Gomer Pyle and the Music of Southern Poverty
Sometimes, you need to go halfway around the world in order to make a point, especially if the point to be made is not a simple one. This is one of those times. Also, it’s… »
German POWs and Civil Rights
I have written here before about my beloved hometown of Tuskegee, Alabama. Forgive me if you’ve read this before, but Tuskegee was unique among small rural Southern towns because of its large, well-educated, and fairly… »
Cajun Music
If these were normal times, we’d all be unpacking our Mardi Gras gear right about now. Purple, yellow, and green would be everywhere, and I would be writing about how the first (and oldest) Mardi… »
Rock ‘n Roll has a Southern Accent
Rock ‘n Roll may be the most significant cultural export in American history. There is no doubt that American culture, for good and bad, has had an enormous impact on global culture, and Rock ‘n… »
Appalachian Music and the Phonograph
In the late 19th century, Romantic composers were driven by nationalism as a means to advance their art. For example, Russian composers like Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, and Rimsky-Korsakov made their composed music sound Russian, and the… »
How to Listen to Jazz
When you hear the word “jazz,” what type of music pops into your head? What do you hear? You probably hear piano, brass, saxophone, or all of the above. But do you hear it melodious… »
The Colored Sacred Harp
I have written here before about the history and mechanics of Sacred Harp singing, shape-notes, and Singing Schools. James Kibler has delivered some truly excellent talks about Singing Billy Walker and the origins of Amazing… »
Southern Rock for the Apocalypse, Part VI
Hot ‘Lanta – Allman Brothers Band The typical standard jazz composition that would be played by Miles Davis or John Coltrane is exactly the same type of composition as “Hot ‘Lanta.” It begins with the… »
Bluegrass and Jazz: What Do They Have in Common?
If you’ve come across some of the other things I’ve written for Abbeville, you might have been exposed to my assertion that almost all of American music is Southern music. Therefore, an obvious answer to… »
Scotch Snaps and Southern Music
I need to tell you one story in order to tell you another. The Czechoslovakian composer Antonin Dvorak moved to the United States in 1892, and immersed himself in American music while composing his New… »
