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The Country Music Story a picture history of Country and Western music
For the first time, here is a book that tells the whole colorful history of America's other music.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1966
3 people want to read
About the author
Robert Shelton
12 books9 followersRobert Shelton, born Robert Shapiro, was a music and film critic. Shelton helped to launch the career of a then-unknown 20-year-old Bob Dylan. He wrote about music for the New York Times until the end of the '60s.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 7, 2021
My rating is closer to a 2.5 than a 2.
It took me a long time to read this book because the writing could drag. Some sections were better than others, and I don't think that solely for my varying levels of interest. I feel as though Shelton did too much name listing. He also felt the need to use a paragraph to describe some contemporary businessman rather than utilizing the book's space to something else I'd consider more relevant. But where the book was interesting, it was interesting. I got something out of this, both for looking over the pictures (of which there ARE many), and for reading the text.
I say the book is interesting not in spite of being "outdated", but *because* it is "outdated". Written in the mid-1960s, this book remarkably captures the sentiment of the times regarding country music, its roles, and its progression. The 1960s were a huge transformation point in country music style and business and reputation, so this is the perfect time by which to read views of the contemporaries living through it.
Shelton treats country music as a well-established commercial industry, and that's true, but the discussions seem fascinatingly different than they would be today. The Country Music Association was less than ten years old; the Country Music Hall of Fame had JUST begun inducting members; the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum was in the stages of being built. Because Shelton was handling a recording industry only 40-some years old, he could discuss musicians that in today's books would receive a footnote if anything at all. The Nashville Sound and pop country were an ongoing phenomenon; it's fascinating to see how Shelton treats the latest changes in the music, with sometimes rose-tinted hopefulness of where the genre's future leads (that looks unfortunately naïve in retrospect), but other times with an underlying awareness country music's choices are following the path of money with too little scrutiny.
Overall, the book contains the blinders one might expect of 1960s white male academic writing, such as limited discussion of people groups outside white men; less time taken to famous women artists; and a very positive, confident presentation of this genre's goods--even blackface minstrelsy being discussed by nothing more than "interests have changed" sorts of statements. But occasionally, the book presents unique views that are in sympathetic sync with the 1960s' social changes. For instance, p. 232 raises the point that Black musician and listener contribution to country music needs to be studied and highlighted more to the public:
"The area that folk fans find the most difficult to accept is segregation and the general overlooking of the contribution to country music by Negroes. Admittedly, they have struck the South's Achilles heel. The re-examination of the status of the Negro is slowly beginning to affect the country music world. . . .
"All this is known to students of the field, but industry leaders could do much to let the average country-music fan know how important have been these communal sharings, musical and personal, between Negro and white. . . . Many country stars have all but adopted certain Japanese country musicians, thereby showing they are free of racial prejudice, but this is only a beginning, and a long way from home. Negro musicians have helped shape white country music, and the Negro audience has helped support it on radio and by buying disks. The contribution here should be brought out as often as possible in these trying days of social change. To quote a new Johnny Cash song, "All of God's Children Ain't Free.""
That same page also points out DeFord Bailey's subpar treatment by the Grand Ole Opry, and lists some well-known Black musicians who were primary influences to well-known white country stars. While obviously not containing the most nuanced perspective of white privilege and white-Black relations (from the viewpoint of a human in 2021), Shelton points out the need for change and where there have been holes in research, public knowledge, and acceptance. In the midst of a book that's intentionally seeking to tout the good side of country music, it's cool to point out the areas where it needed (and frankly still needs) to grow.
It's likewise interesting to see Shelton discussing the ongoing Folk Revival, even dedicating a section to Woody Guthrie. The author contains a fairly balanced perspective regarding the merits and flaws of both folk revivalists and country fans. I've always found the mindsets surrounding the folk revival and counterculture movements interesting, and it's cool to see a book on country music touting the import of the Folk Revival, too. Shelton finds positives in country music spreading to urban interests, growing around the world, and leading to research in old-time music. But Shelton also points out that purists can dismiss or forget how revolutionary musicians like the Carter Family or first-generation bluegrass performers were when they started recording. Altogether, it's fun to see one man's perspective about these clashing/melding groups in the midst of events happening.
