Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Wendy Brenner, About a Girl

18 comments:

  1. Wendy Brenner’s sister seems to be a very interesting character. In some ways, I can relate her to the cult that was created around Jimmie Rodgers, given her obsessive behavior with country music. However, this obsession just comes to show how some people love country music so much. One thing I found interesting in the article was how their liberal upbringing forbade fast food but allowed the purchasing of music. This could relate back to how church and secular were not strictly segregated in country music.

    https://youtu.be/phWZ79VARuI
    https://youtu.be/dQ66Sa6hTdM
    Rosanne Cash’s songs both have a happy-go-lucky, 80’s feeling to them. Although the “country” sound in her songs aren’t overwhelming, they do make their presence known amidst the modern influence. In her song “I Don’t Know Why You Don’t Want Me,” the steel guitar and drum line remind me of a generic country song. The other song I listened to, “The Way We Make A Broken Heart,” is a little slower in tempo but is still obviously influenced by country music. Additionally, Cash’s vocal technique is like that of a country singer.


    https://youtu.be/DbZHIoaapmE
    https://youtu.be/VSWLm2wRHSA
    John Hartford’s “Gentle On My Mind” is a song a person would listen to to lift their spirit. The musical instruments are all played skillfully and beautifully. I get the feeling that these people playing could be playing with a big smile on their face, as if they are just doing it for fun. The second song I listened to, “Goin’ To Work In Tall Buildings,” is much simpler than the other. The one I listened to is just Hartford playing on his guitar and singing. I think the simplicity of this made it seem more like a work song and, thus, more relatable.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I really liked how committed Wendy Brenner’s sister was to her hobby, and I was also a little disheartened at the fact that Brenner quite literally felt ashamed to be around her sister during their high school years just because she didn’t fit the societal standards. I understand how frustrating it can be to have a sibling that is completely obsessed with their hobby and pays no attention to anything else in the outside world, but honestly I thought her hobby was really interesting and I would have loved to know more about her interests. However, I doubt I’d ever become that obsessed with music like Brenner’s sister was.

    https://youtu.be/fqlcNpCq90g
    https://youtu.be/6jXrmAKBBTU
    Vince Gill’s “Whenever You Come Around” is something I’d listen to when I’m falling flat on my face in love. It’s very slow pace and sappy, almost like the country version of “My Heart Will Go On”. I can tell that the lyrics and the melody really comes from the heart and reflects how he feels quite well. His other song, “Go Rest High On That Mountain”, also is very heartfelt. The vocals are definitely sung with lots of soul and emotion, and from reading the lyrics this is a religious song which I’d expect as much of the traditional country music in America was sung in Church.

    https://youtu.be/Sz_7G8fOyG8
    https://youtu.be/iZcnXmoR6Xw
    Rodney Crowell’s “She’s Crazy For Leavin’” is a lot more upbeat than Vince Gill’s music, with the fast tempo and piano in the background giving a more rock type of feel. It’s something I’d listen to on a hot summer’s day at a gas station right next to a Sonic drive-thru while drinking a cold milkshake and waiting for my tank to fill. His “Song For Life” is more subdued, with a much slower rhythm and calmer melody. It’s accompanied with a guitar and simple beat, much like the traditional country music one would hear in Bluegrass country music.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wendy Brenner’s sister is someone who seems a lot more relatable to our generation compared to other artists we have read and learned about in the past. Specifically losing motivation as you get older. What stood out to me Brenner’s sister’s attraction to country music, because I cannot imagine she was exposed this genre as a Jewish girl from Chicago and the fact that she lived in New York, a place with where country music is not the most popular music genre.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iOXgDeqbUs
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4rvheyzzBo
    To me Billy Walker’s songs sound like a combination of love songs from the 50’s and country music. It was a little bit harder to hear the country sounds in his songs they are definitely there, you just need to listen for it. You can tell that Walker’s songs are country from the instrumentals and the twangy-ness in his voice.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qYz7rfgLWE
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWgyum5fjJc
    I was not aware that the song “Rockin Around the Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee was a country song. Although I have heard this songs throughout the years I still have a hard time hearing any country tones from this song. While listening to Lee’s “Sweet Nothin’s” I had a difficult time hearing any country sounds from this song either. I think the reason why her songs don’t sound very country-y is because the instrumentals are not the usual country music instruments like guitars or banjos.

