Starting in 1776, the United States of America has been a country surrounded by the intense progression of modern times, with topics including economic growth, financial stability, and political strengths and weaknesses. With the United States being at the forefront of many important movements, its citizens and outside powers have often associated patriotism as being the founding and guiding principle of what makes the U.S. such a strong leader. The immense amount of strength though has created a skewed version of the founding principle of patriotism, and through many years the meaning has drastically changed. In the modern era, patriotism is often associated with the type of politics that creates a political divide seen so often throughout history and in the modern age. However, looking at patriotism through a different meaning can drastically change a perspective on the issue most important in the world today. The most important topic under patriotism is the idea of unity created by common experiences and the creation of change that comes from individuals striving to make a change within the United States, as well as, the greater world. Country music provides this different meaning and a proper look into what it truly means to create a sense of unity under the umbrella of patriotism.
Once described under a very simple theme of Three Cords and the Truth, country music has outlasted almost every form of music and continues to play an unlikely role in United States culture today. Originally dating back to early colonial life, country music first started as a simple combination of the Celtic Irish fiddle and the African banjo. The roots of country music are embedded in the working classes of American life where some of the most impactful patriots got their start and eventually founded the United States. For the early creators of the country music sound, their instruments were a release from their everyday lives because many of them were slaves, indentured servants, or poor white settlers. Country music has long represented the ideals of working middle or lower-class Americans by telling the stories no one else would tell and demonstrating the struggle the working class has gone through. The reason for the close connection to America’s working class is many of the most impactful artists, like colonial musicians, were brought up in a simple society and went through the struggles of making a living without much help. They relied on their own personal beliefs, stories, and experiences to connect with a variety of people and allow listeners to relate to lyrics without the feeling of non-inclusivity. “is about these things that we believe in, but we can’t see, like dreams, and songs, and souls. They’re hanging around here, and songwriters reach out and get them.”-The late Merle Haggard.”(Burns, Country Music) Where many people would feel afraid to talk about their struggles, country music artists have created a platform where the stories people may feel afraid to tell are already out there to help with struggle, hope, tragedy, and many more topics in the United States today.
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The storytelling process has taken many forms across the span of decades, and tends to change with the progression of the world and can demonstrate the growth or downfall in economic, financial, and political happenings. Jimmie Rogers, born in 1897, is considered the Father of Country Music due to his dynamic and unique rhythmic yodeling that helped start the movement to what we know country music to be today. Although traces of country music is found around the start of the United States, Jimmie Rogers really helped move the music industry into creating patriotic American music. At country music’s height during the years of 1960- 1980, many influential and talented artists made the art form into a really strong and powerful force that promotes unity, and storytelling that helped give middle-class Americans a voice in their government. One of these powerful voices included Mr. Johnny Cash who was one of the few best-selling artists to date. Until his death in 2003, Mr. Cash created awareness of political issues, including prison reform, supporting overseas troops, and the treatment of Native Americans. He even went to great lengths to protest or express his concern and criticism towards social inequalities and injustices, by wearing a full black outfit from his early career that earned him the title of the Man in Black. Mr. Cash was often associated with being a patriot in a time period when the country was failing in creating a unified force and there were a lot of political differences in the way of creating reasonable support for the government. Although he was heavily criticized by the upper class of the United States he unified people under a common belief and help create a society unafraid of being dismissed. With his popular song, Folsom Prison Blues, he tackled the idea of spending a life in prison. “I hear the train a-comin': It's rollin' 'round the bend: And I ain't seen the sunshine since I don't know when (Cash, 1957) Writing about this type of topic was highly unusual for the time period, but really made people take a look into what was going on in the U.S. prison system. Which in turn actually benefited prisoners for the greater purpose of connecting the inside world of incarnation with the outside free world.
The current political climates facing the United States today have often left many people confused on either side of the spectrum and have resulted in higher tension in the government than ever before. Unlike many government officials, country music artists are more than likely to look to find the median in political movements and face the ideas many are too worried to speak about. Modern country music artists like Eric Church, have fought to continue the tradition of storytelling through the world of an average person. Mr. Church has been often compared to artists like Johnny Cash or Merle Haggard because he is one of the few who really created his music to his own style, has taken musical risks, and pushed the limits like many of the earlier artists. He also has consistently made sure his fan base feels included and is able to feel each lyric of his music rather than falling in love with the beat or rhythm. This thought embodies the idea behind patriotism because it all while also prompts the idea of being unique and accepting each other's different values.
An extremely common theme in country music is the love for the flag of the United States, which can fall under the unified umbrella of patriotism. The topic has come up very frequently throughout history, however, the use of the US flag and loving the United States doesn’t mean country music represents violent and harsh views. In fact, very rarely in country music, is mentioned taking arms against another nation or community because it is meant to unify for a common good. Music is meant to be inspirational to those who listen and country music has consistently provided hope and faith which can be a representation of patriotism. “On second thought, I do like to brag: 'Cause I'm mighty proud of that ragged old flag” (Cash, 1974) Johnny Cash’s 1974 song, Ragged Old Flag, written during the middle of the Vietnam War, truly represents the idea that you must love and respect your country because of the ideals that have kept true over a long period of time. It also helps show that you are able to be proud of your home country because it shows unity under one source even when things start to fall apart, like a flag in battle.
Another example of Patriotism in American country music can be found in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks on the United States. In a time when many living in the states believe their home was under attack, country music and the artists immediately responded by doing what they know best, telling stories. Due to the consistent storytelling since Jimmie Rogers, country music artists were some of the first to get ahold of the media and spread the words of unity, heartbreak, and pride through the airways. Soon after, almost every music channel had country music songs of Patriotism playing none stop on their channels which helped many of the thousands of listens to process what was happening. Currently in the United States often country music post-9/11 anthems are used to rally and show thanks to the countless soldiers serving the country. An example of this is a song that had some of the most impacts after 9/11, Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue, written by Toby Keith. “When you hear mother freedom start ringing her bell: And it feels like the whole wide world is raining down on you: Brought to you courtesy of the red white and blue” (Keith, 2002) With the strong listeners coming from post 9/11 the country music fan base grew to the largest it had been since the mid-70s.
The average citizen of the United States often associates the American country music art form with western cowboys or redneck hippies in the music industry living in the south who write about trucks, girls, and booze. These stereotypes often are associated with fans of country music as well, which is one of the multiple reasons why the style of music has lost touch with its patriotic American roots. Many stereotypes have followed country music as it was predominantly created in the southern United States in deeply segregated states during the early 20th century. It has been consistently classified to have a strong conservative fanbase that drives trucks, lives in the country, wears cowboy hats, and drinks a lot of beer. However, this picture that has been painted is very far from true as the country music fan base spreads far across the country and is found in every walk of life from the big city to the small one-stoplight communities, the democratic voters to the republican voter, and the young to the old. Fans alike will most likely mention that fan bases are extremely unified because they are able to bond over shared experiences represent in the lyrics of their chosen artist. The music is written to relate to but, not to discriminate, it brings people together unlike popular genres like pop, rap, and hip-hop. It provides the necessary influence to make it through whatever your going through while knowing somewhere out there someone else is listening to the same song and it forms an unseen bond that lasts in the words of the music. “I think hard times and country music we were born for each other. There’s a strange hope and faith in country music, even in songs that have nothing to do with faith and hope.-Marty Stuart” (Burns, Country Music) It is the hard times that Marty Stuart mentioned that has brought country music together through the decades and has given an ability to current country artists to continue the storytelling process.
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