Blazin' Country Trails: From the African Diaspora to Beyonce

All music created in America is based on the foundation built by the African diaspora and Native Americans. This course, the first country music ensemble offered at Berklee, recognizes the true path of country music with the influences of Black culture such as the essential role of the Black banjo. This course will be geared toward rhythm section players and singers. It will cover all performance-oriented aspects of country music and its diverse history. Through stylistic examination and analysis of the major singers and instrumentalists, we will organically increase our understanding of country music performance. The class will discuss all the major country artists from a more informed and holistic point of view. Understanding the true genesis of the genre will increase performance capabilities. Some artists discussed will be Arnold Shultz, The Carter Family, Elizabeth Cotten, Chet Atkins, DeFord Bailey, Hank Williams, Ray Charles, Patsy Cline, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Rhiannon Giddens, Seckond Chaynce, Milton Patton, Linda Martell, Reyna Roberts and many more. The class will also take an in-depth look at the making of country music including the Nashville number system, and common recording techniques. We will discuss the various country sub-genres as well as the different instruments and vocal techniques they employ. We will study performing country music from an in-depth all-inclusive point of view.