Buck owens, merle haggard, and california country by tenn. The town, known mainly for agriculture and oil production, was the destination for many dust bowl migrants and others from oklahoma, texas, arkansas, and other parts of the south. Describe hardcore country and the bakersfield sound. The term is generally used to describe a hardedged honkytonk sensibility characterized by sharp, twanging fender telecaster guitars, crying pedal steel, and straightahead country vocals a. Few music books capture the cultural and historical context along with the sound of the music itself as well as the bakersfield sound. Bakersfield is a charter city in kern county, california, united states. Using telecaster guitars, the singers developed a clean, ringing sound that stood in direct opposition to the produced, stringladen nashville sound. Country luminaries with ties to the area include bob willis, leon payne, jean shepherd, dallas frazier, bonnie owens, barbara mandrell, and ferlin. The bakersfield sound was a genre of country music developed in the mid to late 1950s in and around bakersfield, california. Read the bakersfield sound how a generation of displaced okies revolutionized american music by robert e. Written by the experts at the country music hall of fame, the bakersfield sound describes with rich words and classic photos how the deep roots of the bakersfield sound are so much more than just a reaction to the poporiented nashville sound. The secret is that the bakersfield sound isnt a sound at all so much as a time, a place. The bakersfield sound is a fullcolor exploration of what social and economic factors led to this country music hotbed, as well as a look at the many stars who rose to fame with roots in bakersfield.
Again, the bakersfield sound book connects some important dots for us here. Staff country music hall of fame and museum nashville 2012, paperback at the best online prices at. In the 1950s and 60s bakersfield became an unlikely birthplace for a new sound the bakersfield sound. Vince gill and paul franklin break down the bakersfield sound. The term is generally used to describe a hardedged honkytonk sensibility characterized by sharp, twanging fender telecaster guitars, crying pedal steel, and straightahead country vocals a sound that th. The term is generally used to describe a hardedged honkytonk sensibility characterized by sharp, twanging fender telecaster guitars, crying pedal steel, and straightahead country vocals a sound that thrived in bakersfield clubs in the 1950s and 60s. How a generation of displaced okies revolutionized american music, is available now. The term is generally used to describe a hardedged honkytonk sensibility characterized by sharp, twanging fender telecaster guitars, crying pedal steel. The bakersfield sound buck owens, merle haggard, the. Westward migration and the bakersfield sound duration.
The birth of the bakersfield sound book depository. Bakersfield was emerging as the center of a distinctive sound of country music, an outgrowth of the rockabilly of the 1950s. Why is the bakersfield sound one of the best boxed sets of. Country music hall of fame the bakersfield sound book. Price is an indepth portrait of a musical era and its legacy. How a generation of displaced okies revolutionized american music is a fascinating story well told. Find the best bakersfield sound albums on allmusic. Listen to your favorite songs from its a bakersfield thing by gene thome and the bakersfield sound now. The bakersfield sound stood in direct opposition to the slick sound of much nashville country music and was one. Online shopping for bakersfield sound from a great selection at classical store.
Price, the awardwinning executive editor of the bakersfield californian, has written and spoken extensively about the bakersfield sound for more than twenty years. Penny pollard walking the streets of bakersfield in the 50s. The bakersfield sound became one of the most popular and arguably the most influential country genres of the 60s, setting the stage for countryrock and outlaw, as well as reviving the. The book is the culmination of prices research into the history and musical impact of the bakersfield soundthe country music style that originated in bakersfield, california. It tells the lesser known story of how the bakersfield sound developed, and the musicians and artists who shaped it. The music emanating from these venues was by no means homogeneous. Country music hall of fame the bakersfield sound book series. This book is great for anyone who is a fan of country music. Bakersfield was the first genre of country music to be significantly influenced by rock and roll, and as a result, the first to rely heavily on electric instrumentation and a defined backbeat. Vince gill and paul franklin break down the bakersfield sound last year, country superstar vince gill left his record label, mca, after more.
In other words, the bakersfield sound immerses us in the unique cultural convergence that gave rise to a visceral and distinctly california country music. Buck owens, merle haggard, and california country by michael gray,john w. Bring back that bakersfield sound official audio duration. Staff country music hall of fame and museum nashville 2012, paperback at the best online prices at ebay. Jul 30, 2012 bakersfield style lap steel guitar by mike neer duration. Universally recognized as the country music capital of the west coast and nashville west, bakersfield is the birthplace for what would become known worldwide as the bakersfield sound. Country roots on a budget collection indicates that bakersfield music was, by comparison, rawer, twangier and rocked more than just a little. The bakersfield sound is a genre of country music developed in the mid to late 1950s in and around bakersfield, california. As robert price writes in his books afterword, much bigger things. It was also a reaction against the slickly produced, orchestraladen. The term is generally used to describe a hardedged honkytonk sensibility characterized by. How a generation of displaced okies revolutionized american music by robert e. The compelling story of how a country music cottage industry transformed bakersfield into the country music capital of the west, sometimes called nashville west, a serious challenge to nashvilles commercial country dominance. Bakersfield college bc is a public community college located in bakersfield, california.
