The encyclopedia of country music : the ultimate guide to the music

1748 Pages·2012·27.43 MB·English

by  The Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum

THE
ENCYCLOPEDIA
OF
COUNTRY MUSIC
SECOND EDITION
Edited by PAUL KINGSBURY, MICHAEL McCALL,
and JOHN W. RUMBLE
with the assistance of Michael Gray and Jay Orr
FIRST EDITION
Edited by PAUL KINGSBURY
with the assistance of Daniel Cooper, Laura Garrard, and John W.
Rumble
THE
ENCYCLOPEDIA
OF
COUNTRY MUSIC
SECOND EDITION
THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE MUSIC
COMPILED BY THE STAFF OF THE
®
COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM
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Copyright © 2012 Country Music Foundation, Inc.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
The encyclopedia of country music: the ultimate guide to the music/compiled by
the staff of the
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum; edited by Paul Kingsbury, Michael
McCall, and John W. Rumble
with the assistance of Michael Gray and Jay Orr.—2nd ed.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-0-19539563-1
1. Country music—Encyclopedias. I. Kingsbury, Paul. II. McCall, Michael. III.
Rumble, John Woodruff.
IV. Gray, Michael. V. Orr, Jay. VI. Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
IV. Gray, Michael. V. Orr, Jay. VI. Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
(Nashville, Tenn.)
ML102.C7E54 2012
781.64203—dc22
2010045104
1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2
Printed in the United States of America
on acid-free paper
CONTENTS
Foreword
Vince Gill
Introduction
Acknowledgments
THE ENTRIES, A–Z
ESSAY ARTICLES
The Look of Country: The Colorful History of Country Music Costuming
Holly George-Warren
The Folk and Popular Roots of Country Music
Norm Cohen
The Gospel Truth: Christianity and Country Music
Bill C. Malone
Extra! Read All About It!: The Literature of Country Music
Nolan Porterfield
Country Music as Music
Bill Evans
The Center of Music City: Nashville’s Music Row
John Lomax III
The Talking Machine: How Records Shaped Country Music
Colin Escott
It All Begins with a Song: A Brief History of Country Songwriting
Walter Carter
The South and Country Music
Bill C. Malone
From Schoolhouses to Arenas: A History of Country Music Touring
Ronnie Pugh
“The Fightin’ Side of Me”: The Politics of Country Music
Chris Willman
Twenty Years of Change: Music’s Digital Transformation
David M. Ross
THE SOUND SEEN: COUNTRY ALBUM COVER ART
Color section follows page
APPENDICES
Country Music’s All-Time Best-Selling Albums
American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Most
Performed Country Song of the Year Awards
Country’s Share of the U.S. Recorded-Music Market
Full-time Country Radio Stations in the United States
BMI’s Most Performed Country Song of the Year Awards
Grand Ole Opry Members and the Dates They Joined the Show’s Cast
Country Music Hall of Fame Members and Their Years of Election
Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Members
Grammy Awards Related to Country Music
Country Music Association (CMA) Awards
Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards
International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Awards
Contributors
FOREWORD
For me, country music has always been connected to family. I remember falling
in love with music as my grandmother played the piano and my mother blew on
the harmonica. I remember tagging along with my father to local hoedowns. I
remember my older brother helping me learn my first chords on the guitar. I
cherish those memories like I cherish my family photo albums.
Since moving to Nashville, I have looked at the country music community as
family, too. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is the keeper of that
family history. The museum’s vast collection, the largest and finest of its kind,
is like a big family album for those of us who love country music.
That is why the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is so important to
me. In country music, as in many things, it’s crucial that we comprehend and
hold onto what preceded us. We must collect, study, and cherish the music and
musicians of the past, not just because they brought us to where we are now, but
because their triumphs and trials tell an amazing American story. We need to
know about their lives as much as we need to know their music. Every item the
museum collects—every instrument, every article of clothing, every book, every
film and video, every interview, every note of music—helps make that story
clearer and more real to us.
But the museum’s mission isn’t just to collect; it also is to study, to translate,
to exhibit—and to publish. The beautiful museum in downtown Nashville is
only one way this great institution shares its collective knowledge with the
public. This grand book is yet another important way that information reaches
fans and researchers worldwide.
I’ve always considered the Encyclopedia of Country Music as the greatest of
family albums. Here are the most important careers and stories, through the
ages, and all together, complete with photos and well-researched details that
compile the facts and statistics while adding context and perspective.
I’m proud to say this fine, immense book has been updated with a second
edition. It brings the story of my country music family forward another
generation.
—VINCE GILL