America has many great things about it. It is the land of the free and home of the brave. Americans are blessed to experience freedoms that a lot of countries do not have. One of them is being able to express themselves. Music is one form of expression and America has different kinds of music. Music has been a fundamental part of American culture for many years. Wherever people go, they tend to hear music: their cars, restaurants, social events, doctor’s offices, etc. Often times, the music people hear tends to be within the same popular genres. A person’s musical taste depends on where a person grew up, their ethnicity and what their family and friends listen to.The most popular genres of American culture include jazz, hip-hop, country, rock-n-roll, pop, and rhythm and blues.
The genre of Jazz was originated in New Orleans, Louisiana in the 20th century. Jazz is, “An American art form and an international phenomenon! Jazz music is a rich artistic heritage, a product of cultural collaboration and a universal language of tolerance and freedom”(A Passion for Jazz). Jazz was mostly played by African Americans. The instruments that Jazz was played with were, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, clarinet, and double bass(Brain Pop). Many of the Jazz roots come from Africa and Europe. For instance, many say that Jazz got it’s “feel” and rhythm from Africa. Also, many say that Jazz got its harmony from Europe(Jazz in America). One of the most influential Jazz pieces are Hot five and Seven by Louis Armstrong. Ella Fitzgerald was also a Jazz singer during this time.
Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on August 4, 1901(Biography). Louis Armstrong dropped out of school at an early age, to go work. While Armstrong was working for the Jewish Karnofsky family he made enough money to buy his first cornet. Later on, Armstrong learned how to play the cornet and became the leader of the Waif’s Home Brass Band. After many events, Armstrong began to work on Mississippi riverboats(Biography). Armstrong and Joe “King” Oliver started making records in 1923(Biography). Armstrong often improvised his solos. Later on, Armstrong became a wonderful Civil Rights pioneer for his race(Biography). Other than Louis Armstrong there were more influential artist like
Ella Fitzgerald was born on April 25, 1917 in Virginia(Ella Fitzgerald). Growing up Fitzgerald moved to New York, where she attended public schools and joined the glee club. In the mid-1940’s Fitzgerald began her own music career(Ella Fitzgerald). By 1970 she was performing with many trios.
During the end of World War I, many individuals were celebrating that the war was over. In many ways, Jazz represented freedom and people found it relaxing to listen to it. But once the radio came around, Jazz quickly spread and was loved by many.
Hip Hop originated in the Bronx, New York in the 1970’s(History.com).Hip-Hop often includes, art, dance, and fashion. Hip-Hop is, “a subculture especially of inner-city youths who are typically devotees of rap music”(Merriam-Webster). Hip Hop music can be created on a computer, DJ equipment, a special software etc. Cleave Campbell was the founding father of hip-hop also known as DJ Kool Herc.
DJ Kool Herc was born on 1955 in Jamaica(Black Past). Later on, at the age of 10 he began spinning records at parties. One day, at one of the parties he attended he noticed that people never dance until that one specific music beat came on. That’s when he decided that, he wanted to use “two turntables in a typical DJ setup”(History.com). This type of music is mostly played at parties including Weddings, Sweet 16’s, Social parties and more. One of the most known Hip-Hop artist is Aubrey Drake Graham.
Aubrey Drake Graham born on October 24, 1986(Drizzy Drake). During his parents divorce he traveled to Toronto and Memphis quite often. Drake had an acting career before his music career, which he began in 2001(Drizzy Drake). Drake released his first mixtape in 2006, at the age of 20. Even though his first mixtape was in need of many improvement he moved along to release a second mixtape. His second mixtape was “Comeback Season” which shortly gained a lot of popularity. In 2008, he was featured in a track with the rapper Lil Wayne. Later on, 2009 Drake got signed to Young Money Entertainment. Also, in the year 2009 “Billboard Hot 100 chart of July 4, 2009, his singles "Best I Ever Had" and "Every Girl" entered at positions 3 and 10, making Drake only the second artist ever to have his first two top ten hits in the same week”(Drizzy Drake). Most recently one of Drake’s most famous hit was “Hotline Bling” which was released in 2016. Recently, Drake won 13 Billboard awards(The Telegraph).
