About the book
Country music maintains a special, decades-long relationship to American military life, but these ties didn’t just happen. This readable history reveals how country music’s Nashville-based business leaders on Music Row created partnerships with the Pentagon to sell their audiences on military service while selling the music to servicemembers. Beginning in the 1950s, the military flooded armed forces airwaves with the music, hosted tour dates at bases around the world, and drew on artists from Johnny Cash to Lee Greenwood to support recruitment programs. Over the last half of the twentieth century, the close connections between the Defense Department and Music Row gave an economic boost to the white-dominated sounds of country while marginalizing Black artists and fueling divisions over the meaning of patriotism.
This story is filled with familiar stars like Roy Acuff, Elvis Presley, and George Strait, as well as lesser-known figures: industry executives who worked the halls of Congress, country artists who dissented from the stereotypically patriotic trappings of the genre, and more. Joseph M. Thompson argues convincingly that the relationship between Music Row and the Pentagon helped shape not only the evolution of popular music but also race relations, partisanship, and images of the United States abroad.
Editions of Cold War Country
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781469678351
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781469678368
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469678375
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469678382
- EBook
- ISBN 9798890887535
- PDF
- ISBN 9798890887528
Read an Excerpt
Country music maintains a special, decades-long relationship to American military life, but these ties didn’t just happen. This readable history reveals how country music’s Nashville-based business leaders on Music Row created partnerships with the Pentagon to sell their audiences on military service while selling the music to servicemembers. Beginning in the 1950s, the military flooded armed forces airwaves with the music, hosted tour dates at bases around the world, and drew on artists from Johnny Cash to Lee Greenwood to support recruitment programs. Over the last half of the twentieth century, the close connections between the Defense Department and Music Row gave an economic boost to the white-dominated sounds of country while marginalizing Black artists and fueling divisions over the meaning of patriotism.
This story is filled with familiar stars like Roy Acuff, Elvis Presley, and George Strait, as well as lesser-known figures: industry executives who worked the halls of Congress, country artists who dissented from the stereotypically patriotic trappings of the genre, and more. Joseph M. Thompson argues convincingly that the relationship between Music Row and the Pentagon helped shape not only the evolution of popular music but also race relations, partisanship, and images of the United States abroad.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cold War Country about?
Country music maintains a special, decades-long relationship to American military life, but these ties didn’t just happen. This readable history reveals how country music’s Nashville-based business leaders on Music Row created partnerships with the Pentagon to sell their audiences on military service while selling the music to servicemembers. Beginning in the 1950s, the military flooded armed forces airwaves with the music, hosted tour dates at bases around the world, and drew on artists from Johnny Cash to Lee Greenwood to support recruitment programs. Over the last half of the twentieth century, the close connections between the Defense Department and Music Row gave an economic boost to the white-dominated sounds of country while marginalizing Black artists and fueling divisions over the meaning of patriotism.
This story is filled with familiar stars like Roy Acuff, Elvis Presley, and George Strait, as well as lesser-known figures: industry executives who worked the halls of Congress, country artists who dissented from the stereotypically patriotic trappings of the genre, and more. Joseph M. Thompson argues convincingly that the relationship between Music Row and the Pentagon helped shape not only the evolution of popular music but also race relations, partisanship, and images of the United States abroad.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Cold War Country?
History and Archaeology > History > History of the Americas
Where can I read a sample of Cold War Country?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781469678351
How long is Cold War Country and how many pages does it have?
Cold War Country has 344 page(s)
Is Cold War Country part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Studies in United States Culture
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Cold War Country?
Joseph M. Thompson
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Cold War Country is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781469678351) and paperback(ISBN 9781469678368) and ebook(ISBN 9781469678375) and ebook(ISBN 9781469678382) and ebook(ISBN 9798890887535) and pdf(ISBN 9798890887528)
Where can I buy Cold War Country online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Cold War Country from below
Where can I buy Cold War Country?