Tuesday, October 30, 2012

The Alabama Music Scene In England


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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