| Southwest Shuffle: Pioneers of Honky-Tonk, Western Swing, and Country Jazz Contributor(s): Kienzle, Rich (Author) |
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ISBN: 0415941032 ISBN-13: 9780415941037 Publisher: Routledge OUR PRICE: $46.54 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: April 2003 Annotation: While Nashville has long been considered the epicenter of country music, Southwest Shuffle documents the important influence of country music styles of the region stretching from Texas to California. Less conservative, more geared to dancing and dazzling instrumental prowess, it was in many ways the opposite of the Grand Ole Opry's conservative styles. Southwestern singers, bands and instrumentalists left a profound and enduring impact on country music--and Nashville to this day. It was the basis of the legendary Bakersfield Sound exemplified by Buck Owens and Merle Haggard. In this book you'll read about: Spade Cooley, the fiddler whose band incorporated highly sophisticated, smooth musical ideas into Western Swing, his career cut short by his imprisonment for murdering his wife in 1961l; Hank Thompson, a Texan whose hits reflected a durable meld of barroom music and Western Swing that anticipated George Strait; Ray Price, the Hank Williams protege whose intense vocals and "shuffle" rhythms created a style still popular today, and stood firm amid the popularity of elvis; Jimmy Bryant and Speedy West, legendary California pickers whose incendiary instrumental records and accompaniment behind others earned the nickname "The Flaming Guitars" Tennessee Ernie Ford, the onetime disc jockey who went from local LA TV star to a household word in the 50s and Willie Nelson, who struggled for years in the Nashville wilderness, convinced someday his Texas-style eclecticism would prevail, as it did. The book also includes the true story of Bob Wills's 1944 face off with the Grand Ole Opry over his use of drums, and much more. These stories are based on original interviews and archivalresearch by one of the most respected writers on this period of country history. Kienzle's vibrant writing reflects his long-time love for these musical styles. Southwest Shuffle will stand beside our Classic Country as a landmark book on American popular music. It will enthrall everyone from the new-country to alt-country fanto the hardcore traditionalist. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Music | History & Criticism - General |
| Dewey: B |
| LCCN: 2003008829 |
| Physical Information: 0.77" H x 6.44" W x 8.84" (1.08 lbs) 288 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Southwest Shuffle documents an important period in country music history. During the '30s and early '40s, hundreds of thousands of "Okies," "Arkies," and other rural folks from around the Southwest resettled in California, in search of work. A country music scene quickly blossomed there, with performers playing Western Swing, Cowboy, and Honky Tonk country. After World War II, these styles rocked country music, leading to the innovations of '60s performers like Buck Owens and Merle Haggard in creating the so-called "Bakersfield Sound." These stories are based on original interviews and archival research by one of the most respected writers on this period of country history. Kienzle writes in a vibrant style, reflecting his long-time love for these musical styles. |