How Country Music Began

Undoubtedly, more than just a musical style, country music involves a whole tradition with characteristic clothing, accessories, furniture, and habits that accompany people passionate about the countryside and simplicity. Follow along with us and check out on the website of 7M Boots, how country music emerged, how it spread, and how it became established around the world.

How Country Music Began

Everything started back in the United States in the 1920s when the residents of rural areas in the South and Southeast began creating music and rhythms using instruments brought from Europe and Africa. The country style then combined with other instruments, such as the fiddle and guitar, originating from Italy, Spain, and Ireland. Together with the African banjo, these sounds gained a unique character, making them a genuine success. However, country music wasn’t always known as “country.” Initially, the rhythm was referred to as hillbilly music and only after 20 years did it get the name we know today. In this context, the song Jambalaya by Hank Williams is marked as the first country song in the world.

The Growth of Country Music Around the World

Indeed, everyone knows that country music was an upbeat and engaging rhythm, which is why it spread easily around the globe. Moreover, the genre received significant help from Western films—those bang-bang movies with heroes and villains—that strengthened the cinema and are now considered true classics that marked an era. In these films, actors wore clothes with buckles and spurs, along with hats, tight jeans, and the celebrated Texas boots. By uniting cinematic success with the rise of music, the American country style gained worldwide fame.

Country Music in Brazil

In Brazil, the arrival of country music was a bit different from other countries, as we already had the “modas de viola,” those songs that talked about life in the countryside, the men from the inner regions, and celebrated the beauty of nature. The rhythm was accompanied by the striking viola caipira and, some time later, began to be characterized as sertanejo. This transformation occurred between 1929 and 1944. Soon after, until the 1960s, the first sertanejo duos emerged along with new instruments like the harp and accordion. This way, sertanejo renewed itself. Along with this renewal came romantic songs, the use of guitars, and hits that integrated the soundtracks of telenovelas and rodeos. By the late 1980s and early 1990s, the song “Entre Tapas e Beijos,” popularized by Leandro & Leonardo, as well as “Evidências” and “Fio de Cabelo” by Chitãozinho and Xororó, became some of the biggest hits in the sertanejo universe. Over time, the “Sertanejo Universitário” also emerged, which is currently present and loved by all Brazilians, featuring top artists like Gusttavo Lima and Michel Teló. Alongside this, the “Feminejo” also makes its mark with divas such as Paula Fernandes, Marília Mendonça, Naiara Azevedo, and Simone and Simaria.

So, did you enjoy learning more about how country music began? Then, let us know in the comments and stay tuned for the Country Tips from 7M Boots, as we will have many updates coming soon. A big hug!