    ReplyDelete
  4. In the article, it really captures the love of music Wendy Brenner’s sister has. The job she landed seemed like a perfect fit for her personality and likings because she could use the things she learned at the job to apply to her own life. The different passages show her sister’s obsession for country music. The imagery in these passages also allow for the audience to get a clearer idea of what is happening. The article conveys the message of how much music can affect a persons life. In other words, it can change a person’s perspective on the world around them, or even a person’s perspective of them.

    https://youtu.be/miIqI9Gql9M
    https://youtu.be/_Casu1yaobY
    Rosanne Cash’s songs both had a good tempo. They weren’t too slow or too fast, it was just right. The songs were similar to ballads because she told a story through her lyrics. I also didn’t know that she was Johnny Cash’s daughter. Johnny Cash was a signer who sang many popular hits back then, so she started singing because of him.

    https://youtu.be/uS9y_yHUZF0
    https://youtu.be/ZRLbNrE7YXc
    Barry and Holly Tashian are singers who played a part in the beginning of Brenner’s sister’s life. They were people she worked with and she enjoyed working with them. She even thought of them as her guardian angels. Their songs sounded more country. They played the classic country music instruments. they had the basic country style music that was pretty good.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Brennan’s sister is a very interesting character! Her love for country music has affected her life more than anything else. Not her parents, nor her sister, and certainly not the opinions of strangers could change what she wanted to do with her life. One part of the article that I particularly liked was when the narrator explained how mysterious the attraction to country music is by comparing it the The Bachelor. I thought it fit perfectly, how you know you really love something when you can’t describe it with words.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnnHprUGKF0
    https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiOzrj32YPvAhWLq54KHbieCLIQyCkwAHoECAIQAw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D23zRerieZxg&usg=AOvVaw08K8f7OKRDW9V5UgeWIBpL
    These songs by Jimmy Dean start a story in one and end it in another! The first, Big Bad John, is actually the only song that I can think of that had a sequel, Cajun Queen. It’s interesting to have a story like this, cut up into two songs rather than together in one. They are both relatively simple songs, at least to me, and they seem to be spoken to the beat rather than sung. However, I think that it fits the story being told.

    https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwj_hKqM3IPvAhXWl54KHXaVCL8QyCkwAHoECAIQAw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DaIsVCEZHLs0&usg=AOvVaw02BLG-N23KLzyAYq2_eYZC
    https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwi76qme3IPvAhXGvp4KHSa_AmsQwqsBMAF6BAgHEAs&url=https%3A%2F%2Fm.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DrRbfQrKcVjg%26list%3DRDUF8P7WocZXM%26index%3D8&usg=AOvVaw0fRTzTywJPBhHdaEKR6flh
    Roy Acuff’s songs make me feel like I’m sitting in the middle of a wild west saloon. The piano in both songs really sell it, it makes it feel like there’s a man in a cowboy hat sitting across from me singing his heart out. The songs aren’t fast paced but they still hold energy that makes you wan’t to bob your head.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I found it very interesting that this article was delivered by Wendy Brenner while the content was mostly about Wendy Brenner’s sister. It was clear to see the affection Wendy Brenner’s sister had for country music. Wendy Brenner expanded on the idea of how her sister was perfect in everything before she got into music. However, I loved how her sister wanted to pursue in what she wanted to do, which was music. She was definitely seen as an abnormal character from Wendy Brenner’s perspective, but that is what made her “the happiest girl in the whole of USA.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Lcnvd8BNFE
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qyi6mFZv9SI
    Steve Earle is an American singer-songwriter and most of his songs or almost all of his songs contained instruments. He made songs that are mostly country and included an energetic melody to it. One of the song I chose is “Galway Girl”, and I chose this one mainly because of the beautiful sound of the instrument and the melody. The second song I chose by him is “Someday”, and I chose this song because of the lyrics that are being delivered.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-TkjEdB1kE
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLkLs6SvyDM
    Brenda Lee is an American singer and she had many hits. Singing mostly country music, she had 47 US Chart hits. One song I chose by her is “I’m Sorry” as I liked how the song started off. It gave off a very interesting, eery feeling even though it is known as country music. A second is “The end of the world”. I chose this song mainly because of the melody and the lyrics. It includes a sorrowful meaning setting a certain mood in the song.

