Regina Montonaro

Professor McKeever
English 1020
June 18, 2016
Country Music Traditions Annotated Bibliography
"Country Music." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 14 June 2016. Web. 18 June
2016.

< https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Country_music >

Wikipedia gives a clear description of the history, uses and musical
break downs of country music. There are several sections that give
summaries of the generations of country music that brilliantly describe how
the era of country music has changed over time. Each of these generations
includes examples of artists and certain styles each of them used to create
their distinct sound. This source will be particularly useful in researching the
traditions of country music because it clearly outlines multiple aspects of
American country as well as foreign country music.

House, Gerry. Country Music Broke My Brain. Dallas, Texas: Benbella, 2014. Print.
Gerry House wrote a particularly fascinating book. It contains several
stories of country artists and their experience in their life of creating music. It
talks about the struggles and successes of these artists and talks about why
artists love what they do as country musicians. Country Music Broke My Brain
will be useful in researching country music because I will be able to learn
about country music straight from the source of the artists themselves.

"Instruments In Country Music." Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. N.p., n.d.
Web. 18 June

2016.<

http://countrymusichalloffame.org/ContentPages/instruments-in-country-music >
Instruments in Country Music may seem vague to some, but as a
musician, I find this article extremely useful. The Country Music Hall of Fame
and Museum gives a huge outline of what the most popular instruments are
used throughout country music history. Each instrument that is outlined here
gives a short summary of how each instrument works and why each one is
used in country style music. Most interestingly, this article gives a detailed
summary of violins and fiddles. As a violinist, I am always interested in how
artists use my favorite instrument as part of their art. Instruments in Country
Music will be particularly helpful to me because I will be able to talk more in
depth about the musical break down of country traditions.
Mannes, Elena. The Power of Music: Pioneering Discoveries in the New Science of
Song. New York:

Walker, 2011. Print.

Elena Mannes talks about how music affects psychology in her book. It
goes deeply in depth about how song affects peoples emotions and lives
even as babies. While it is not specific to country music, it does talk about
how different beats and rhythms have different effects. Through my research
with this source and other sources, I will be able to talk about how different
rhythms commonly heard in country music affect aspects of human life.
Mannes book will be useful to me to gain knowledge of how country music is
powerful due to its musical components, not just the lyrics.

Musgraves, Kacey. "The Role of Tradition in Modern Country Music." Saving Country
Music. N.p., 28

May 2009. Web. 18 June 2016.

< http://www.savingcountrymusic.com/the-role-of-

tradition-in-modern-country-music/ >
Kacey Musgraves short web article gives an interesting take on
modern country music. It talks about how modern artists are starting to stray
away from the traditional country music style that was common several years
ago. Musgraves talks about how the country music industry is starting to
focus more on making money rather than following its original intentions and
traditions. The Role of Tradition in Modern Country Music will be helpful
through my research because it gives a different view point of how country
music has evolved over time.
Peterson, Richard A. "10 Things You Didn't Know about the Origins of Country
Music." Peterson, 10

Things You Didn't Know about the Origins of Country

Music. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 June 2016.

< http://press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/662845.html >
Richard Peterson provides a short list of interesting facts about country
music. In particular, these facts go into detail about when country music was
originated and how some of the music made never touched the radio
because it was too rowdy. It also talks about how country music got the name
country. The most interesting fact in this article is What is authentic
country music? because it outlines what it means to be an original artist and
to keep the music alive. 10 Things You Didnt Know about the Origins of
Country Music will be particularly useful to me because it is simplex in its

descriptions. It jumps straight to the point of what the article is about and
provides valid and easy to understand information.
Powell, John. How Music Works: The Science and Psychology of Beautiful Sounds,
from Beethoven to

the Beatles and beyond. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

This is another book that focuses strongly on how the musical

components of instruments work. How Music Works: The Science and
Psychology of Beautiful Sounds, from Beethoven to the Beatles and Beyond
will be particularly helpful to me because it talks about how instruments can
create the same pitch but sound different with its unique voice. This will be
a great way for me to expand my research to talking about why certain
instruments are chosen for country music as opposed to others.
Shmoop Editorial Team. "Society in Country Music History." Shmoop.com. Shmoop
University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 18 June 2016.
< http://www.shmoop.com/country-musichistory/society.html >
The Shmoop web article talks about how as society changes, music
changes as well. It goes into detail about why some songs are forgotten and
never played again while others remain popular for years. It also talks about
how the media affects country music artists. I am especially interested in how
this article talks about current artists reviving country music from the 60s
with the use of new instruments and higher tempos. Researching with this
source will be helpful because it talks credibly about the details of how
country music started and each phase it has faced since then.

Starr, Larry, and Christopher Waterman. "Country Music: Songs of Tradition and
Change." Country Music: Songs of Tradition and Change. N.p., 29 July 2008. Web.
18 June 2016.
<http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/english/publication/2008/08/20080813203
316eaifas0.4124354.html#axzz4BtpA86lR >
Larry Starr and Christopher Waterman talk about how the popularity of
country music spread rapidly after World War II. They talk about the lyrics of
country music and about how the lyrics are meant to tell a story of what
people were going through that the audience could relate to. They go in
depth about why specific lyrics were so meaningful and how some current
artists keep the tradition of old time country music alive while others or only
on a race to the top of the radio charts. Not only does this article talk about
how the music is changing, but it gives a great description of how country
music began as well.
Strother, S. E. "Cengage Learning." Music in the Social and Behavioral Sciences: An
Encyclopedia, 1st

Edition. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 June 2016.

<

http://search.credoreference.com/content/topic/country >
Strothers article, like some others, outlines the origins of country
music and its original intentions. However, what sets this one apart from the
rest is the fact that it talks about how small country music used to be. It goes
in depth about how country started as a type of music that wasnt
widespread and only popular in certain areas. I find this interesting because it
shows how this specific art has grown so much over time. It provides several

paragraphs talking about the popularization of country and the reinvention of

country as well. Strother goes far more in depth about how country music has
changed than other sources I have encountered, which will be useful in
researching this topic.