disasters that were often rewritten to comment on more recent events (McPherson 1).
Although the traditional qualities of country music still remain an influence to artists, the genre has evolved to become what we know today as modern country music where artists strive to push the boundaries and to bring a unique sound to their audiences. Born in February 1932 in Kingsland Arkansas, Cash was the fourth of seven children. Throughout his childhood his family lived in poverty, struggling just to make ends meet.
Despite the difficulty that Cash鈥檚 family faced, these obstacles not only made him a stronger man, but they also affected his music in a profound way. Better known as 鈥æ·he Man in Black鈥?a nod to his wardrobe as well as to the darker themes of his music, Cash鈥檚 songs were inspired by events that took place throughout his life (Johnny Cash 2).
Growing up, Cash was influenced by the music of Jimmy Rogers whose style was to sing songs that ordinary people could relate to. Cash was also inspired by rock & roll artists such as Bob Dillon. Driven by influences of local country, bluegrass, and gospel music, Cash began to play the guitar and write songs at age twelve (Johnny Cash Biography 1).
After serving four years Nike Air Max Shoes in the air force, Cash joined his first band, the 鈥æ·ennessee Two.鈥? Their sound was a combination of country-western and the blues or better known as rockabilly. When Cash signed his first record contract with Sun Records, he joined a group with Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis called 鈥æ·he Million Dollar Quartet.鈥? Shortly after joining the group, his first number one hit I walk the Line topped the charts.
Although before going solo, being in a group with well known rock-n-rollers didn鈥檛 stop Cash from sticking to his nike air max shoes country roots. He and his songs were rooted in the basics of a country life: the land, lost loves, wanderlust, the seasons, lonely trains hooting across the still prairie night, preachers and prisons, and sweet Jesus, and home sweet home. Cash said, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 go in a lot for that flashy stuff.鈥? Nothing but a minimum of talk and then down to the substance of Johnny Cash and his show: singing songs (Cashing In 1-2). His style was to simply stand on stage and sing his songs without the extra special effects of sparks and flashy lights. Cash鈥檚 musical influences weren鈥檛 the only aspect of his career that categorized him as a traditional country music legend. His performances were a perfect example of traditional country. The use of instruments like the acoustic guitar and the fiddle is only one difference between modern country and Cash鈥檚 traditional performances. In his concerts, there were no flashy lights, sparks, and smoke. It was just him-鈥æ·he Man in Black鈥?with his acoustic guitar and his riveting songs. Cash kept his performances low-key because the songs are what he truly wanted to communicate to his fans. Since Cash鈥檚 songs were influenced by different genres of music and by the events of his life, much of his music came from a deep, dark place within him. Through his performances, Cash showed his audiences his internal struggles. He was like a prowling tiger onstage, as if he was fighting demons. Inside Cash, the churchman and the outlaw were having a brawl (Corliss 4).
Despite the dark power of his lyrics, ever since Johnny Cash came out of the Arkansas delta, he has been singing about sorrow with spectacular success (Write is Wrong 1). His struggles with love, loss, and drugs caused him to have relentless power and passion onstage that charmed audiences everywhere. Throughout his life, Cash had many successful albums and hit songs including Folsom Prison Blues, Get Rhythm, and Ring of Fire. Despite his struggle with drugs and alcohol, Cash continued to make a huge impact on the music industry. During his career that spanned almost five decades, Cash was the personification of traditional country music to many people around the world (Johnny Cash 9).
Even after his death in September 2003, his music is still listened to by millions of people around the world. Singer Kris Kristofferson who sang at Cash鈥檚 funeral said 鈥淛ohnny represented the best of America, and we won鈥檛 see his like again鈥?(Silverman 1). Cash is responsible for making great traditional country music and for influencing many other country artists to follow in his footsteps. Throughout time, his music has and will continue to be celebrated and it will remain a building block for future musical artists. To many Cash is an American icon.
Although influenced by traditional country music, Garth Brooks is considered to be a modern country music artist. Since the beginning of country music, it has continuously been changing- each artist trying to set themselves apart from other artists. Country has evolved into something almost unrecognizable as country music. Its sounds are different, its styles are different as well as the way artists deliver it to their fans. Being unique and entertaining the crowd are huge aspects of what makes modern country music different from the traditional style. Garth Brook鈥檚 career launched very differently than that of Johnny Cash. Born on February 7, 1962 in Tulsa Oklahoma, Brooks got his start in music singing in clubs and bars while attending Oklahoma State University (Garth Brooks Biography 1). Brook鈥檚 mother, Colleen was also a singer, so he was raised on music, like that of Johnny Cash.
Growing up, Brook鈥檚 got inspiration from his idols that included artists such as James Taylor and John Wayne and from groups like Kiss and Queen. (Painton 1-3). After he graduated college, Brooks moved to Nashville in hopes of pursuing a music career. Upon being rejected from several record companies, Capitol Records decided to sign Brooks to their label in 1988 (Erlwine 1).
Brooks鈥檚 first album was an instant success, and crossed over into the pop album charts. It was his second album that established him as a superstar. It contained the hit Friends in Low Places, which spent twenty-three weeks at the top of the country charts. That album sold seven-hundred thousand copies within the first ten days of its release (Erlwine 1-2).
By 1990, Brooks was a world known modern country music artist. His music broke the boundaries of traditional country. From the instruments that he used to his extravagant performances, Brooks crossed the boundary between country and rock music. Although at times, he did revert back to traditional roots and perform with acoustic guitars, the majority of his music was performed with electric guitars and other electric instruments. With amplification and the guitar distortion, Brooks鈥檚 songs were an example of country-rock music. Brooks is well known for his crazy, on edge concert style. By the end of 1990, he was selling out stadiums within minutes and was putting on stadium-sized shows, patterned after 鈥?0鈥檚 rock extravaganzas (Erlwine 2). Brooks didn鈥檛 just stand in from of the microphone and sing. He used a headset in order to allow the freedom to run, jump, and swing out over the audience with a harness. His concerts included flashy lights, sparks, flames, and smoke.
Brooks was also known for throwing water on the audience and bashing his guitars onstage. He prances across stage like a cross between Mick Jaggar and Ferris Bueller, swinging from rope to rope ladders and smashing his guitar (Painton 1). Brooks鈥檚 performances were extreme and focused around entertaining the audience. It was the first time any country artist had incorporated such rock & roll techniques into stage shows (Erlwine 2).
In 1990 Brook鈥檚 career was at its peak. This trend continued for several more years. He released several hit albums selling millions of copies each and he had several hit songs Nike Air Max Sale including If Tomorrow Never Comes, The Dance, Unanswered Prayers, Rodeo, and Shameless (Erlwine 1-3). He proceeded to enchant his fans with his country- rock style and wild concerts until the release of his Chris Gaines album in September 1999. It proved to be a huge commercial disappointment to Brooks and the record label (Erlwine 4).
Holding Your Guitar and Using Your Pick The Correct Way