    ReplyDelete
  7. It is interesting to think that someone being obsessive over music was once thought of to be unusual. Today, there are so many “crazed fans” who preoccupy themselves over a certain artist or certain group. However, something different about Wendy Brenner’s sister was that she was intrigued with all of what country music had to offer. She engrossed herself into nearly every song and became familiar with many artists. She somehow felt an inner connection to the songs which is what continued to draw her towards her desire to be surrounded by country music. Since she was from the South, where country music originated, it only made sense that she showed her appreciation to its gifts.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWgyum5fjJc
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-TkjEdB1kE
    Brenda Lee was a famous country artist in the 60s. Her song “Sweet Nothin’s” was a hit. She has a raspy voice and her tone seems very forceful as she sings. To me, this song doesn’t remind me much of how I perceived country music to be so it was fun to get a different perspective on the genre. Another song of hers, “I’m Sorry” was another popular one. The vibe this song gives off is very different from “Sweet Nothin’s.” Once again, this song didn’t seem to fit the country category, so I was a bit thrown off. This song had more of a soulful and melodious tone.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8_475FKJWQ
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SwMkTLXK4E
    The next artist I chose was Amy Grant because I am familiar with her music. I didn’t know that she fit the country music category so this was news to me. I love her song, “Breath Of Heaven.” Her voice is so soft yet powerful at the same time. She isn’t the original creator of this song, but she sings it in a way that is unique to her character. She added a few lyrics to make the song more personal to her. Another song, “Simple Things” is known as one of her greatest hits. This song is more upbeat compared to the other one. The star instrument in this song is the guitar (a key instrument in country music).

    ReplyDelete
  8. This article was surprisingly enjoyable to read mainly due to the fact that it told an interesting story. It felt almost as if I was reading a chapter from a novel and i felt very intrigued and engaged through the whole article. I liked how the author starts things off with a disclaimer stating that her sister isn’t a creepy, crazed obsessive fan and that she is a good person. The author then transitions into a little back story about her sisters love of country music and describes a little bit about her sisters personality and a little bit about her adult life. I also liked that the author incorporated the flashbacks to their childhood which gave us insight on how the sisters extreme love and passion of country music originated. It was very cool to read about how gifted, driven and unique her sister was at such a young age. The author makes it very clear that her sister is someone who plays by her own rules and likes to do things her own way. In my opinion the author admires her sister and sees her as someone who is very talented and passionate.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrZRURcb1cM
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDG2m5hN1vo

    The first artist I decided to listen too was Fleetwood Mac. I enjoyed the song “Dreams” and as son as it started playing I immediately recognized it from a viral TikTok video of a dude skateboarding and drinking cranberry juice while vibing to this song. The song is extremely catchy and easily got stuck in my head after only 1 listen. I like how its a pretty mellow easy going song but it isn’t depressing and sad its more on the happier side. The second song of Fleetwood Mac’s that I listened to is called “The Chain”. I first heard this song in the movie Guardians of the Galaxy vol 2. In my opinion “The Chain” has a more country vibe compared to “Dreams”. The song incorporates drum, guitar and banjo instrumentals that stand out very well. The words are emphasized/accompanied buy the instruments to make everything seem more dramatic. To me this song has a heart break but at the same time inspirational uplifting feel to it.

