For a long time, people have been putting on their cowboy boots and getting together to enjoy the melodies of country music.
Payton Wolfe, a third year Graphic Design student takes time out of her week to go participate in local line dancing events.
“I was the girl with the boots,” says Wolfe. She’s been wearing them since elementary school.
Right now she is seeing a lot of floral dresses and button up shirts. There is no formal dress code for these events. It’s okay to go out in a nice going out top or a plain t-shirt, she’s worn both to events before.
Wolfe says “The atmosphere is really fun,” when talking about line dancing. She admits that some people are anxious to attend because of the lack of knowledge. She just threw herself into it to get over the anxiety. Physical activity courses or known as PAC classes are offered through Oregon State University for those interested.
Kelly Bosworth, a public history and ethnomusicology Assistant Professor at Oregon State University says country music is “a vibrant genre that included lots of people the whole time.”
In early country music a lot of it comes from blues. Bosworth says “This idea that pouring your kinda sorrows and woes into a song. Seems like it’s a tradition that goes back before country. Country has a particular way of doing it.”
Country music has a very unique and nostalgic look. Bosworth brought up the red lipstick, cowboy boots, short shorts, nudie suits, vests, denim, and western shirts.
Bosworth touched on the idea that country has always meant to be commercialized. It’s representing the working class in a glam way. You can see the musicians holding an acoustic guitar, but you w
on’t actually hear one.
A lot of people will wear cowboy boots but have never been on a ranch. Bosworth brings up work wear like “Carhartt with double covered knees…in your English class, they’re still comfortable, they’re still awesome, they’re well made.”
“I’m not trying to call anyone inauthentic…you’re signaling something you’re choosing to to signal,” Bosworth says.
Watching country music perform live is very different from a line dancing event. “Country music is very presentational.” “It’s about talent, it’s on a stage, bright lights with an audience,” says Bosworth.
Line dancing is more about the community. “Line dancing is participatory and communal experience with music.” “You’re a part of something that feels like it has roots,” Bosworth exclaims.
Line dancers and country music listeners are able to feel a sense of belonging even if it’s not where their roots are from. Bosworth says “They are a part of something that you can share with other people.”
Imagined Americana is how Bosworth describes country music. It comes from both rural Appalachian ideas and non-European American instruments and sounds.
“Country’s become kind of more exciting, more interesting, and more relevant across different genres,” Bosworth says.
As of now there are a lot of artists creating country albums such as Beyonce. This creates a whole new relevance for a new group of people. Bosworth tells us that it’s “showing that the roots of a country are not just Euro-American, showing that country can belong to all of us.”
