Name______
30. Hank Williams (1923 – 1953)
Hank Williams was the most significant country music figure to emerge during the post-World War II period. In the course of his brief career, Williams wrote and sang many songs that were enormously popular with country audiences; between 1947 and 1953 he amassed 36 Top 10 records on the country charts. In addition, his songs were successfully covered by contemporary mainstream pop artists, this demonstrating the wide-ranging appeal of the new country material. Born into crushing poverty in Alabama, this son of a sharecropper learned to make his way at an early age by performing on the street, learning from a black street singer named Rufe “Tee-Tot” Payne. Enormous success came by the time Williams was in his mid-20s, but it did not come without problems. By 1952 he was divorced, had been fired from the Grand Ole Opry, and was seriously dependent on alcohol and painkilling drugs. He was dead on New Year’s Day 1953 at 29, having suffered a heart attack in the back of his car on his way to a performance.
Listen to: Move It On Over (
As you listen to the music, answer the following questions. Short answers are fine.
- What are the instruments used to make the music? Name as many as you can.
- How does this music make me feel?
- Is there a singer? If yes, are they male or female?
- In what genre does this music best fit?
31. JohnnyCash (1932 – 1976)
John R. "Johnny" Cashwas a singer-songwriter, actor, and author, widely considered one of the most influential American musicians of the 20th century. Although primarily remembered as a country music icon, his genre-spanning songs and sound embraced rock and roll, rockabilly, blues, folk, and gospel. This crossover appeal won Cash the rare honor of multiple inductions in the Country Music, Rock and Roll, and Gospel Music Halls of Fame. Cash was known for his deep bass-baritone voice,the distinctive sound of his backing band, his rebelliousness, free prison concerts, and trademark look, which earned him the nickname "The Man in Black". He traditionally began his concerts with the simple "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash.", followed by his signature "Folsom Prison Blues". Much of Cash's music echoed themes of sorrow, moral tribulation and redemption, especially in the later stages of his career. His best-known songs included "I Walk the Line", "Folsom Prison Blues", "Ring of Fire", and "Man in Black".
Listen to: Ring Of Fire (
As you listen to the music, answer the following questions. Short answers are fine.
- What are the instruments used to make the music? Name as many as you can.
- How does this music make me feel?
- Is there a singer? If yes, are they male or female?
- In what genre does this music best fit?