    ReplyDelete
  9. In the article, I found it interesting how Wendy Brenner always wished that her sister was “normal” when really she was just committed to her hobbies. Wendy Brenner seemed like the typical girl who always wanted to be popular and fit in with all the trends at the time, but her sister seemed like she was the kind who didn’t care if she didn’t fit in or what other people thought of her. I can see where Brenner was coming from since she just wanted to fit in, but I don’t think that she should’ve been ashamed of her sister just because she was a little different from others. I think that the article shows how music can affect multiple people so much and in the end, bring them closer together.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvaEJzoaYZk
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Lcnvd8BNFE
    Steve Earle’s song, “Copperhead Road” is a very slow starting song but gets a little more upbeat and has a nice consistent beat throughout the song. This song was country though a lot of it also reminded me of rock. The instruments included guitars, the drums, and other instruments usually found in rock and not country. “Galway Girl” is another song by Steve Earle. This song to me seems more country and is very upbeat. In this song, I also really liked the lyrics and I thought that it made the song more meaningful.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARkn2niw-Jw
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTzQhr6AQdM
    Billy Walker’s song “Charlie’s Shoes” starts off with a whistle as the introduction. The song is country but it’s very hard to hear. It’s a very soothing song and it seems like a very happy song. Another song by Billy Walker is “Funny How Time Slips Away” which has very interesting instrumentals throughout the song. Once again, it’s very hard to hear the country in the song but it is there. It’s a pretty slow song, but it sounds very nice.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I liked how this article focuses more on Wendy Brenner’s sister and her love for country music. She was very fond of the style of music and wanted to be part of the country music community. What I found interesting is that she is really into country but wasn’t one of those crazy fan type girls. It kind of relates to modern day because usually, musician’s fans would follow them on all their social media and basically “stalk” them. Brenner’s sister didn’t do any of that. I liked how this article was formatted; it gave stories about Brenner and her sister and how country music was an aspect in their lives. As a country music fan myself, I found this article really interesting and got to learn about a different side of country that I normally don’t listen to.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=is4NQkUN3AI
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJHvYU_y6xQ
    When thinking about a Brenda Lee song, the first one that comes to my mind is her version of “Rockin Around the Christmas Tree.” I would think that since she fits into the category of a country artist, she would incorporate some type of country in this song. I think this is her style of country and it’s not the same type of country that I normally listen to. In the beginning, there is a guitar solo that opens it. It’s not like the typical strumming guitar that country artists play. It sounds a little more electric. There is also a trumpet or some type of jazz instrument solo in the middle of the song. The second song I chose is called “All Alone Am I.” This song is a very sad song with a depressing tone. It talks about a breakup between two people and how alone one person feels without the other one by their side. Again, this may be her take on country but it sounds like a ballroom waltz. Comparing this to the first song I mentioned, the two vibes for them are very different. The first song is more upbeat and this song is a little more sad. The use of instruments are different as well. “All Alone Am I” is a song that I would have on a heartbroken playlist or just sad songs in general.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLVV2TaI4Wo
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1m--UmRngY
    Amy Grant is an artist that I have listening to for a long time. I’ve mostly been listening to her Christmas albums during the wintertime. But, this song caught my attention. This song is called “That’s What Love is For.” This song reminds me of Mariah Carey’s “Always Be My Baby,” specifically the introduction. Before looking at the lyrics, I knew right off the bone that this was a love song. While looking at the lyrics, I notice that this song has a theme of love can fix anything. This is a medium-pace song and something I would hear on the radio on Krater 96.3 in their love song section. I thought this song was really good and it’s a good song to listen to on Valentine’s Day with a loved one. I wanted to include one of Amy Grant’s Christmas songs because I love her Christmas albums. The song that I chose is “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” which is one of my favorite Christmas songs. This song starts of like an a cappella, containing no instruments in it. As the song progresses, instruments start to slowly add in like chimes. You also hear a chorus of voices accompanying her with makes it sound like a choir song. At the bridge of the song, you hear drums and trumpets taking over the song for a solo part, with the chimes coming in at certain points. This song is a slower song but also a great song to sing along to. I don’t really see a country aspect to this song but I really like this song since it’s a song that I have been listening to for such a long time.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I like how the article talked about the dedication that Wendy’s sister had to her hobby, and how it also showed the good and bad sides of it. It showed us that she was willing to follow her passion despite what anyone said about it, but she also passed up a lot of potential opportunities while she was doing so. In the end I think it just comes down to if she is happy with what she is currently doing and if she feels that it was worth it. I also liked the part of the article where it talked about explaining why we like or love something, and how sometimes you just cant really put it into words.

