The Alabama Music Scene In England
by Calvin Bass
Sharing between
cultures is not something new. All through history we have shared new ways to
travel, new ways to cook, and one of the most import things we share is music.
Regardless of
your musical tastes, there is no denying that every culture injects its own
unique take on that musical genre.
There are times
when this musical sharing can be a great success. An example of this would be
the way the world fell in love with Elvis, and in return England produced The
Beatles.
It isn’t even
just about the types of music that we share but also the cultures that follow
them. The way people are influenced by the music plays a pivotal role in how
long it will last within a given place.
The music of
Alabama, both past and present can be felt on both sides of the Atlantic. It
has influenced countless blues and country bands. You can hear it in your
favourite songs and in folk music the world over.
In England the
music from the southern state can be heard in many new bands, some of which may
not even know that they are being influenced from America’s Deep South.
It isn’t always
obvious when music is being influenced from another place. The Alabama music
scene isn’t just a scene in the traditional sense of being able to tell who
likes the type of music by the way that they dress. Nor is it the kind of scene
you could easily recognize just by sound alone, although with certain artists
there is no mistaking where their influence in musical genre came from.
You can’t walk
down a street in England and tell by looking at someone which musical style
influences them the most. In England, probably more than anywhere, there is a
mass of cultures all merging together, and in terms of music the genres are
being blurred.
The one sure way
to tell when someone is either listening to or being influenced by the music
coming from Alabama is to actually listen to their music. It’s in the drum
beats. It’s in the strumming of the guitars and in the voice of the singers.
Everything from
rock n roll to blues has a subtle hint of Alabama in it. Even England’s own
country singers borrow from their Alabama counter-parts in both the way they
sing their songs and the way they play their guitars.
Keep in mind, the
music which has come from Alabama isn’t just about country, blues and rock music.
It influences classic music all around the world and in England.
The next time you
are out and about in England, or anywhere else for that matter, keep your ears
peeled and you won’t have to listen too hard to hear the sound of Alabama
filling the air.
Music from the
southern state will keep influencing England and the rest of the world for
countless years to come. Long live the music.
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