|
View the H-Southern-Music Discussion Logs by month
View the Prior Message in H-Southern-Music's January 2006 logs by: [date] [author] [thread] View the Next Message in H-Southern-Music's January 2006 logs by: [date] [author] [thread] Visit the H-Southern-Music home page.
Thanks for the great discussion. I've been thinking a lot about "Southern" music in relation to the success of a number of performers on the pop-reality TV show phenomenon American Idol. In particular, this thread made me think of all the discourses surrounding last season's runner-up Bo Bice, who clearly identifies himself as a "Southern rocker'"in the Skynard tradition and mimicks the style in his hair, clothing, etc. as well as his vocal style and choice of songs and on-stage behaviors. I've found it interesting that many, if not most, of the winners of this contest have been "Southern" (though reflecting different styles associated with the South--Reuben Studdard from Alabama, Clay Aiken from NC, Fantasia Barrino from NC, Diana DeGarmo from Georgia, Carrie Underwood, an Oklahoma "country" girl, and Bo Bice There are clearly race/region issues crosscutting here, and there has been little (but a tiny bit) of open discourse about the shared Southernnness of many of those who are judged to be successful, in spite of judge Simon Cowell's clear and loud disdain for "country" music. There are clearly certain styles and genres that are rewarded and valorized as more appropriate (and thus more valid for an American Idol to sing) than others. Thoughts? Pam Dr. Pamela Wilson Associate Professor of Communication Reinhardt College Waleska, Georgia PSW@reinhardt.edu or wilsonpam@mindspring.com
 Humanities & Social Sciences Online 
|