Reading country music of the 1980s and today

The country (and western) genre of music, a descended of the jazz and blues age in the South, has often been perceived as a source of music dedicated to understanding "real life" and pouring out emotions through a southern acoustic style of music. Harlan Howard once famously stated "Country music is three chords and the truth." This form of music aims to act as a relatable concept, with an ease of simplicity to lend itself to a range of vocals, styles, and meanings. Last year, country music was labelled the top music genre for 13 U.S. states, mostly in southern and eastern regions.

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In 1980, Willie Nelson, the acclaimed grandfather of the genre released his classic On the Road Again for the soundtrack to the film Honeysuckle Rose. While the movie wasn't a great success at the box office, the song became a country music icon, even today, and Nelson received a Grammy the same year for this song. This wasn't an uncommon theme for country music in the 1980s, as the same format of release occurred with Dolly Parton's 9 to 5. Presumed to be a song about touring the country with his music and friends, Nelson's text provided an upbeat anthem for a time of uncertainty for the American people in political and social spheres. The 1980s saw giant anthems from all genres during this period.

The majority of songs holding a large cultural capital could be read with a range of intent, from political affiliations to social issues. However, I believe On the Road Again presents a shift in the dynamic of American cultural life. A new president and era would be on the way to kick-start this decade. I understand this to be a simplistic commentary to tell the listeners of the song that a new society is emerging. The lyric "Insisting that the world keep turning our way" has also been interpreted as potential American, but more specifically southern, exceptionalism. Yet this could also be viewed as drawing attention to the genre, or the artist also.

The legacy of this song is paramount also. Nelson continues to be a huge influence in the country music scene. Dozens of country artists came together to pay tribute to the CMA's 50th Anniversary video with Nelson's On the Road Again being one of the three songs heralded as iconic of the past 50 years.

In today's country music climate, Chris Stapleton is rapidly making a famous name for himself stateside. Stapleton won 'Male Vocalist of the Year' and 'Video of the Year' at the latest CMA Awards. Stapleton's debut album Traveller is one of the fastest and best-selling country albums of all time and has made an impact on the American music scene. Having written for country artists for the past decade, he released one single before releasing the video for Fire Away. The song contains the theme of loving someone, even through the hard times. The video, however, takes this theme and adds context of mental health issues and eventual suicide.

As previously stated in this blog, country music is an ode to real life and increasingly to powerful social messages also, particularly in this video. Alongside the message, the video promotes the Campaign to Change Direction initiative, a non-profit charity which provides services and help for those suffering from emotional sickness, trauma, or pain; whether the issue is medically diagnosable or not. The organisation was introduced to Stapleton by actor Ben Foster who plays a central role in the video. The video has been symbolised as a catalyst for social messages, yet is more direct in its approach than country music of the 1980s. The video highlights the artistic nature of the genre also as it was Stapleton who raised the concept for the video. He was made aware of the stigma and taboo nature of the topic, but persisted with its execution regardless. The video is below:

In conclusion, while genres like hip-hop and alternative music tend to play host to powerful political statements and promotion of progressive movements, country music is beginning to follow the same trend. Approached from an artistic manner, the public response is often positive when artists make statements such as these. The lyrics may remain simplistic, but that lends the song and the message to a larger audience and may gain a more positive response due to its relatability. Country music tends to be surrounded by themes of beer and broken hearts, but can be a stage for social change if given the dedication, as proven by Stapleton. It is because of this I believe Fire Away will remain a classic in 30 years and beyond.


References
1. http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2016/03/01/the-most-popular-music-genre-in-every-u-s-state/
2. http://www.wideopencountry.com/chris-stapleton-discusses-tragic-fire-away-video/ 
3.  http://www.changedirection.org/
4. http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/country/6890808/chris-stapleton-fire-away-video-ben-foster-margarita-levieva
5.  http://tasteofcountry.com/chris-stapleton-suicide-prevention-fire-away-video/