How Many 60s Country Music Legends Can You Name?
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It can be argued that no single decade in the last 200 years brought as much societal, political, and cultural change as the 1960s. This was a one-of-a-kind era that was marked by protest and change. At its start, many Americans believed they were stepping forward into a whole new golden age. But then charismatic John F. Kennedy was shot, the draft for Vietnam began, and activists took the offensive for change. These were heavy times and as such, it should come as no surprise that with such heavy times came some amazing country music legends.
Country music really started to enjoy mass appeal during the 1960s for three key reasons. First, there was a large feeling of alienation among those still living in the country due to increasing urbanization. And, in fact, many of the biggest '60s country music legends had top hits that directly spoke of this loss of cultural self (quick trivia: Whose best-selling album was entitled Sing Me Back Home?). Second, as country music began to spread out into the south from Appalachia, it adopted other instruments, most notably steel guitars and fiddles. This wider range of instruments revolutionized the genre to create the '60s era country music we so love now. Finally, these changes and the new artists who emerged as a result of these changes were no longer the more 'hillbilly music' Appalachia country music had formerly been associated with.
The heart of country music in this era was none other than Nashville Tennessee and its incredible cultural landmark, the Grand Ole Opry House. During the 1960s, there was no better place to be as a musician than the Grand Ole Opry House. Every weekend, this space came alive with the beautiful tunes of country artists flocking from every corner of the country (though mostly the southern ones). What really made this era's music unique, however, was that many of the best names and music legends were women. So while women in the streets were fighting equal pay and opportunity, the women in music were singing about it and succeeding.
Now, how many of those great female '60s music legends can you name? What albums by the most beloved male solo artists can you remember? Put on your favorite country record, grab your trivia cap, and press start so we can see just how well you know your '60s music legends.
Country music really started to enjoy mass appeal during the 1960s for three key reasons. First, there was a large feeling of alienation among those still living in the country due to increasing urbanization. And, in fact, many of the biggest '60s country music legends had top hits that directly spoke of this loss of cultural self (quick trivia: Whose best-selling album was entitled Sing Me Back Home?). Second, as country music began to spread out into the south from Appalachia, it adopted other instruments, most notably steel guitars and fiddles. This wider range of instruments revolutionized the genre to create the '60s era country music we so love now. Finally, these changes and the new artists who emerged as a result of these changes were no longer the more 'hillbilly music' Appalachia country music had formerly been associated with.
The heart of country music in this era was none other than Nashville Tennessee and its incredible cultural landmark, the Grand Ole Opry House. During the 1960s, there was no better place to be as a musician than the Grand Ole Opry House. Every weekend, this space came alive with the beautiful tunes of country artists flocking from every corner of the country (though mostly the southern ones). What really made this era's music unique, however, was that many of the best names and music legends were women. So while women in the streets were fighting equal pay and opportunity, the women in music were singing about it and succeeding.
Now, how many of those great female '60s music legends can you name? What albums by the most beloved male solo artists can you remember? Put on your favorite country record, grab your trivia cap, and press start so we can see just how well you know your '60s music legends.