The Radicalization of Rural America: Country Music and Identity

Abstract

The folklore of rural communities is preserved in country music depicting its history, beliefs, and traditions. As artists add to the genre, new music reflects shifts and changes in the culture and issues affecting rural communities. This thesis is split into four case studies focused on aspects of cultural identity found in country music; class, gender, religion, and nationalism. The portrayal of struggle and perseverance in the genre highlight class consciousness of artists who often tell personal stories of growing up in poor communities and show the rural-urban divide. While some female country music stars are able to break through male voices have become dominant in contemporary country. Social roles, family values, and Christian norms are heavily present in the genre. After the horrific events of September 11th and the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, country music, more than other genres in contemporary music, was where Americans expressed their pain, anger, and fear. This period of country music reflects an identity crisis in rural communities whose lifestyles were perceived as threatened by outside forces. In response, rural Americans began to embrace nationalistic views. Country music’s enduring connection to rural American identity and its responsiveness to national events underscore its significance in American culture. This research examines the ways in which country music mirrors the lives and values of rural Americans and actively participates in the ongoing construction of rural identity, utilizing methodologies from the fields of anthropology and ethnomusicology.