Re: What is the difference between Country and Western Music?

Date: 29 Jun 2003 01:22:39 GMT
Newsgroups: rec.music.country.western
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To my ears, Western is what Michael Martin Murphey does and what Riders of the
Sky does these days... and what groups like the Sons of the Pioneers did way
back then. I think it's also the type of music Roy Rogers and Tex Ritter made. And yes, the fiddle is dominant in this kind of music.... and it seems to be
more acoustic based.
Country is a different style. Although country and wester both have the
fiddle, it is the pedal steel guitar that is perhaps the sound that is most
associated with country. Country can be electrified or acoustic, and sometimes
includes the piano and drums (to the consternation of purists I suppose).
Country has mutated in the last 40-50 years to include a "countrypolitan" sound
(the Owen Bradley/Chet Atkins production devoid of steel and fiddle..... think
later Patsy Cline records...) as well as incorporating the country rock sound
(the influence of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, the Eagles, and Gram Parsons).
Further mutation brought us Garth and Shania (but the merit or detriment of
that is another debate for another day). Western is still the same style and
wouldn't incorporate any of the aforementioned elements at all.
To my ears, western, bluegrass, and western swing could be considered distant
cousins to country in a musical sense but each can be considered a separate
genre.
"But someday I'm sure you're gonna know the cost..... that for everything you
win there's something lost." - Bob McDill and Dan Seals.
"Murder's been committed down on Music Row." - Larry CORDLE & Larry SHELL.