The biographic and historic information of this book sometimes reads as choppy. Again, some sections are better than others; I think Jimmie Rodgers had a good overarching biography, as did the Carter Family, but other artists weren't treated with a good comprehensive description. There were large gaps and holes to what was included, what wasn't, with some weird hyper-specific details inserted. It wasn't... balanced... and ergo unhelpful to understanding what you wanted of the artists. Still, even in these sections, you can smile at what's included. It's *fun* to see claims that were up-to-date in the mid-60s turn out to be ironic later. For instance, look at how Flatt & Scruggs were described and promoting themselves circa the early 60s:
"Flatt and Scruggs are among the stanchest traditionalists in Nashville. Although they have at times been recorded with drums, they have never forgotten for long where their music came from or where it is going. Here is how Scruggs described it, in an interview with Nat Hentoff in the May, 1963, issue of Hi|Fi Stereo Review:
""It's like a dream come true to see how our music is taking hold in places I'd never expected it to. But just as we've never been willing to alter our course to accommodate rockabilly, semi-pop, and all those other moves away from what country music ought to be, we're not going to leave the people who made us. After all, they're people who don't change their minds about what they like. We're not about to forget that the core of our fans are people who get up early in the morning and bake a lot of biscuits.""
It's absolutely hilarious in hindsight, for only a few years later, Earl Scruggs himself would be the one pushing Flatt & Scruggs to increasingly modern, non-bluegrass sounds... which irritated bluegrass purists... and which would be the core reason he and Lester Flatt split in 1969. Flatt & Scruggs in their later years sounded like the least-traditional first-generation bluegrass band out there.
And speaking of, quotes like these make it clear that, while there was a second printing in 1971 for this book (the copy I have), none of the text and information is updated from the 1966 release.
Altogether, I did get something out of this book, and I'm keeping it for reference, though I'm quite unlikely to read it cover-to-cover again.
It took me a long time to read this book because the writing could drag. Some sections were better than others, and I don't think that solely for my varying levels of interest. I feel as though Shelton did too much name listing. He also felt the need to use a paragraph to describe some contemporary businessman rather than utilizing the book's space to something else I'd consider more relevant. But where the book was interesting, it was interesting. I got something out of this, both for looking over the pictures (of which there ARE many), and for reading the text.
I say the book is interesting not in spite of being "outdated", but *because* it is "outdated". Written in the mid-1960s, this book remarkably captures the sentiment of the times regarding country music, its roles, and its progression. The 1960s were a huge transformation point in country music style and business and reputation, so this is the perfect time by which to read views of the contemporaries living through it.
Shelton treats country music as a well-established commercial industry, and that's true, but the discussions seem fascinatingly different than they would be today. The Country Music Association was less than ten years old; the Country Music Hall of Fame had JUST begun inducting members; the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum was in the stages of being built. Because Shelton was handling a recording industry only 40-some years old, he could discuss musicians that in today's books would receive a footnote if anything at all. The Nashville Sound and pop country were an ongoing phenomenon; it's fascinating to see how Shelton treats the latest changes in the music, with sometimes rose-tinted hopefulness of where the genre's future leads (that looks unfortunately naïve in retrospect), but other times with an underlying awareness country music's choices are following the path of money with too little scrutiny.
Overall, the book contains the blinders one might expect of 1960s white male academic writing, such as limited discussion of people groups outside white men; less time taken to famous women artists; and a very positive, confident presentation of this genre's goods--even blackface minstrelsy being discussed by nothing more than "interests have changed" sorts of statements. But occasionally, the book presents unique views that are in sympathetic sync with the 1960s' social changes. For instance, p. 232 raises the point that Black musician and listener contribution to country music needs to be studied and highlighted more to the public:
"The area that folk fans find the most difficult to accept is segregation and the general overlooking of the contribution to country music by Negroes. Admittedly, they have struck the South's Achilles heel. The re-examination of the status of the Negro is slowly beginning to affect the country music world. . . .