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1C3xiMRpFoI
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bMGMVGo_UCA
    The first artist that I looked at was Gail Davies, and I liked listening to her music because it still had that country sound, but it wasn’t as strong and present as the usual country music that I hear. I thought that it was something that was new and refreshing, and it was something that I might consider listening to. The second artist that I listened to was Vince Gill, and it was very similar to that of Gail Davies, the slow country music that focused more on the vocals than anything else. When they did this however, they were not sacrificing any of the other elements of the country music like the emotions and such, you could still feel it in the music, the presentation was just a little bit different than usual.
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uSfjp1ky4Mw
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6jXrmAKBBTU

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wendy Brenner’s sister seems like a person I could have long conversations with and never be bored. Her passion to her interest is something I find very relatable as I too can get too obsessed when it comes to my hobbies. I found lines near the end of the article very inspiring. For example, a line that really spoke to me was “Love is always greater than the sum of experiences, but those experiences are all we can see or touch or hear, the only part of love anyone’s ever been able to chart.”


    https://youtu.be/Vs2h18M6ky8
    https://youtu.be/4vn_I0-3WOk
    Brenda Lee is an artist who I know only for her iconic rendition of “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”, a song that I listen to with glee during the holiday season. I understand how nostalgia is brought up when speaking about the affects of country music as the song gives me nothing but nostalgic vibes when I listen to it. (Same goes for a lot of other old Christmas songs that stay widely popular during the holiday season as nostalgia plays a huge factor on why they’re so likable). Another song I listened to was “Sweet Nothins’” which made me want to get on my feet and dance. I really liked the ‘uh huh honey’ in the beginning as it drew me in. I guess it is difficult to tell that Brenda is a country singer due to her music sounding more like pop than something traditionally southern but especially in “Sweet Nothins” I can tell through her accent where her roots lie.


    https://youtu.be/phWZ79VARuI
    https://youtu.be/miIqI9Gql9M
    Rosanne Cash’s “I Don’t Know Why You Don’t Want Me” is a song very fitting of the decade it came out (1980s) as the music video and the instrumentals remind me of some of my favorite 80s pop songs. Yet, I can hear country influences in this song specifically through the guitar. The other song I listened to (and that I thoroughly enjoyed listening to) was “Seven Year Ache”. I understand Brenner when she mentioned in the article how its hard to describe what makes a song so good (comparing it to The Bachelor and the ‘true love’) as I can’t describe why I like the song. It makes me move my shoulders up and down along to the beat of the song.

