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 Country Music Lyrics - Welcome to Country Music lyrics where you'll find lyrics from Cowboy, Western Swing, Bluegrass, Honky Tonk, Nashville Sounds, Outlaw Country , Urban Cowboy, New Country & New Traditionalists. Your Country Music lyrics page.
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Country Western lyrics includes some history and lyrics to songs from the styles of "Cowboy", "Western Swing", "Bluegrass", "Honky Tonk" and "Outlaw" country western lyrics.
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Country Western Lyrics
Country Western music is usually referred to cover the styles of "Cowboy Music", "Western Swing",
"Bluegrass", "Honky Tonk" and "Outlaw" music.
Some history of the various styles is given below. For actual country western lyrics, follow the links.
1 .. "Cowboy Music"
The songs of Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, and the Sons of the Pioneers put the country Western lyrics in Country and Western Music.
Much of this music was written for and brought to the American public through the cowboy films of the 30's and 40's
and was widely popular.
Known as the "King of the Cowboys," and a major western movie star between 1938 and 1953, Roy Rogers started out
as Leonard Slye in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1911. Influenced by his father, who played mandolin and guitar, Rogers began
playing at local functions during the 1920s. Country western lyrics contd.
After stints with such groups as the Rocky Mountaineers and the Hollywood Hillbillies, he formed his own band,
the International Cowboys. Later -- with the aid of Tim Spencer and Bob Nolan -- he formed the Sons of the Pioneers.
Though this outfit established a considerable reputation, country western lyrics contd. Rogers set his sights higher and began playing bit parts
in films, first under the name of Dick Weston, and then assuming his guise as Roy Rogers, eventually wining a starring
role in "Under Western Skies," a 1938 production.
With his horse Trigger and frequent female partner, Dale Evans (whom he married in 1947), and occasional help from
such people as the Sons of the Pioneers and Spade Cooley, Rogers became Gene Autry's only real rival, starring in
over 100 movies and heading his own TV show in the mid-1950s. Country western lyrics contd. Rogers was a recording artist with RCA-Victor for many
years. He later recorded for Capitol, Word and 20th Century. Even in 1980, then signed to MCA, Rogers was still charting.
He and the Sons of the Pioneers teamed up once more for "Ride Concrete Cowboy, Ride," a song stemming from the movie
"Smokey and the Bandit II." Country western lyrics contd.
Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1988, three years later he was back in the country charts with
"Hold On Partner," a duet with Clint Black from Rogers' "Tribute" album. Country western lyrics contd. This classic album had the 80 year-old
cowboy duetting with such current stars as Lorrie Morgan, Kathy Mattea, Ricky Van Shelton, Randy Travis,
Restless Heart, and the Kentucky HeadHunters. The part-owner of a chain of restaurants, a theme park, and
his own world wide web site (www.royrogers.com), Rogers is estimated to be worth over 100 million dollars.
Country western lyrics contd.
2 .. "Western Swing"
This very popular style of Country Music developed in Texas and Oklahoma the 1930's and saw enormous popularity
in the 40's. The style is a blend of big band, blues, dixieland, and jazz, among others. Musically, it contributed
the drums and Hawaiian Steel Guitar to Country Music. Country western lyrics contd. It was a Saturday night dance type of music which combined
the style of jazz and big band swing with the culture of the Southwest.
Bob Wills, born east of Kosse, Texas in an area known as The Moss Springs Community, is known as the
"King of Western Swing". He perfected this style in the late 1930's with his band the "Texas Playboys."
Many of his greatest hits were recorded between 1936 and 1943. Country western lyrics contd. They include "San Antonio Rose" and
"Take Me Back to T ulsa." Find included here a less well-known, but nonetheless typical Wills recording
called "Liza, Pull Down the Shade" Country western lyrics contd.
3 .. "Bill Monroe & Blue Grass"
The virtual base on which the whole of bluegrass music rests, William Smith (Bill) Monroe was born at Rosine,
Kentucky, on September 13, 1911, the youngest of eight children. Brother Charlie was next youngest, having been
born eight years earlier. Country western lyrics contd. This gap, coupled with Bill's poor eyesight, inhibited the youngest son from many of
the usual play activities and gave him an introverted nature which carried through into later life.Country western lyrics contd.
Aside from his musical family, one of Monroe's early influences was a black musician from Rosine, Arnold Schultz.