"All this is known to students of the field, but industry leaders could do much to let the average country-music fan know how important have been these communal sharings, musical and personal, between Negro and white. . . . Many country stars have all but adopted certain Japanese country musicians, thereby showing they are free of racial prejudice, but this is only a beginning, and a long way from home. Negro musicians have helped shape white country music, and the Negro audience has helped support it on radio and by buying disks. The contribution here should be brought out as often as possible in these trying days of social change. To quote a new Johnny Cash song, "All of God's Children Ain't Free.""
That same page also points out DeFord Bailey's subpar treatment by the Grand Ole Opry, and lists some well-known Black musicians who were primary influences to well-known white country stars. While obviously not containing the most nuanced perspective of white privilege and white-Black relations (from the viewpoint of a human in 2021), Shelton points out the need for change and where there have been holes in research, public knowledge, and acceptance. In the midst of a book that's intentionally seeking to tout the good side of country music, it's cool to point out the areas where it needed (and frankly still needs) to grow.
It's likewise interesting to see Shelton discussing the ongoing Folk Revival, even dedicating a section to Woody Guthrie. The author contains a fairly balanced perspective regarding the merits and flaws of both folk revivalists and country fans. I've always found the mindsets surrounding the folk revival and counterculture movements interesting, and it's cool to see a book on country music touting the import of the Folk Revival, too. Shelton finds positives in country music spreading to urban interests, growing around the world, and leading to research in old-time music. But Shelton also points out that purists can dismiss or forget how revolutionary musicians like the Carter Family or first-generation bluegrass performers were when they started recording. Altogether, it's fun to see one man's perspective about these clashing/melding groups in the midst of events happening.
The biographic and historic information of this book sometimes reads as choppy. Again, some sections are better than others; I think Jimmie Rodgers had a good overarching biography, as did the Carter Family, but other artists weren't treated with a good comprehensive description. There were large gaps and holes to what was included, what wasn't, with some weird hyper-specific details inserted. It wasn't... balanced... and ergo unhelpful to understanding what you wanted of the artists. Still, even in these sections, you can smile at what's included. It's *fun* to see claims that were up-to-date in the mid-60s turn out to be ironic later. For instance, look at how Flatt & Scruggs were described and promoting themselves circa the early 60s:
"Flatt and Scruggs are among the stanchest traditionalists in Nashville. Although they have at times been recorded with drums, they have never forgotten for long where their music came from or where it is going. Here is how Scruggs described it, in an interview with Nat Hentoff in the May, 1963, issue of Hi|Fi Stereo Review:
""It's like a dream come true to see how our music is taking hold in places I'd never expected it to. But just as we've never been willing to alter our course to accommodate rockabilly, semi-pop, and all those other moves away from what country music ought to be, we're not going to leave the people who made us. After all, they're people who don't change their minds about what they like. We're not about to forget that the core of our fans are people who get up early in the morning and bake a lot of biscuits.""
It's absolutely hilarious in hindsight, for only a few years later, Earl Scruggs himself would be the one pushing Flatt & Scruggs to increasingly modern, non-bluegrass sounds... which irritated bluegrass purists... and which would be the core reason he and Lester Flatt split in 1969. Flatt & Scruggs in their later years sounded like the least-traditional first-generation bluegrass band out there.
And speaking of, quotes like these make it clear that, while there was a second printing in 1971 for this book (the copy I have), none of the text and information is updated from the 1966 release.
Altogether, I did get something out of this book, and I'm keeping it for reference, though I'm quite unlikely to read it cover-to-cover again.
November 21, 2022
Borrowed from my aunt and uncle for a class, the book is so dry. It's an in-depth history of country music from the start to 1966, when it was published. It was wired and follow3ed a ton of people I didn't know. But it had a lot of pictures, which was cool and interesting.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews