Some Good Things About The South -- Music, Part 1

Spencer's comment -- and Jayberg's subsequent followup remarks -- set in motion thoughts about educating people from outside the Southern United States (particularly gay people, who seem to really have a warped sense of what it's like down here) about some of the good things we have. Yes, I know we have our fair share of baggage and backwoods.

But I've traveled throughout the States and the world, but I still come back here. It's home. So here's my mission for the next few weeks: Point out some good things about the South. Let's start with the obvious -- music:

The South is by far the richest area of music in the United States. The musical heritage of the South was developed by both whites and blacks, both influencing each other directly and indirectly. The South's musical history actually starts before the Civil War, with the songs of the African slaves and the highlands folk music brought from Europe. Blues was developed in the rural South by Blacks at the beginning of the 20th century. In addition, gospel music, spirituals, country music, rhythm and blues, soul music, bluegrass, jazz (including ragtime, popularized by Southerner Scott Joplin), and Appalachian folk music all were either born in the South or developed in the region. Rock n' roll began in the south as well.

Let's take it by category ...

Blues -- Muddy Waters, born in Mississippi, is the greatest of the greats (with apologies to fellow Magnolia State native B.B. King). "I've Got My Mojo Working" ... wow, simply masterful. And his influence was enormous. Elvis, The Rolling Stones, Zeppelin, the list goes on and on.

Gospel -- By this category, I believe the experts mean "white" religious music, as spirituals is listed as another category. So let's stick to traditional Southern gospel. And when you talk about Southern gospel, you only need to mention one word: Vestal. It's like Cher, Madonna or Brit-(cough, trash)ney. A native of Alabama, Vestal Goodman had the most amazing voice. She died two years ago this week, and yet I still get chills when I hear her belt out the alto parts in her family's famous "I Wouldn't Take Nothin' For My Journey Now" or "Rock of Ages."

Spirituals -- When Mahalia Jackson from uptown New Orleans sang "Move on up a Little Higher," the world stopped spinning for just a few moments. The granddaughter of a slave, she summed up why she refused to sing anything other than gospel music: "Gospel music is nothing but singing of good tidings -- spreading the good news. It will last as long as any music because it is sung straight from the human heart." I hope she's playing in Heaven the week I die.

Country -- Obviously, there are so many to mention here. Start with Alabama native Hank Williams ("he died at 29 from the lovesick blues"), who along with Muddy Waters combined to influence what we now call rock 'n' roll. Then the other greats: "The Man in Black" Johnny Cash of Arkansas, Patsy Cline of Virginia, Waylon Jennings and George Jones of Texas, Loretta Lynn of Kentucky, Tammy Wynette of Mississippi ("she's the Elizabeth Taylor of country music"), Alan Jackson of Georgia, Randy Travis of North Carolina and Dolly Parton of Tennessee (a bonus: She was in "Steel Magnolias"). And the list goes on and on; feel free to add more in the comments section.

(Note: Merle Haggard was a California native; and Garth Brooks' and Reba McEntire's home state of Oklahoma isn't technically in the South, but does have Southern tendancies. Ed: We can't win 'em all.)

This post is getting out of hand, and it's getting late. We continue the music discussion tomorrow.

CORX: The original post stated "Oklahoma is technically in the South ..." I meant to say "Oklahoma isn't ..." The post is now corrected.