Country Music Research Paper

Words: 1177
Pages: 5

Country music is a form of music that originated in the southern rural areas of America. It is capable of touching one’s soul and melting their heart in a way no other genre of music can. It also has the capability of bringing out the party animal in a person. It is crazy that one genre of music can create such mixed emotions and actions. Someone who does not listen to country music may think all of its songs are the same. This could not be further from the truth. Granted, country music is all one broad genre and normally contains the same style of music, there is something that makes every song just a little bit different. There are many types of country music that make these opposite feelings and emotions possible even while listening to …show more content…
Country gospel captures the essence of country living combined with a spiritual outlook that gives hope to its listeners. Just like country music nationwide, this subgenre is popular for the involvement of an acoustic guitar, a catchy chorus, and a memorable story. It has a twang to it that rings a familiar bell into the ears of country listeners. However, country gospel can differ greatly from other country subgenres. This type of music is independent in that it glorifies the Creator of life rather than the created life. In many styles of country music, girls, trucks, and beer are lifted high and thought much of. In country gospel, those things seem to fade and God is brought into a brighter light. A good example of this is “I’ll Fly Away,” performed by Hank Williams. In this song, William uses energetic, southwestern-styled music to depict his anticipation of the day he gets to meet his Savior. In saying, “Some glad morning when this life is over/I’ll fly away” (Williams) the singer expresses that what the world has to offer does not compare to the glory of the One he will be meeting one day. He creates an enthusiastic view on death in the light of going onto something greater than earth. Instead of focusing on everything good in the world, Williams chooses to focus on intangible things that give him joy. Williams, and many other country gospel musicians, have seized the heart of country music in combination with a spiritual outlook on life to create a subgenre enjoyed by people across the