    ReplyDelete
  13. This article was well written in the sense that I could relate to his sister without having much in common with her at all. Having a love and passion for something that it’s indescribably amazing is something that we’ve all felt. His sister has obviously been naturally lured to a place of strong music and this article shows the power of listening to music. She has based her whole life off of country music despite being raised on jazz, she found a love with the record store being miles from her house in Chicago. Her job with horses triggered a lifelong relationship and attachment to the sound of country. This article was interesting to see how music can matter so much to someone and specifically how the music of the 70s gave this girl something to love forever.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv7zxZgUkak
    Billy Walker’s ballet, “Funny How Time Slips Away”, is such a great song. I personally never listened to this era or genre of music willingly but the voice of Billy Walker instantly caught me off guard. He’s almost like a soothing and mellowed version of Elvis Presley. His melodic voice, singing about the time slipping away, could put anyone to sleep as a lullaby would. The instruments add so much to this dreamy tune. The slack-key guitar adds a heavenly tone while the slow guitar strum gives it a country vibe. The cello ads a jazzy side to it, it’s definitely a new genre to me and I’m eager to find more of his songs just like this one.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhymE7-zutA
    Another one of Billy Walker’s called, “A Million & One” is very different from “Funny How Time Slips Away”. It starts with a harmony of Billy and a few other women and men. It’s much louder, higher energy, and includes electric guitars vs the acoustic guitars in his other songs. He still includes the slack-key guitar which adds a great melodic and groovy factor to the song. I’m still not sure what to call this specific genre but it’s definitely a combination of jazz, country, and maybe even a bit of rock with the guitar solos. The harmonies in this song remind me of gospel music because of its grandness in this particular song.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_87xfuaHDE
    Jon Hartford’s “Gentle on my mind” immediately comes in with the banjo. The banjo being the only instrument apart from his foot tapping gives this song a classic country vibe. He also goes in with a storytelling style of singing which reminds me a bit of the blues. John Hartford gives an awesome banjo solo but keeps a straight face while telling/singing his story.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCVQ3w3sKxA
    In his next song, “Learning to Smile” he goes right in with a 35 second banjo solo. This is once again just the banjo which gives it a country tone but is very different from typical country. He actually tap dances during his performance which adds another percussive element. His soothing and slow voice gives it a positive yet gloomy tone to his song. His music is definitely different but enjoyable as he incorporates different styles while only using one instrument.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I thought that Wendy Brenner’s sister was just like every other person. I would even say that her sister was an archetype. She grew up very normal, was pretty smart, but was still normal. I thought that what made Wendy's sister different was that she followed her passion in music. I can relate Wendy’s sister to my own sister, who was musically talented, but she didn’t follow her passion in music, because of how hard it actually was. I think that Wendy's sister was such a courageous person to be able to follow her passion even though she didn’t even know where her next job came from.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTBXundaOoA
    Tell me again
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EsAd0Lwlg4
    Don’t worry about me

    I listened to a couple of Billy Walker songs, and immediately I noticed that he had more of a classical approach to country music. You can just tell from his voice that he had some Elvis Presley influence. Although it was a more classical tune, he still had instruments like the fiddle played in country tune which made the music so much more creative.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miIqI9Gql9M
    7 Year Ache
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vi7xEqPraB8
    Everyone But Me

    When I listened to Rosanne Cash, it kind of sounded like older 70s to 80s music that I have listened to before. I noticed some country element in her voice, but there wasn’t any other country tune or feeling. There wasn’t like a fiddle or banjo, but her music was something that you could really listen to and dance to.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I found it especially interesting and cool how Wendy Brenner's sister was able to make a living within an industry that she always loved so much. I think it was really such a bold move to move to Nashville without so much as a plan. Being able to work in an environment where you are able to meet stars in your favorite music genre is an amazing lifestyle. I also found it cool how Rachel wrote lyrics and immersed herself in listening to music as a teen, but found it a little sad of how her sister kind of disapproved and thought she was just weird. Its a great story nonetheless.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvaEJzoaYZk
    "Copperhead Road"
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AINUPFbFpqg
    "Guitar Town"

    I listened to two Steve Earle songs. Of the two I listened, I thought "Guitar Town" was better, it had a more jumpy and light mood about the song, but "Copperhead Road" had a bit more edgy feel, which is why I prefer "Guitar Town." That's just my preference. I like the simplicity in the tracks, the chords are played by an acoustic guitar which is the dominant rhythm instrument for chord progression in the songs. The bass isn't too heavy and the drums have a nice feel. Earle's electric guitar solos have a nice sound as well.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTzQhr6AQdM
    "Funny How Time Slips Away"
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARkn2niw-Jw
    "Charlie's Shoes"

    I listened to two songs by Billy Walker. Billy Walker's songs come from the 60s, and upon listening to these two songs I definitely could tell. Walker's voice has a nice soothing voice. His song "Funny How Time Slips Away" has a slow, romantic feel, which reminded me of Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling In Love With You." Walker's song has a nice slow groove, with nice soft piano runs responding to Walker's lines. "Charlie's Shoes" is a more upbeat song, the drums are a lot more active, with more acoustic guitar and also some whistling. Both Walker's songs have background singers harmonizing, also giving some harmonic "ooos" and "ahhs."

