Sociology 417/517 - The Social Context of Southern Music 

Text: Austin, Sounds of the South: The Sociology of Southern Music   
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     The music of the southern region of the United States is a rich 
tradition of popular culture.  The southern region has spawned several 
genres of popular music: country, the blues, rock and roll, jazz and
gospel.  The primary foci of this course are: country, blues and
gospel; however, some attention is also given to the early days of rock
and roll pre-Beatles) and southern rock (e.g. Allman Brothers, Lynard
Skynard, etc).     
     This course is offered once each year, usually in the Fall Semester
and is available for both undergraduate and graduate credit.  The course is
recommended in the Southern Studies minor (History department) and as a
core elective in the Recording Industry Management (RIM) major. It is also
an excellent elective for sociology majors and minors.
     During the semester, there are several guest speakers from various
components of the music industry (e.g., songwriters, music publishers,
recording engineers, media personnel) and at least one field trip (to a
state-of-the-art recording studio.
     Students considering this course should, however, be full aware that
it is not a music course -- it is a SOCIOLOGY OF music course. The focus
is on sociological theory and analysis using popular music of the southern
region as a database.
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I.  Course Objectives: 
    1.    To provide a socio-historical analysis of southern music
          as a form of popular culture. 
    2.    To examine the relationship between culture and popular
          culture. 
    3.    To provide an examination of the social production of
          popular culture as a vehicle for the analysis of social issues.   
 
II.  Course Requirements:  
     l.   Attendance is, of course, required. 
     2.   Classes will begin promptly at 1:00 and students are
          encouraged to be on time.  The door will be closed 5 minutes 
	  after class begins.  Please do not enter the classroom after the door 
	  has been closed.
     3.   Examinations.  There will be three examinations during the
          semester, including the final exam.  Each exam will cover only
          new material (unless otherwise specified by your instructor) and
          each exam will count one-fourth of your final grade. Exams will
          be approximately 50% essay.  Make-ups will be given only when
          absolutely necessary and there will be one designated day when
          all make-up exams will be given.
     4.   Research Paper.  An independent research paper is essential to 
          the learning process in this course.  The paper will count
          one-fourth of your final grade.  A list of suggested topics is
          provided in class.  Specific requirements:  
          a.   10 page minimum (typed, double spaced), five reference
               minimum. Books and journals as opposed to magazines and
               newspapers).  
          b.   ASA style (provided in class)
          c.   Specifics regarding due dates for outlines and the finished
               paper will be provided in class                  
     5.   Grading Scale:
          a.   Total points available = 400
          b.   A = 90% and above (360 points)
               B = 80 - 89% (320-359 points)
               C = 70 - 79% (280-319 points)
               D = 60 - 69% (240-279 points).
               F = below 60% (below 240 points)
               I - Incompletes will be given only in those cases where
                   the failure to complete assigned work is due to              
                   circumstances beyond the student's control.      

Unit I - The Folk Tradition.  This unit traces contemporary southern music
the British folk tradition and its modern American counterpart; however,
attention is also given to the black country blues and its African origins.
The emergence of a native American balladry and style are of paramount
importance in this unit.  The unit concludes with an examination of the
nationalization and commercialization of the Southern musical tradition.

Unit II.  The Production of Popular Culture.  This unit traces the song
from the mind of the writer to the ear (more appropriately, the pocketbook)
of the listener.  Along the way, critical industry decisions are made by
publishers, producers, engineers and media executives which impact the
song. Essentially, this unit examines the music business and the structural
components of the music business.   

Unit III - Sociological Themes in the lyrics of country music. Topics to
be covered include: Alcohol, family and gender roles, racial and ethnic
relations, religion, social class and work ethic, urbanization, aging and
the elderly as these issues are treated in the lyrical content of
contemporary country music.


                     TOPICS COVERED

UNIT I:   The Formation of the Southern Music Tradition
          The British Folk Tradition                           
          Characteristics of the Folk Ballad
          Cultural Borrowing and Adaptation
          The African Musical Tradition
          The Rise of a Native Balladry
          Instrumentation in the Folk Tradition
          Selling the Oral Tradition: Comercialization 
              Radio and Recording         
              The Nationalization of the Folk Tradition
              Hank Williams                                      
          Rockabilly and the birth of Rock and Roll
          The Nashville Sound

UNIT II:  The Production of Country Music
          Role of the Songwriter
          Copyright Law: BMI and ASCAP                        
          The Recording Process  (Field Trip -- The RecordingStudio)
          The Role of the Media                               
          Live and in Concert                    

UNIT III: Sociological Themes in the Lyrics of Country Music
          Alcohol and the Southern Music Tradition          
          Family and Gender Roles                      
          Family and Gender Roles
          Race and Ethnic Relations                           
          The Theology of Southern Music                      
          Class and Stratification                            
          Urbanization                                        
          Aging and the Elderly