Bill would gig with him and rated him a fine musician with an unrivalled feel for the blues. Country western lyrics contd. At this time he also
started to hear gramophone records featuring such performers as Charlie Poole and the North Carolina Ramblers.
In 1934, Radio WLS in Chicago, for whom the three brothers (Birch on fiddle, Charlie on guitar, and Bill on mandolin)
had been working on a semi-professional basis, offered them full-time employment. Birch decided to give up music,
but Charlie and Bill reforemed as the Monroe Brothers. Country western lyrics contd.In 1938, they went their separate ways. Bill formed the
Kentuckians and moved to Radio KARK, Atlanta Georgia, where the first of the Blue Grass Boys line-ups was evolved.
Bill also began to sing lead and to take mandolin solos rather than just remaining part of the general sound.
In 1939, he auditioned for the Opry and George Hay was impressed enough to sign him. Country western lyrics contd.
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Cowboy Music Lyrics - Cowboy Music Lyrics featuring some songs from the best of Roy Rogers including "Lovenworth", "Money Can't Buy Love" and "Happy Anniversary". Cowboy music lyrics.
Western Swing Lyrics - Western Swing lyrics featuring some Bob Wills Western Swing songs such as "A big ball in cowtown", "Across alley from Almo" and "Big rock in the road" all at western swing lyrics.
Bluegrass Song Lyrics - Bluegrass Song lyrics featuring some Bill Monroe songs including "Love please come home", "Sweetheart you done me wrong" and "Tall pines" all at bluegrass song lyrics.
Honky Tonk Music Lyrics - Honky Tonk Music lyrics featuring Hank Williams and "Honky Tonk Blues" ...."Yeah the honky tonk blues, well lord I got `em, I got the ho-on-ky tonk blues..." all at honky tonk music lyrics.
Outlaw Country Lyrics - Outlaw Country lyrics featuring some Willie Nelson Outlaw songs such as "Crazy", "I never cared for you", Blue eyes crying in the rain" and "Good hearted woman" all at outlaw country lyrics.
4 .. "Honky Tonk Music"
Perhaps no other style of country music has had a greater influence on today's artists than the style known as
Honky Tonk. Honky Tonk music embodied the spirit of dancing and drinking, and of loving and then losing the one
you love. Its greatest practitioners owe their singing style to Jimmie Rodgers and much of the music to the steel
guitar and drums of Bob Wills and Western Swing. Country western lyrics contd.
One of the most charismatic and enduring figures in country music -- his Opry performance of June 11, 1949,
when his audience required him to reprise "Lovesick Blues" several times, is still considered the Ryman's greatest
moment -- Hank was born Hiram King Williams in Georgiana, Alabama on September 17, 1923. Country western lyrics contd.
5 .. "Outlaw Country"
The late 1960s and 1970s saw the resurgence of a more traditional country sound. The Nashville sound, by 1970, was
well-worn, and had merged into the pre-British Revolution pop culture in many areas. Aside from the "outlaws"
profiled below, new artists such as Charley Pride ("Kiss an Angel Good Morning") and Conway Twitty ("Hello Darlin' ")
emerged to break the mold of the Nashville Sound. Country western lyrics contd. Southern Country Rockers such as The Outlaws, The Marshall Tucker
Band, David Allan Coe, The Charlie Daniels Band, and others took country to a new, higher level. Without a doubt,
though, it was the outlaws who defined this era in country music.
Born in Abbot, Texas, on April 30, 1933, Willie Nelson was raised by his grandparents after his own parents had
separated. His grandparents taught him some chords and by his teens he was becoming proficient on guitar.
After his discharge from the Air Force in the early '50s, Nelson took a job hosting country shows on a Fort
Worth station, doubling at night as a musician in some rough local honky-tonks and, whenever he could, he was
jotting down songs. Country western lyrics contd.
When he finally made his way to Nashville and found a job in Ray Price's band as a bass player, he found that
he was finally playing his songs. Price, a huge name of that era, made Nelson's "Night Life" his theme song
(more than 70 artists have since recorded "Night Life"). Faron Young cut "Hello Walls," and Patsy Cline "Crazy,"
both in 1961, and Willie himself recorded "The Party's Over." Country western lyrics end
The most relevant links we could find, placed here free
 Roughstock's History of Country Music
- more on Bill Monroe & Bluegrass. www.roughstock.com
Turkey Texas - home of Bob Wills
- Bob Wills Museum. www.turkeytexas.com
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