Tunes for Twangers
Music 305 A
Fall 2011
Class Schedule: We shall make every
effort to abide by the following class schedule. 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.
Any errors or omissions are mine and mine alone.
Week 1 [Two Sessions]: August 30
& September 1
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
TA2 [aka Twanger Assignment Two]: Due
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 6
& 8
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
TA3 [aka
Twanger Assignment Three]: Due
Week 3 [Two Sessions]: September 13
& 15
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
Roots Music – PBS Special
Week 4 [Two Sessions]: September 20
& 22
George D. Hay
Early Artists of the Opry: Uncle Jimmy Thompson, Dr.
Humphrey Bate, Uncle Dave Macon, DeFord Bailey
TMT I
TA4 [aka
Twanger Assignment Four]: Due
Week 5 [Two Sessions]: September 27
& 29
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 [Lesley
Riddle]
Jimmie Rodgers
Social Reflections
TA5 [aka
Twanger Assignment Five]: Due
Week 6 [Two Sessions]: October 4 & 6
Giants Continued
CarterFest Continued – special influences of Mr. Riddle,
The Carter Scratch, the Gibson L5, et al
Week 7 [One Session]:
October 11
Carter Wrap-Up
TMT II – Virtual: Due
*No Class*
Thursday, October 13 – Fall Break
Week 8 [Two Sessions]:
October 18 &20
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
TA6 [aka
Twanger Assignment Six]: Due
Week 9 [Two
Sessions]: October 25 & 27
Bill Monroe, Stanley Brothers, Flatt & Scruggs
Bluegrass music today
Introduce Folk Music, Pete Seeger, et al
TA7 [aka
Twanger Assignment Six]: Due
Week 10 [Two Sessions]: October November
1 & 3
Introduce Module V – Hank, Roy & Friends
Cowboy/Western Traditions
Cowboy Image & Western Music
Gene Autry, Sons of the Pioneers, Tex Ritter, Bob Wills & Others
Introduce Hank Sr.
TA8 [aka
Twanger Assignment Eight]: Due
Week 11 [Two Sessions]: November 8 &
10
Conclude Hank – Influences of Rufus Payne [Te-Tot]
Introduce Roy Acuff
TMT III – Virtual: Due
TA9 [aka Twanger Assignment Nine]: Due
Week 12 [Two Sessions]: November 15
& 17
Module VI – Woman of Country Music
Early: Polly Jenkins, Roba Stanley & Roni Stoneman
Patsy Montana & Kitty Wells
TA10 [aka
Twanger Assignment Ten]: Due
Week 13 [One Session]: November 22
Patsy Cline – The One, The Only, the “Gold Standard”
*No Class*
Thursday, November 25
Thanksgiving Break
Week 14 [Two Sessions]: November 29 & December 1
Loretta Lynn
Tammy Wynette & Dolly Parton,
et al
TA11 [aka
Twanger Assignment Eleven]: Due
Week 15 [Two Sessions]: December 6 &
8
Module VII – The Man in Black & Friends
Brief Discussion of progressive – “outlaw” movement
Willie, Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson & Merle Haggard
Johnny Cash – The Titan of Country Music
Conway Twitty, Porter Wagoner, Hank Jr. & Randy
Travis
TMT IV – Virtual or
Real-Time Due:
CEAQ Due: Sunday, December 11
Week 16 [One Session]: December 13
TP [aka Twanger Project] Presentations: December 13
[last day of class]
TA12 [aka Twanger Assignment Number Twelve] shall be
due on Reading Day [Wednesday, December 14]
Other
Final Examination – MUS305A:
Scheduled for Friday, December 16th at 9:00 AM
[Module
Eight Information – Producers & Personalities will hopefully be addressed
during the course of the semester as time permits (fingers crossed)]
Thanks ~ Be Chipper ~ Be Well
Most Warmly,
Pete LaRue
August 2011