Artist like Aubrey Drake Graham, helped promote hip hop and it is a genre that’s still popular to this day. Hip Hop is heard in every state. It’s a genre that never gets old, and that will never get old. Many people love hip hop, and many of the times it’s because of the artist that sings it for instance, Drake.
Country music developed in the 1920’s. Country music started as folk music. The instruments that are mostly used to make country music are, autoharp, banjo, bass, dobro, drums, fiddle, guitar, accordion etc. Country music came from slave ships from Africa and England. Two of the biggest artists during this time were Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family.
Jimmie Rodgers was born on September 8th, 1897 in Meridian, Mississippi(Jimmie Rodgers). Rodgers was always interested in music. In 1924, Rodgers started singing and traveling(Jimmie Rodgers). Rodgers was the first performer inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame(Jimmie Rodgers). Jimmie Rodgers was often described as “The Father of Country Music”. Usually, his songs were 3 minutes in length. Rodgers, often played the guitar in his songs. Another influential country music artist was, The Carter Family.
The Carter Family, which consisted of Maybelle Addington Carter, Sara Dougherty, and Alvin Pleasant Carter. The family lived in the Clinch Mountains of Virginia, later on they moved to Texas and then to North Carolina. They all used to work together at a radio show(Abbott, Billy). They’re last radio show was in 1942. Maybelle Addington known as the “Queen of Country Music” continued her career with her three daughters(Abbott, Billy).
Rock and Roll is a mix of musical genres. For instance, Blues, gospel, rhythm and blues. In 1951, Alan Freed gave the term rock and roll(The History of Rock and Roll). Freed often played black artist music on his radio station and referred to it as Rock and Roll. An influential rock and roll artist was Buddy Holly.
Buddy Holly was born in Lubbock, Texas on September 7th, 1936(Buddy Holly). Holly was a pioneer of rock and roll and an American songwriter and singer. His first recording was in 1949. Later on, he met Bob Montgomery his junior year of high school. Then, they created a group called “Buddy and Bob”. In the early 1955, Holly returned to rock music(Buddy Holly). He also was offered a contract with Decca Records which he accepted, and signed on February 8th, 1956(Buddy Holly). Holly later on, formed his own band which was called The Crickets. One of his greatest hits was “That’ll be the day”. Later on, while on tour his plane crashed and caused is death.
Pop begun in the 1950’s, which “derived from rock and roll”(Citelighter). Many say that Pop originated from Britain, and it is also known as a non-classical music. Also, the term pop, came from the word “popular”. Pop music can be with lyrics, vocals, etc. One of Pop’s influential artist was Elvis Presley.
Elvis Presley was born on January 8th, 1935, in East, Tupelo, Mississippi(Elvis Presley Biography). The first rock and roll real star. He sold about one billion records and won second place at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair for the creation of “Old Shep”. He stopped recording for a while, but he returned to his music on January 4th, 1954(Elvis Presley Biography).
Rhythm and Blues originated from Jazz, blues and gospel in the 1940’s(Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia). “The term “rhythm and blues” came into general use in the late 1940s to describe two types of black music: the rollicking dance tunes of small combos known as “jump” bands and the urban harmony of small vocal groups, later called “doo wop”(Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia). One of the most influential blues artist was Louis Jordan.
Louis Jordan was born on July 8th, 1908, and was known as the “Father of rhythm and blues”. He spent many years in Philadelphia, and played a bandleader named Charlie Gaines. In the band he incorporated by “playing clarinet, and soprano and alto sax, in addition to doing vocals—which recorded and toured with Louis Armstrong”(Louis Thomas Jordan ). Later on, he created his own band, which was named Tympany five. Jordan had many of hits, from the 1940’s to the 1950’s. For instance, “Choo Choo Ch’Boogie” which was number one for a time period of eighteen weeks(Louis Thomas Jordan ). Also, “Ain't nobody here but us chickens” which was number one for seventeen weeks(Louis Thomas Jordan ).