    ReplyDelete
  16. Ellie

    The main focus of this article was Wendy Brenner’s sister. She grew up on jazz but ended up loving country music, and she really put her all into what she loved the most. She had some ups and downs but overall she stayed close to what she wanted to do to make her happy. However, Brenner’s sister wasn’t like anyone special she’s just like a everyday girl that just enjoys her time listening to country music without a care in the world. I liked that about her because she could care less about what others would think which is the opposite of Wendy.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWgyum5fjJc

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLkLs6SvyDM
    Brenda Lee was a singer in the 60s that had many hits. Most of her songs are in the country genre.Th first song was, “Sweet Nothings,” I really like her voice because she has this raspiness to it, that makes the song sound more real and raw. She has a different take on country music and I thought that was interesting. The next song I chose by her was, “The End of the World,” the title right off the bite gives you a sense of the mood of what the song will be. The song had a sad tone to it with a different melody to it, it almost doesn’t sound like country music.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miIqI9Gql9M

    https://youtu.be/dQ66Sa6hTdM
    The next artist I listened to was Rosanne Cash, who had a more upbeat feel to her version of country music. Her music reminded me of music that’s from around the 80s, her music was kind of light in a way. With her mix she gave her perspective of country, because she still had that country accent to her singing. Even if her music didn’t really sound like regular country songs. The first song I listened to was, “7 Year Ache,” I didn’t know before that country music could be so diverse. Country doesn’t just have one voice but multiple peoples take in it, turning it into what we call country music today. The second song also had that 80s feel to it with her mix of country which was, “The Way We Make a Broken Heart.”

    ReplyDelete
  17. I thought it was interesting that this article told the story of a girl’s passion for music through the perspective of her sister. I liked that Wendy Brenner told personal stories about growing up infuriated with Rachel’s crazy and misunderstood hobby, but made it clear that she had come to respect her sister’s clarity of vision by the end. I especially appreciated that the article ended on the point that spending time in one’s “freakish dreamworld” often makes them happier than living under society’s expectations, and we should all be so lucky to turn out own passions into careers.

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rRbfQrKcVjg
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=R96AAEK4vaY

    “Great Speckled Bird” by Roy Acuff references the complications religious life and factions through allusions to a bird. “Fireball mail” tells the story of a train’s journey through upbeat verses and statements on the mandolin.

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=J2WilM6ljUg
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_Casu1yaobY
    “September When it Comes” by Rosanne Cash tells the story of deliverance from life’s toils, and its composition has the effect of making one feel nostalgic. “The Wheel” is a testament the ongoing nature of life and an angel who watches over it. It seems that many country songs have religious undertones.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Wendy Brenner’s sister reminds me of myself. We grew up in completely different times and places and gravitated to different genres of music, but I definitely see myself in the way she loves and collects songs. I’m glad Brenner learned to not be a shamed of her sister. I think it’s inspiring how she moved alone to New York and then to Nashville just because she loved music and those were the places where she could immerse herself in it.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sZdFJjnd3M
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hY6CMvJ9Vg
    My mom loves Emmylou Harris and she used to play her music for me a lot when I was growing up. My two favorite songs of hers are “Goin’ Back to Harlan” and “Orphan Girl.” “Goin’ Back to Harlan” is a nostalgic song about wishing to return to your childhood. “Orphan Girl” is the story of a young girl with no family. Lyrically, these songs are almost complete opposites, but Emmylou Harris’s wistful singing voice ties them together and makes me nostalgic for my own childhood.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4M53xndqiU
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Op1OthEy3Ws
    I also grew up listening to Fleetwood Mac, and my two favorite albums are the self-titled one “Fleetwood Mac” and “Behind the Mask.” I chose one song from both of those albums, “Landslide” and “Skies the Limit.” “Landslide” is one of the band’s most well-known songs, for good reason. It’s melancholy lyrics paired with simple production and Stevie Nick’s voice are beautiful. “Skies the Limit” is a more up beat song, and I like it because it reminds me of listening to cassettes with my dogs in my old bedroom.

    ReplyDelete