Country began in the Deep South with fiddlers, banjoists, string bands, balladeers and gospel singers joining together in music and song at house parties, fish fries, corn shuckings, barn raisings, fiddle contests and vaudeville/medicine shows.

Like Blues, Country has been predominantly a working class music reflecting the real jobs of many performers: railroad men, coal miners, textile workers, carpenters, wagoners, sawmill workers, cowboys and even country lawyers, doctors and preachers.

Before World War One, string bands with names like The Skillet Lickers, The Fruit Jar Drinkers, and the East Texas Serenaders were very popular playing ragtime, hoedown tunes, British dance tunes and even marching band numbers!

By the 1920s, Country caught the attention of radio and recording executives, booking agents and advertisers at stations like WSB, WSM, WBT and WBAP. Soon stars like Vernon Dalhart, Uncle Dave Macon, the Carter Family and Jimmie Rogers were filling the airwaves and stages across the country.

Charlotte, North Carolina became the home of a RCA recording studio from 1927 – 1945 with over 1500 recordings taking place.

During the Depression, two stations became the dominant ones for Country: WLS’s National Barn Dance and WSM’s Grand Ole Opry were the shows that launched greats like Roy Acuff, Eddy Arnold, Kitty Wells, Hank Williams, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Bill Monroe, Conway Twitty, Grandpa Jones, Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash, Minnie Pearl, Dolly Parton, etc.

The Southwest had its own form of Country. The first was a cowboy that would win the hearts of all Americans – Gene Autry, a radio hillbilly singer from Texas. Next came the “western swing” performed by Milton Brown and His Musical Brownies, The Light Crust Doughboys and Bob Wills and The Texas Playboys.

The 70s saw a revival in Country with the likes of Emmylou Harris, who was discovered by the Father of Country Rock – Gram Parsons. Willie Nelson, Kenny Rogers, Glen Campbell, Barbara Mandrell, Charley Pride and Waylon Jennings joined her.

The decade of the 80s launched Country greats like Ricky Scaggs, Alabama, Reba McEntire, Dwight Yoakum, Randy Travis, Vince Gill and George Straitt.

The 90s continued the Country hit parade with Garth Brooks, Brooks & Dunn, Faith Hill, Wynonna Judd, Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, Pam Tillis, Trisha Yearwood and Shania Twain.

Today we have Georgia Florida Line, Chris Stapleton, Kane Brown, Kelsi Ballerini, Thomas Rhett, Luke Combs, Ashley McBryde, Lady A, etc.