Bakersfield sound

The Bakersfield sound is a sub-genre of country music developed in the mid-to-late 1950s in and around Bakersfield, California. Bakersfield is defined by its influences of rock and roll and honky-tonk style country, and its heavy use of electric instrumentation and backbeats. The Bakersfield sound became one of the most popular and influential country genres of the 1960s, initiating a revival of honky-tonk music and influencing later country rock and outlaw country musicians, as well as progressive country. Wynn Stewart pioneered the Bakersfield sound, while performing artists Buck Owens and Merle Haggard became two of the most successful artists of the original Bakersfield era while performing with the Buckaroos and the Strangers respectively. Other major Bakersfield country artists include Jean Shepard and Susan Raye. Quotes about the Bakersfield sound As a reaction [to the] slickness [of the Nashville sound], a more traditionalist approach sprung up in Bakersfield, Calif., a town settled largely by Dust Bowl migrants looking for work in the nearby oil fields. Owens and Merle Haggard were the leading stars of the movement, which helped plant Southern California’s roots in country music – something that would pay off handsomely in time. Dave Lifton of Ultimate Classic Rock (December 16, 2016) External links Category:Country music