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Alabama's Musical Heritage: Introduction

Throughout history, the average Southerner has not attained great material wealth but he has fully enjoyed the inexpensive aspects of culture such as gardening, storytelling/literature, foodways, and music. While Alabama, and the South, is not credited with setting trends in American “Fine Arts,” no one can deny the region’s role in the development of American music. Music is and has been an important part of life in the South and the region has given birth to almost all of the genres of music (Blues, Country, Bluegrass, Jazz, and Rock & Roll) considered “American.” Many scholars attribute this creativity to the mixing of the musical traditions of the many cultural groups who created the South. Alabama has produced some of the region’s most influential and internationally known musicians, who were mostly trained in the modest environments of home, community, and church. The sampling of music heard on the enclosed CD contains spirituals, hymns, fiddle tunes, field hollers, Indian lullabies, and locally written sheet music.

All of these recordings were taken from documentary anthologies except for “The Mesopotamia Waltz Mazurka” and “The Alabama State March,” which were performed by Fairfield native Bruce Parsons, now of Tacoma, Washington. Many of these selections were originally chosen and assembled by Joey Brackner, Jim Carnes, Joyce Cauthen, and Joyce Lamont for use as gallery music during the exhibition, Made In Alabama. Other selections are from recent documentary recordings such as Spirit of Steel, Benjamin Lloyd’s Primitive Hymns, and In the Spirit. These recordings are courtesy of the Alabama Folklife Association/Alabama Traditions, American Folklife Center of the Library of Congress, Brierfield Park, Center for the American Indian (Oklahoma City), the Oklahoma Arts Council, Hollow Square Productions, Bruce Parsons, Sloss Furnaces, Smithsonian Folkways, and Special Collections of the University of Alabama Libraries.

Over the last four hundred years, the music enjoyed and performed by Alabamians has been as varied as the population. Music, like other forms of expressive culture, informs us on many levels. When considering music in the context of Alabama and American history at least three levels should always be kept in mind. First, is this song or music a folk expression of a particular community (religious, ethnic, occupational, or geographic) within the state? Secondly, is this selection an example of Alabama’s relationship to the nation through genre or topical content? And last but not least, how would this song or music be used within the community; who would make this music and when; and how would it be taught? Also, teachers should point out that even though some of this music may sound funny or odd, it represents the world of the students’ ancestors. Students should be encouraged to talk about the differences or similarities between this music and contemporary music. In the case of sacred music, some students will recognize these styles from their own communities.