This book focuses on 50 of the most important entertainers in the history of country music, from its beginnings in the folk music of early America through the 1970s. Divided into five distinct categories, it discusses the pioneers who brought mountain music to mass audiences; cowboys and radio stars who spread country music countrywide; honky-tonk and bluegrass musicians who differentiated country music during the 1940s; the major contributions that female artists made to the genre; and the modern country sound which dominated the genre from the late 1950s to the mid-1980s. Each entry includes a brief biography of the chosen artist with special emphasis on experiences which influenced their musical careers. Covered musicians include Fiddlin' John Carson, Riley Puckett, Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, Bob Wills, Bill Monroe, Hank Williams, Sr., Dale Evans, June Carter Cash, Loretta Lynn, Buck Owens, Roy Clark, Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard.

This book highlights 50 of the most important entertainers in contemporary country music, providing a brief biography of each artist with special emphasis on experiences that influenced their musical careers. The artists are divided into five categories: "The New Traditionalists" (artists such as George Strait, Reba McEntire, and Clint Black who established the mainstream country sound in the 1980s); "Alternative Country" (artists such as Steve Earle and Bela Fleck who made country music on their own terms); "Groups" (ensemble acts such as Alabama, the Dixie Chicks, and Rascal Flatts that have carried on the traditions of the Carter Family and other prominent groups of the 1920s and 1930s); "Country-Pop" (artists such as Garth Brooks and Shania Twain who firmly established the "countrypolitan" sound as the cash cow of Nashville); and "New Country" (the next generation of country-pop artists, with particular attention paid to international megastars such as Keith Urban, and teen sensations, including LeAnn Rimes and Taylor Swift).

This book highlights 50 of the most important entertainers in contemporary country music, providing a brief biography of each artist with special emphasis on experiences that influenced their musical careers. The artists are divided into five categories: "The New Traditionalists" (artists such as George Strait, Reba McEntire, and Clint Black who established the mainstream country sound in the 1980s); "Alternative Country" (artists such as Steve Earle and Bela Fleck who made country music on their own terms); "Groups" (ensemble acts such as Alabama, the Dixie Chicks, and Rascal Flatts that have carried on the traditions of the Carter Family and other prominent groups of the 1920s and 1930s); "Country-Pop" (artists such as Garth Brooks and Shania Twain who firmly established the "countrypolitan" sound as the cash cow of Nashville); and "New Country" (the next generation of country-pop artists, with particular attention paid to international megastars such as Keith Urban, and teen sensations, including LeAnn Rimes and Taylor Swift).

This history of folk music looks at musicians, collectors and other figures from around the world. The book presents an overview of international folk roots and shows the contributions of the artists and the evolution of folk music as a force for political and social change. Profiles of Pete Seeger, Burl Ives, Woody Guthrie and others show how the stage was set for the American folk revival of the 1960s.

Country music, an original American artform, has been around since before the recording industry began and long before a singer even had the opportunity to sing into a microphone. From the early beginnings in the hills of Appalachia, to the rise of Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, and the more recent megastars, including Garth Brooks and Carrie Underwood, country music has proven to have staying power. It is one of the most popular styles of music in the world today, garnering more sales and downloads currently than any other genre. Many talented individuals are aspiring to sing country music and are determined to turn it into a successful career. Because of this growing popularity, there is a need to educate interested singers with information and methods that will give them the best possible chance at either having a career as a artist, working in the industry as a background vocalist or session singer, or simply realizing their potential in country music. Kelly K. Garner's So You Want To Sing Country is a book devoted to briefly reviewing the rich heritage of country singing and thoroughly examining the techniques and methods of singing in a country style. Additional topics of discussion will include country song types and structure, instrumentation, performing on stage and in the studio, and career options in country music. Additional chapters by Scott McCoy and Wendy LeBorgne, and Matthew Edwards address universal questions of voice science and pedagogy, vocal health, and audio enhancement technology. The So You Want to Sing seriesis produced in partnership with the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Like all books in the series, So You Want to Sing Country features online supplemental material on the NATS website. Please visit www.nats.org to access style-specific exercises, audio and video files, and additional resources.

Now in its sixth decade, country music studies is a thriving field of inquiry involving scholars working in the fields of American history, folklore, sociology, anthropology, musicology, ethnomusicology, cultural studies, and geography, among many others. Covering issues of historiography and practice as well as the ways in which the genre interacts with media and social concerns such as class, gender, and sexuality, The Oxford Handbook of Country Music interrogates prevailing narratives, explores significant lacunae in the current literature, and provides guidance for future research. More than simply treating issues that have emerged within this subfield, The Oxford Handbook of Country Music works to connect to broader discourses within the various fields that inform country music studies in an effort to strengthen the area's interdisciplinarity. Drawing upon the expertise of leading and emerging scholars, this Handbook presents an introduction into the historiographical narratives and methodological issues that have emerged in country music studies' first half-century.