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Phonograph
The phonograph was invented by Thomas Edison this was the first step in sound recording technology that we have today. The way it worked was you would speak into the horn while cranking the hand crank the vibrations of your voice would vibrate the diaphragm and vibrate the needle creating indentations in the foil. The way to play it back was to rewind the foil and crank the hand crank. It was important to music history because it was the start of the recording process that we have today. -
Country Blues
Country Blues is a genre normal characteristics of country blues are a solo male singer with a guitar. Some famous musicians were W.C. Handy, Blind Lemon Jefferson and Lead Belly. Some country blues songs are "Memphis Blues" and "Pick bale of cotton" The father of country blues was W.C. Handy. -
Jazz
Jazz was very popular in the 1920's. Normal Jazz musicians would try to have a swing rhythm in their song and also have improvisation within their songs. One of the most popular Jazz musicians was Louis Armstrong he played the trumpet. His most popular song was "What a wonderful world". -
Classical Blues
Classic blues was popular in the 1920's normally it included a female singer with a small group backing up. Some famous musicians of classic blues are Bessie Smith, Ethel Water, Mamie Smith. One song Mamie Smith sang was "Crazy Blues" -
Traditional country music
Traditional country music was first popular in the 1920's but was first recorded in 1923. Normally musicians would use the fiddle, acoustic guitar, or the banjo in their songs. Two popular musicians were Ralph Peer and Jimmie Rodgers. Jimmie Rodgers snag "waiting for a train" and he was also the father of traditional country. -
Bessie Smith
Bessie Smith was an American blues singer. Nicknamed the Empress of the Blues, she was one of the most popular female blues singer of the 1920's and 1930's. Her top three best known songs were "Down Hearted Blues", "Gulf Coast Blues" and "Aggravatin' Papa." -
Louis Armstrong
Louis Daniel Armstrong, nicknamed Satchmo, Satch, and Pops, was an American trumpeter who was one of the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades from the 1920's to the 1960's and his best song and most popular song was "what a wonderful world". Louis Armstrong had a very iconic voice while singing in all of his songs. -
Gospel
Gospel music first became popular in the early 1930's. All gospel music have religious and spiritual and melisma sounding. Some famous gospel musicians were Thomas A Dorsey and Mahalia Jackson. One famous song that Mahalia Jackson Sang was "take my hand precious lord." Thomas A Dorsey was the Father of Gospel. -
Urban (Chicago) Blues
Urban (Chicago) Blues started in the 1940's in Chicago it had an electric rhythm to it and the most popular singer was Muddy Waters. Muddy Waters sang the song "Rolling Stones" and "Got my mojo workin." Muddy waters real name was Mckinley Morganfield. -
Rhythm & Blues
R&B started in the 1940's and this type of music was danceable and the main instrument used was the tenor saxophone. Two known singers in the genera were Lionel Hampton and Louis Jordan. Lionel Hampton sang the song "Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop" while Louis Jordan sang "Caldonia." -
Cowboy music
Cowboy music is most commonly used in movies it started in the the late 1930's. Some known Cowboy music singers are Gene Autry and Roy Rodgers. One song sang by Gene Autry is the song "Don't fence me in." Gene Autry also sang lots of original christmas songs that we all know and love. -
Blue Grass
Blue Grass was first started in the late 1930's but became more popular throughout the 1940's. All bluegrass songs had the banjo in it and the most commonly know bluegrass singer was Earl Scruggs also Known as the Banjo Wizard. One of his songs was "Foggy Mountain Breakdown." -
Western swing
Western Swing become popular in the 1940's and this type of music was very Jazz like. Bob will was a known singer during this time and his song "New San Antonio Rose" Bob Wills was in a popular band named the Texas playboys. -
Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry was a radio station that still exist today but was very popular in the 1940's. It was in Nashville and is the reason why Nashville is the heart of country music. The reason it's the heart it because all the music was performed live. Musicians would move to Nashville so that they could perform live often which is why music producers record companies and songwriters moved there. -
Muddy Waters
Muddy Waters was an American blues singer-songwriter and musician who is often cited as the "father of modern Chicago blues". He was such an influential singer to many bands and singers along the line. His song "Rolling stones" inspired the Band rolling stone to make music. -
Roy Rogers
Roy Rogers was an American singer and actor. He was one of the most popular Western stars of his era. Known as the "King of the Cowboys". Some of his songs included "Don't fence me in" and "Happy Trails". -
Banjo Wizard Earl Scruggs
Earl Scruggs also known as the banjo wizard was an American musician noted for popularizing a three-finger banjo picking style, which is a defining characteristic of bluegrass music. He played the banjo so fast that it was amazing hence the reason for his nickname. One of his popular songs was "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" -
Honky-Tonk
Honky-Tonk was like rock and roll they used electric guitars and electric pedal stell guitar to create a lowder and hard driving sound. Most song lyrics dealt with drinking, cheating and more. A singer in this genre was Ernest Tubb with his band Texas Troubadours another artist was William "Lefty" Frizzell. One song during this time was "The Yellow Rose of Texas" sang by Ernest Tubb and Texas Troubadours -
Doo Wop
Doo Wop was mostly high falsetto voice, acapella and scat singing and was popular in the 1950's. Three artist were Hank Ballard and the midnighters the Ravens and Frankie Lymon and the teenagers. Some Doo Wop songs were "Why do fools fall in love" sang by Frankie Lymon and the teenagers. Many Doo Wop bands were named after cars and birds. -
Elvis
Elvis has been recognized for his contributions to several musical genres, most notably rock, country and gospel. The most known nickname given to Elvis was the king of rock and roll. His most know songs were "All Shook Up", "Jailhouse Rock", "It’s Now Or Never", "Don't Be Cruel" and "Can’t Help Falling In Love".