American Popular Music

This is an A-to-Z guide to country music and its development through history. American country music is a blend of musical traditions, from the balladry and dance tunes of the British Isles to African-American blues and gospel, to minstrel show and Tin Pan Alley commercial tunes, to the music of immigrant Acadian, German, and Hispanic groups, to the ballads of the coal miners and cowboys. Commercial recordings such as the landmark ""Little Old Log Cabin in the Lane"" recorded by Fiddlin' John Carson and the WLS National Barn Dance and WSM's Grand Ole Opry helped bring the music of Appalachia, the South, and the West to the attention of the rest of the country. The 1930s and 1940s saw new artists develop new styles, including western swing and honky tonk. Despite several dry spells in country music history, mostly during the 1950s, real country music never died and made a comeback in the 1970s. In 350 entries, ""American Popular Music: Country"" documents the evolution of this genre as it carved a place for itself in the music industry, one song at a time.