About Country Music

I began exploring the WKMS world library holdings, previously used in programs like Jazz Horizons and World Jazz Party, and proposed a program titled Ports of Call in 2005 or thereabouts.  I decided to re-title it Country Music last year, just for fun.

Depending on what’s going on in the world, Country Music might feature a whole hour of music from one country or samplings from several nations or a region offered in sets.  The music may come from folk, pop, jazz, indigenous, traditional, or classical genres.

I’m a restless music seeker.  When trying on new music, if it speaks to me, personally, I want to share it.  I’m travelling musically because I’ve always loved to discover new places.
When I was a kid, I picked up a lot of travel books by Richard Halliburton at second-hand stores.  He led an adventurous life around the world and I loved his stories.  My dad turned me on to Peter Freuchen’s writings about the Arctic.

Most recently I’ve found artist Rockwell Kent’s travel adventure books about the Aleutians, Greenland and Patagonia very satisfying.  Also those of Craig Child, who walks around the American southwest where the ancient peoples walked and lived.

When I actually travel outside the United States, my itineraries seem so full of museums and exploring that I’m usually pooped by the time musicians get going.   Once Bob and I were in Mamou, Cape Breton Island and wanted to go to a caleigh.  They didn’t crank up the music until 10 p.m., and we had an early start in the morning.  Boo hoo.

In some future when a purely musical tour opportunity arises, I’d like to go to Mali, for example, and sit down in one of the open air clubs and give myself up to the groove of musicians there like Mamadou or Toumani Diabate.  I spoke with Bela Fleck about this and he said, “you just need to do a lot of homework to hear live music in Africa.”  Someday!

So thanks for listening.  If you have music from around the world you’d like to share, e-mail me at kate.lochte@murraystate.edu.  Thanks!