Country and the Blues

My experience in music includes some backup sessions with several country music artists who have expressed their roots as being deep into blues. Hank Williams Sr. was heavily influenced by Teetot Payne and I learned from the Carter family that Jimmy Rodgers was influenced by all of the old Delta musicians.

When I happened to perform on the Grand Ole Opry back in the early 50's, there was an old African-American performer by the name of Deford Bailey who was both a Blues and Country Music artist.

Then in the mid 50's when I was in Memphis, I met several Blues artists cutting records for Sam Phillips at Sun Records. I can personally attest that the Rockabilly movement that became part of the Rock and Roll explosion was seated in Country and Blues.

Any comments?

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Chad Nordhoff on May 7, 2008 at 12:39am

I read, mere moments ago that Country music was the only genre to increase sales in 2007. The word "blues" is too often included in the sentence "keeping the blues alive". What's up with that?

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Permalink Reply by Larry on May 7, 2008 at 8:15am

I don't think anything is up. A musical form will remain alive as long as there are people who relate to it. As I look and listen to what's happening musically I hear blues, and music with blues roots everywhere. It's a non issue.

As far as the issue of all this catagorizing of music into various genre; I believe mthat has more to do with how it's sold. Musicians learn from, and play with each other. We don't demand a Blues Membership I.D. from fellow musicians.

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Permalink Reply by Dixie Hippie on August 16, 2008 at 5:48pm

Larry, you are so right! Sometimes we seem to forget just how important the early influences we met and played with influenced our lives and our music.

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Permalink Reply by Cliff Schaumburg on August 19, 2008 at 12:24pm

I like to think of myself as a blues player even though I have played many types of music over the years. I'm not an expert or scholar of the history of the blues or country music either, for that matter but I'd guess that the names were more a product of music sellers than music players. If we were able to go back pre-1900 or so and ask some of the folks we refer to today as "blues" musicians what they called their music, what do you suppose they would say?

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Permalink Reply by Rev. Jake O'Connor on September 3, 2008 at 3:41pm

I think there is something to be said for drawing a line between country and blues from the perspective of music theory, even if the line is a bit blurry. And it goes beyond 12 bar versus 8 bar, or 1/4/1/1/4/4/1/1/5/4/1/5 vs. 1/5/4/1/5/4/1/5. The beats are different, and the commonly used scales are not the same. Harmonies are different too. Country bass uses a lot of 1/5, whereas blues uses 1/3/5/6. The vocal scales and inflections are different too (country twang vs. bluesy moan). But I still agree with Cliff. Most artists are a mixture of styles and influences, and the music sellers put people in categories based on where they think it will sell. Modern Country is a good example. A lot of it has more in common with early Rock and Roll or Blues than traditional Country and Western.

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Permalink Reply by Sugar Blue on September 14, 2008 at 9:29am

Deford Bailey was an incredible Harmonica player.

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Permalink Reply by Dixie Hippie on September 16, 2008 at 6:37am

Sugar, Deford was an incredible musician and a great person. Thanks for remembering him.

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Permalink Reply by Doc Stevens on November 5, 2008 at 2:50pm

I dont read so fast so I dnt read all this and am new here. But I can tell you this. My poeple is from Bristol Tenesee, Gate City VA and Kingsport and Nashvile and Menphis and NC. My grandads wife was Horton of which many was singers and some called Johhny Horton Rock a Billy. My grandmother was Carter of Carter family and is a 4th cousin to June (RIP) Carter. So in a sense we are country. But when you need to go sing to make a few pennies you sing two things. What poeple want to here so you get paid and what is in your heart to you sing it good like you mean it. From the herat not from the head.

I have sang and played a lot of places since I was 12 years old and some places call it country. Some call it country blues (which is true) and some call it blues and some call it roots. I aiont care what they call it as long as I can play and they pay me. Last year I got invited to a festvle in MD to play roots music and then they would not let me play cause I had a lectric guitar. Like a person in the country does not have electric. But the boys up there playing was using what? Electric mkerophones in front of their guitars. And they was dressed like cowboys and such.

So. it is what is in your heart and whatever they call it. Whatever I sing and play don't sound like nobody but me and Marilyn my brothers daughter cause aint no one else wants to sound like us. Thats all. Doc

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Permalink Reply by Dixie Hippie on November 6, 2008 at 10:57am

Maybe that's a whole new discussion...whether the Tele or Strat is best for Blues...whether Fender or Gibson is best...should you even play electric.

I personally prefer acoustic played without amplification, but let's face it...if you perform today, the venue's are too big for acoustic in many cases. I remember the old D'Armand pickups. Had one for my Gibson back in the early '50s. As Chet said one time, those suckers suck the tone right out of a good guitar.

And don't get me started on Electric Bass...and what the hell is that 7 string bass thing?

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Permalink Reply by Dixie Hippie on November 6, 2008 at 10:51am

Thanks for the reply Doc. Your family is from God's country as far as I'm concerned...Bristol/Gate City. The Carter Family were dear friends of mine and gave me my first break. I'm proud you have joined this discussion.

I think it's funny to see people complain about electric guitars even though they were banned on the Opry stage when I played. But, at the same time the pedal steel guitar was considered a staple in a country music band. Whoever wouldn't let you play because you had an electric guitar wouldn't have let Chet Atkins play either huh? While many consider him a little too progressive for country music, Chet has to be considered on of the greatest country music guitarists in history.

Thanks for replying and keep playing your heart's music.

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Permalink Reply by Doc Stevens on November 8, 2008 at 11:56am

Thank you Sue. Yeh they call what I play ROOTS music because it is the songs what my daddy and grandaddy played, but I dint know that when they said it. They said roots music only and I said I aint no cunta kinty and dont know none of them saongs anyway an we got into it just a bit but it is ok now. I know what they mean now an bring my dobro which is louder but I am louder than it is. Mostly I use my guitar which is made from parts from other guitars and two bass stings for bottom end an a stomp box with a tamberine screwed to it. I got a old telecastor too and some guitars whats been in the family. So we are ok. Am in Texas now for a few days bein driven places what I dont know and playing and singing and they send me back on Tuesday to MD where I live.