Amede Ardoin and Brad Paisley
Wow, okay, it has been an awful long time since I last posted a song. Hopefully we can get back to some normalcy! And today I wanted to start out by introducing you all to some folk and acoustic music. And before I really jump into this song, I wanted to clear up a question that I have gotten multiple times in the past.
Whenever I talk about music with people, I somehow always get asked the question "what is the difference between folk and country?" And I won't lie, at first I didn't have a definitive answer. It was always something I could hear in the music, an automatic distinction and difference between folk and country. But it took me quite a few times of trying to explain myself, before I actually was able to start verbalizing a good explanation as to what those differences may be. The first main difference, is that the term "folk" music, can apply to any style of music which is culturally traditional. It is an umbrella term which describes the music which different groups of people have found to be their traditional music, whether you find yourself listening to Cajun blues or twangy banjos. To certain people groups, the soundscapes associated with these styles of music are reminiscent of their home a and culture. Generally, folk music refers to those songs which are well known but never recorded, following an oral tradition of passing down the music from one generation to the next. And often times the lines of folk get muddied up with the lines of country music because the latter falls into that large umbrella term. I mean, both styles of music come from the same story telling background, where the ballads would narrate stories of valor, love, life, and more. But country music tends to be a more specific style of folk music, originating in the Appalachian mountains region of the US. And there is plenty of room between the genres to move back and forth and combine them together. Because at the end of the day, country music is a type of folk music. And now that I've given you a wonderful history lesson, let's get to the music, shall we?
For this first track, I wanted to go with a more drastically different folk sound. American folk music finds itself rooted in multiple styles, which is generally called Roots music. And this can include anything from Native American music to bluegrass, and gospel. Now this particular track is significant to the Louisiana and New Orleans region of the US. Cajun music has been extremely influential in the progression and evolution of music in the US. This song is by one of the most famous traditional Cajun singers, Amede Ardoin. His music showcases some of that inherently popular folk sound, but also has flavors associated with music specific to the Cajun region of Louisiana. For example, most of this song if not all of it is sung in this Creole/French style. The song features the incredibly iconic sound of fiddles and accordion, creating an infectiously cacophonous and catchy rhythm. Amede Ardoin offers us his soulful and inviting voice to accompany the rather upbeat and bouncy instrumentation. And I think this track is such a perfect and wonderful way to understand the meaning of folk music.
Now for today's instrumental song, I wanted to take something from the country branch of folk music. Hopefully you will be able to hear the difference in sounds. Country music tends to have a bit of a twangier and more string driven sound. In fact we can hear instruments such as banjos, guitars, fiddles, and dobros. Country music focuses heavily on these stringed instruments, something which is a bit different from folk music. Though this is a more modern take on country music, the essence of the style of music remains the same. Brad Paisley brings in the power of electric guitars and fiddles, and produces a track which is incredibly lively and quite riveting. I hope this was helpful! And I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!
Whenever I talk about music with people, I somehow always get asked the question "what is the difference between folk and country?" And I won't lie, at first I didn't have a definitive answer. It was always something I could hear in the music, an automatic distinction and difference between folk and country. But it took me quite a few times of trying to explain myself, before I actually was able to start verbalizing a good explanation as to what those differences may be. The first main difference, is that the term "folk" music, can apply to any style of music which is culturally traditional. It is an umbrella term which describes the music which different groups of people have found to be their traditional music, whether you find yourself listening to Cajun blues or twangy banjos. To certain people groups, the soundscapes associated with these styles of music are reminiscent of their home a and culture. Generally, folk music refers to those songs which are well known but never recorded, following an oral tradition of passing down the music from one generation to the next. And often times the lines of folk get muddied up with the lines of country music because the latter falls into that large umbrella term. I mean, both styles of music come from the same story telling background, where the ballads would narrate stories of valor, love, life, and more. But country music tends to be a more specific style of folk music, originating in the Appalachian mountains region of the US. And there is plenty of room between the genres to move back and forth and combine them together. Because at the end of the day, country music is a type of folk music. And now that I've given you a wonderful history lesson, let's get to the music, shall we?
For this first track, I wanted to go with a more drastically different folk sound. American folk music finds itself rooted in multiple styles, which is generally called Roots music. And this can include anything from Native American music to bluegrass, and gospel. Now this particular track is significant to the Louisiana and New Orleans region of the US. Cajun music has been extremely influential in the progression and evolution of music in the US. This song is by one of the most famous traditional Cajun singers, Amede Ardoin. His music showcases some of that inherently popular folk sound, but also has flavors associated with music specific to the Cajun region of Louisiana. For example, most of this song if not all of it is sung in this Creole/French style. The song features the incredibly iconic sound of fiddles and accordion, creating an infectiously cacophonous and catchy rhythm. Amede Ardoin offers us his soulful and inviting voice to accompany the rather upbeat and bouncy instrumentation. And I think this track is such a perfect and wonderful way to understand the meaning of folk music.
Now for today's instrumental song, I wanted to take something from the country branch of folk music. Hopefully you will be able to hear the difference in sounds. Country music tends to have a bit of a twangier and more string driven sound. In fact we can hear instruments such as banjos, guitars, fiddles, and dobros. Country music focuses heavily on these stringed instruments, something which is a bit different from folk music. Though this is a more modern take on country music, the essence of the style of music remains the same. Brad Paisley brings in the power of electric guitars and fiddles, and produces a track which is incredibly lively and quite riveting. I hope this was helpful! And I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!
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