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Showing posts from March, 2023

Music and Gender

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 Women’s Role in Country Music           The Carter Family was the first group of female country singers.  Country music, despite being the genre that popularized the tropes of "Mama" and "Little Darlin," has never exactly given women the credit they deserve. Even now, 93 years after the storied Bristol Sessions, which established country music as a commercial art form, there is still a fight for equal radio time for women and the right to be appreciated, heard, and treated seriously as they compete for positions in this fiercely competitive sector.       The fact that no women were chosen to the Country Music Hall of Fame from its founding in 1961 until 1970, when the Carter Family was belatedly accepted, is indicative of exactly how excluded and neglected women have been.  https://youtu.be/ZbmQQ4RfzVE      A female having a chance in country music, much less on the radio, was extremely rare. Women still on...

Rituals Vs. Music

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     Songs and dances are utilized in ceremonies to honor the passing of loved ones, the changing of the seasons, and the curing of illnesses. There are some religious songs that are appropriate for everyone to hear and others that are just for the ears of a specific group. Religious music serves the function of enhancing the meaning and impact of the words and lyrics being sung. Church music has a strong emotional component since it frequently encourages worshipers to express their emotions. The goal of church music is to raise the spirit and promote a feeling of closeness to God. It makes it easier for practically all religious communities to worship. Over the years, many hymns have been written to be sung in thanksgiving or as a form of prayer. Similar to rituals, songs are sung as a form of thanksgiving for any given circumstance. It is a means of expressing whatever is happening, whether it is a celebration of life, God's worship, or your religion. https://www.loc.go...