The History of Country Music

By: Lynette Barton

Narrated by: Hairl Hensley

Length: 1 hr and 46 mins

Publisher's Summary

Country music grew up in the mountains of Appalachia, in the cotton fields of Georgia and Mississippi, the car and truck plants in Detroit, and in the coal mines of Pennsylvania. It was - and is - the music of the people. Hairl Hensley tells of Jimmy Rodgers and the Carter Family; of Bob Wills and Ernest Tubb, whose music played in honky tonks...and Roy Acuff , whose music was heard in Madison Square Garden; of the Girls of the Golden West, but also of Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire. It all started on June 14, 1923, when Fiddlin’ John Carson played “The Old Hen Cackled"....

©1997 Readio Theatre, LLC (P)1997 Readio Theatre, LLC

Excellent summary of Country music in the USA

A lot of information in a relatively short presentation. This is a history of many important milestones in the popularization of country music. It's not an academic piece that goes back to the roots music of immigrants. It's more about the show biz and recording aspect that we are familiar with. For an audio book less than two hours long, it's packed with well organized information.

The performance is superb. The narrator is great. The background music makes it even more engaging.

The History of Country Music in Words

Any additional comments?

Maybe not for those in the USA, but I enjoyed The History of Country Music. I like country music and found this history to be entertaining and informative. The background music is generic and therefore it doesn't detract you from the story. If you enjoy country music give it a try but don't expect a block-busting epic.

Incomplete

I learned more from the tour of the Grand 'Ol Opery than from listening to this. I had hoped for a few samples of music, got merely a banjo strum ...
Not recommended