Tunes for Twangers
Music 305 A
Fall 2009
Class Schedule: We shall make every
effort to abide by the following class schedule [Fall 2009]. Dates for
electronic assignments should be solid – dates for presentation of materials –
should be solid – dates for MT’s [aka Mini-Tests] hopefully will be solid – but
if we start “not tracking” – will change and adjust as necessary.
Week 1 [Two Sessions]: August 25
& August 27
Welcome
Pre-Clas Quiz
Rites & Rituals
Explanation of Class
Brief tour of the Twanger Web
Module I ~ The Beginnings
Early Influences: British-Anglo-Celtic; Religious-Sacred; Delta
Influence-Country Blues
TA1 [aka Twanger Assignment One]: Due –
Wednesday, August 26th by Midnight
Early Influences Continued
Geographic Centers: Memphis, New Orleans, Dallas ~ Nashville, Atlanta,
Galveston, et al
Medicine Shows – Vaudeville
Fiddling Contests – Henry Ford
John & Alan Lomax
Early Artists: Fisk Jubilee Singers, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Fiddlin’ John
Carson
Week 2 [Two Sessions]: September 1
& September 3
Review Early Influences
Review Early Artists
Instruments of Country: Fiddle, Banjo, Harmonica, Mandolin, Guitar [and
autoharp]
Class Presentations – Instruments of Country [small groups]
Class Listening ~ BYOR [Bring Your Own Recording] ~ examples of “which”
influences
TMT I [aka Twanger Mini-Test Number One]:
September 3
NO CLASS on Tuesday, September 8 [I’ll be in Asheville, NC]
TA2 [aka Twanger Assignment Two]: Due –
Sunday, September 9th by Midnight
Week 3 [One Session]: September 10
Module II – Innovations Bring Change
Early Recording Artists: Fiddlin’ John Carson, Pop Stoneman, Eck Robertson,
Vernon Dalhart, et al
Ralph Peer
Recording Timeline
Early Radio Stations: WSB, WLS, WBAP and WSM
Barn Dances
Grand Ole Opry
TA3 [aka Twanger Assignment Three]: Due –
Sunday, September 13th by Midnight
Week 4 [Two Sessions]: September 15
& September 17
George D. Hay
Early Artists of the Opry: Uncle Jimmy Thompson, Dr. Humphrey Bate, Uncle Dave
Macon, DeFord Bailey
Week 5 [Two Sessions]: September 22
& September 24
Module III – Early Giants
[and here is where I shall start to
obsess a bit – and we might not be “tracking” after this Module – Grrr…]
Carter Family: A. P., Sara & Maybelle
Jimmie Rodgers
Social Reflections
TMT II [aka Twanger
Mini-Test Number Two]: September 22
TA4 [aka Twanger Assignment Four]: Due –
Sunday, September 27th by Midnight
Week 6 [Two Sessions]: September 29
& October 1
Giant Wrap-Up
BYOR ~ Favorite Artist of Today – representing “old-time” tradition
*No Class*
Tuesday, October 6 – Fall Break
I shall be in
TA5 [Twanger
Assignment Five]: Due Wednesday, October 7th by Midnight [After Fall
Break]
Week 7 [One Session]:
October 8
Module IV – Kentucky & Bluegrass Music
Brief Discussion of Kentucky
Overview of Bluegrass Music
Begin “virtual” Driving Tour
Virtual Driving Tour Concluded
Discussion of Eastern Kentucky
Introduce Bluegrass Music
Week 8 [Two Sessions]:
October 13 and October 15
Bluegrass Music
Bill Monroe, Stanley Brothers, Flatt & Scruggs
Bluegrass music today
BYOR ~ Favorite Artist from or associated with
TMT III [aka Twanger Mini-Test Number
Three]: October 15
TA6 [aka Twanger Assignment Six]: Due –
Sunday, October 18th by Midnight
Week 9 [Two Sessions]: October 20 &
October 22
Conclude
TA7 [aka Twanger Assignment Six]: Due –
Sunday, October 25th by Midnight
Week 10 [Two
Sessions]: October 27 & October 29
Module V – Hank, Roy & Friends
Cowboy Image & Western Music
Gene Autry, Sons of the Pioneers, Tex Ritter, Bob Wills & Others
Introduce Hank Sr.
Hank Williams Sr.
Introduce Roy Acuff
TMT IV [aka Twanger
Mini-Test Number Four]: October 29
TA8 [aka Twanger
Assignment Eight]: Due – Sunday, November 1st by Midnight
Week 11 [Two Sessions]: November 3
& November 5
Conclude Hank & Roy
BYOR ~ Bring [or we shall discuss] favorite recordings by Hank or Roy
TA9 [aka Twanger Assignment Nine]: Due –
Sunday, November 8th by Midnight
Week 12 [Two Sessions]: November 10
& November 12
Module VI – Woman of Country Music
Early: Polly Jenkins, Roba Stanley & Roni Stoneman
Patsy Montana & Kitty Wells
Patsy Cline
Week 13 [Two Sessions]: November 17
& November 19
Loretta Lynn
Tammy Wynette & Dolly Parton
TMT V [aka Twanger Mini-Test Number
Five]: November 19
TA10 [aka Twanger Assignment Ten]: Due – Sunday, November 22nd by
Midnight
Week 14 [One Session]: November 24
BYOR ~ Favorite Female Artists of Today
Discussion and preliminary preparations for TA 12 [country music past, present
& future]
Discussion and preliminary preparations for the TP [aka Twanger Project]
*No Class*
Thursday, November 26
Thanksgiving Break
TA11 [aka Twanger Assignment Eleven]: Due – Sunday, November 29th by
Midnight [after Thanksgiving Break]
Week 15 [Two Sessions]: December 1 &
December 3
Module VII – The Man in Black & Friends
Brief Discussion of progressive – “outlaw” movement
Willie, Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson & Merle Haggard
Johnny Cash
Conway Twitty, Porter Wagoner, Hank Jr. & Randy Travis
TMT VI [aka Twanger
Mini-Test Number Seven]: December 4
Week 16 [One Session]: December 8
TP [aka Twanger Project] Presentations: December 8 [last day of class]
TMT VII – Virtual – Due on Tuesday, December 8th
Module Eight Information – Producers & Personalities will hopefully be
addressed during the course of the semester as time permits [fingers crossed]
TA12 [aka Twanger Assignment Number Twelve] shall be due on Reading Day
[Thursday, December 10]
Other Information
Last Day of Classes: Wednesday, December 9 [obviously does not affect us]
Reading Day: Thursday, December 10 [TA12 Due]
Final Examination – MUS305A: Scheduled
for Saturday, December 12th at 9:00 AM – as previously noted – as I
have two known conflicts on that day and time – we shall establish a mutually
satisfactory time for our Twanger Examination [with the permission of the
provost’s Office] – on this we shall be in touch.
Thanks ~ Be Chipper ~ Be Well
Most Warmly,
Pete LaRue
August 2009