Music and Gender

 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 only have a 10% daily chance of being heard on the radio. Kacey Musgraves is one of the many female country musicians who have spoken up about their difficulties. Musgraves stated in a tweet, "Smells like white male bullshit and why LONG ago I decided they cannot stop me” (Palson). Despite receiving little attention on conventional country radio, Kacey Musgraves' album "Golden Hour" received the 2019 Grammy Award for Album of the Year.

Kacey Musgraves


        The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences launched a highly visible and ambitious attempt to increase the diversity of its membership after the Oscars came under fire for being "too white." Investigations and dismissals followed as the film and television industries came under fire for pervasive sexual harassment. Country radio, on the other hand, merely shrugs.

        Overall, country music radio has received criticism for denying female country musicians the opportunity to have their voices heard, gain followers, and build a reputation. I've always listened to country music, and I prefer male country artists. I suppose this is because I heard male country artists on the radio more frequently growing up than I did female country artists. I do enjoy listening to male country artists more than female ones, even though I tend to sing more female than male country songs.

Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton, Carrie Underwood


Sources

        Paulson, Ken. “Country Music Sexism: Women Fight for Equality on the Airwaves, and Country Radio Shrugs.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 24 Feb. 2020, https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/02/24/country-music-sexism-women-artists-fight-discrimination-column/4820142002/. 

        Morris, Edward. “Women's History Month: The First Female Stars of Country Music.” CMT, https://www.cmt.com/news/0k4xdb/womens-history-month-the-first-female-stars-of-country-music. 









 

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Music and Me

Image
    For all of my life, music has been a part of me. Since I was a little girl, I have enjoyed music; I began singing in church at the age of five, began studying the violin at the age of ten, and sang karaoke anywhere I could find a place to do so. My entire life has been dedicated to my passion of music, and I do not know what I would do without it.      I'm a major admirer of country music. I adore classic country songs. Since I was a little child, I have had an obsession with George Strait. My preferred genre of music would have to be country. Country music and the events in my life seem to have a connection for me. Alan Jackson, in addition to George Strait, is among my all-time favorite vocalists. Just so captivating is his voice. I Want To Stroll Over Heaven With You is one of his gospel songs from the album Precious Memories, and it's one of my favorites. Alan Jackson: I Want To Stroll Over Heaven With You   The song Made A Home by Cody Johnson has ...
Read more

American Roots

Image
    Rock & roll had everything that the 1950s suburbia needed. While their parents were listening to big bands, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, and other artists of the era, the younger generation was dancing to a new beat. To the shock of the older generation, their kids were actually twisting, thrusting, banging, and grinding to rock and roll music.  Black American Blues and Gospel were the origins of rock and roll. The strains of rhythm and Blues drew suburban youths as the Great Migration brought many Black Americans to the northern cities. Yet, none of the top performers in the genre were able to receive significant airtime because of segregation and racial beliefs.      America was shocked by rock & roll. A group of young adolescents protested against the music their parents listened to. Older people generally detested rock and roll. Churches declared the movement to be Satan's music after being horrified by the new dance movements it inspired...
Read more

Big Blog

Image
 Big Blog             For this blog, I'll be discussing music in Cambodia. I chose Cambodia because my mother's very close friend is from that country. She excels in everything she does and also dances the swing. Her family's journey to America without a single dollar in their bank account has always motivated me. I therefore decided to write for this blog about Cambodia. Traditional Khmer Musical Instruments       A significant component of Cambodian culture and life is Khmer music. It plays a crucial role in religious and customary rituals including weddings and temple festivals. The Angkor period, which lasted from the ninth through the fifteenth century, saw the height of Khmer civilization. During this time, enormous structures with intricate carvings of mythology, gods, and aspects of daily life were created. The musical ensembles carved on bas-reliefs are remarkably similar to the bands playing in Cambodia today, where t...
Read more