A History Of Country & Western Music 

OSH 731 / Non Credit
Course taught in: English
Locations: LFH 102
Instructor: Brian Murphy

Course Description

Country (or country and western) is a musical genre that often consists of ballads & dance tunes performed with generally simple forms, folk lyric and harmonies accompanied by banjos, electric and acoustic guitars, steel guitars (such as pedal steels and dobros), and fiddles as well as harmonicas. We will look at changing instrumentation, Hillbilly boogie, Bluegrass, folk and gospel, Honky tonk, Rockabilly, Nashville & countrypolitan sounds. 

Week 1

Jimmie Rogers, The Carter Family, Roy Acu", Ernest Tubb, Hank Snow, Hank Williams

Week 2

1960s - Marty Robbins, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves, George Jones

Week 3

1970s - Willie Nelson, Buck Owens, Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, Glen Campbell, John Denver

Week 4

1980s - Garth Brooks, Clint Black, Roseanne Cash, Billy Ray Cyrus, Faith Hill, Alison Krauss

Week 5

1990s - Vince Gill, Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, Reba McEntire, Randy Travis, Toby Keith

Week 6

2000s - Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton

Mr. Brian Murphy is a pianist, composer, clinician, instructor and arranger who has recorded and performed extensively in U.S., Canada, and around the world. Brian has collaborated with the great Tito Puente on a number of award-winning albums. He has conducted workshops on improvisation and has received grants. He has guided Honors Jazz Ensembles in the development of their music related skills: ear training, sight reading and interpretation, chord & inversion recognition, the importance of playing in tune and keeping steady time, how to listen and communicate within an ensemble, the conversational element of improvisation, trading 2, 4 and 8 measure phrases.  He was in 2008 New World School of the Arts (Miami) Adjunct Professor for Advanced Jazz Ensemble.

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