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Appalachian Musicians And Singers And The Songs They Write

Appalachian Musicians And Singers and The Songs They Write


Growing up in Appalachia and around its music has made a great impact on
my life. I can remember, as if it were yesterday sitting on grandpa's front
porch with my family singing along with Hillbilly songs on the radio. Along
with entertaining the music eased the tensions of living a meager existence in
Appalachia. By relating with these song writers and the stories in there songs
we somehow find our life less tedious and more bearable. Most country and
gospel Appalachian song writers find the words to there songs in the day to day
experiences of there lives.

One of the most prominent and popular types of music to come out of the
Appalachian region is gospel music. Writing about the religious experiences one
felt at the alter or the hope of seeing a lost family member in the here after
has been the subject of many Appalachian gospel song. Singers and song writers
like Tennessee Ernie Ford and Ernest Tub have left us with joy in our harts and
tears in our eyes. Singing and listening to songs like The Old Rugged Cross has
carried over from generation to generation in Appalachia.

Another branch of Appalachian music that encircle around religion is
bluegrass. One of the best known Bluegrass artists (Bill Monroe)Known also as
the father of bluegrass music, dedicated a portion of every performance to a
gospel bluegrass harmony number. Bluegrass became popular in the region for a
number of reasons. Not the least of which was the inexpensiveness of home made
instruments.(Ergood and Kuhre 189) The relatively small size made the
instruments easily transported from home to home.

The variance of topics in Appalachian music can not be numbered. The
subject of a song can be anything from the pine trees on the highest mountain to
the cool water in the stream at the bottom of the lowest holler or any thing in
between. Anything seen heard or felt might have a song written about it.
Another brand of...