Bakersfield style lap steel guitar by mike neer duration. Bakersfield sound is a genre of country music from the 1950s and named after its origin in bakersfield, california. The bakersfield sound was a reaction to the early 50s and 60s sweetening of country music epitomized by the nashville sound. As robert price writes in his book s afterword, much bigger things. P one of bakersfields leading architects of the bakersfield sound oscar whittington passed away 060320. The bakersfield sound the bakersfield sound, robert e. On the other hand, the book addresses some subjects, such as the factors that influenced the popularity of the bakersfield sound and its competition and partial appropriation by the mainstream, in a way that makes them feel more like asides than subjects in their own rights. The birth of the bakersfield sound by lawton jiles, 9781948282512, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Prices authoritative history of the hardedged style that transformed country music, is now on. The bakersfield sound nestled at the southern end of californias san joaquin valley, the city of bakersfield is best known for farming, oil fields, and a unique brand of country music called the bakersfield sound.
The sub genre of country music described as a mix of twangy guitars. Paperback, 6 x 9, 296 pages, with 50 blackandwhite images isbn. Wynn stewart, buck owens, merle haggard and dwight yoakam. Vince gill and paul franklin break down the bakersfield sound last year, country superstar vince gill left his record label, mca, after more than 20 years. What was the relationship between country music and the pop mainstream during the 1970s. Nov 20, 2015 this book is great for anyone who is a fan of country music. Oscars instrument was the fiddle and over many years since meeting bill woods in 1952 oscar entertained.
That said, this book thrives on the personalities of its people. Nestled at the southern end of californias san joaquin valley, the city of bakersfield is best known for farming, oil fields, and a unique brand of country music called the bakersfield sound. Stream adfree with amazon music unlimited on mobile, desktop, and tablet. Just enough detail to create the historical perspective without bogging down in details. The term is generally used to describe a hardedged honkytonk sensibility characterized by sharp, twanging fender telecaster guitars.
The term is generally used to describe a hardedged honkytonk sensibility. P one of bakersfield s leading architects of the bakersfield sound oscar whittington passed away 060320. Early on in the book before going into wellresearched detail about buck, merle, and the rest of bakersfields musical cognoscenti price shares the mystery behind the sound itself. The bakersfield sound arose primarily as a response to the homogenization, overproduction, and onesizefitsall bigness that characterized country music throughout the 60s, with its army of session musicians, perpetually employed string sections, and roving gangs of backup vocal groups. Bakersfield music hall of fame venue bakersfield, ca. Bakersfield was a perfect storm of people from oil workers to farmers coming together to create a scene of musicians supporting one another on sessions and gigs. Bakersfields population is around 380,000, making it the 52ndmost populous city in the united states of america and the 9thmost populous city in. The bakersfield soundthe bakersfield sound, robert e. But as billy mize and the bakersfield sound details, a series of exceedingly challenging personal setbacks put his career on a loweraltitude trajectory than anyone would have predicted. Oscars instrument was the fiddle and over many years since meeting bill woods in 1952 oscar entertained many people who loved that bakersfield sound. I enjoyed it, and am glad to add it to my music library. Bakersfield sound grows ever more faint bakersfield, ca saturday june 08, 2002 as the roll is called up yonder, a lot of the newcomers whove ascended by way of kern county are answering in okie drawls.
In californias central valley, two thousand miles away from country musics hit machine, the hard edge of the bakersfie. The term is generally used to describe a hardedged honkytonk sensibility characterized by sharp, twanging fender telecaster guitars, crying pedal steel, and straight. The bakersfield music hall of fame is a unique venue you would never expect to find in bakersfield. Get the guaranteed best price on biographies like the country music hall of fame the bakersfield sound book series softcover written by country music hall of fame at musicians friend. The city covers about 151 sq mi 390 km 2 near the southern end of the san joaquin valley and the central valley region. Emerging technologies played a big role in bakersfields growth as a music center. Bakersfield sound in the 1950s and 60s bakersfield became an unlikely birthplace for a new sound the bakersfield sound.
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