LAA0043 - Roots of Traditional and Country Music
Leslie Riddle (provider of songs to the original Carter Family) - John Henry
Course Description
Country music’s origins reflect cultural blending in immigrant America. While early record companies marketed music by race, its roots draw equally from African and Anglo-Celtic traditions. In this class, you will explore the rich cultural landscape of the 19th- and early 20th-century American South, experiencing the music through both live performance and video.Course Outline
Week 1: Roots and Cultural Crossroads
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Overview of country music’s immigrant and multicultural origins
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African traditions: rhythm, call-and-response, instruments
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Anglo-Celtic traditions: ballads, storytelling, fiddle, banjo
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Listening: early folk examples highlighting African and Anglo-Celtic elements
Week 2: Blending Traditions in the American South
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19th-century cultural exchange in work songs, religious music, and social gatherings
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Early 20th-century recording industry (“hillbilly” vs. “race records”)
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Case studies: The Carter Family, DeFord Bailey, Jimmy Rodgers
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Viewing: archival recordings and early performance footage
Week 3: Legacy and Influence
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How early country shaped American popular music
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The impact of radio including “border radio” stations and The Grand Ole Opry
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Guest/live demonstration and guided discussion of live vs. recorded experiences
Scott Cashman is a cultural anthropologist who earned his Ph.D. degree at the University of Massachusetts. His specialization is in the political economy of expatriate jazz and blues musicians in Europe. He has also developed his interests in how ghosts and spirits are understood in cultures around the globe. Dr. Cashman is the founder and Co-Director of Harper's Back Porch Revue, an American folk music ensemble. In addition to his work at Harper College, he teaches Cultural Anthropology at the College of Lake County (IL).