Country Music Rituals and Stereotypes Analysis

When it comes to country music the ritual that stands out to me is when it comes to performing at the Grand Ole Opry.  The Grand Ole Opry began at the Ryman Auditorium, but when it became too old and small a new Opry was built.  To keep with tradition a 6 foot circle was cut from the stage at the Ryman Auditorium and installed at the new venue.  It’s a long standing ritual that performers stand in that circle when singing at the Opry.  It’s important for the performer to be reminded of all the historical country performers that have stood and performed in that same circle the decades and decades prior.  It’s also tradition to stand in that circle when a performer is invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry and most definitely on the night they become a member. 

The first thing that always comes to mind when thinking of stereotypes and country music is that old joke about what you get when you play a country song backwards.  You get your house, your dog, best friend, wife and your truck back.  People seem to think that country music is always about loss.  I think some of this may have come about because the depression and a war was going on during a time when country music was popular on the radio.  Given that country music is written to portray real life, I’m sure loss was a big part of that time period.

Many also think that country music is sung by illiterate drunks that push Christianity.  Many country musicians are conservative and members of the Republican Party, but not all.  Some think most country musicians are drunks because there are a lot of songs that talk about drinking.  Many popular country stars come from the south so they have that twang sound when they speak and sing and a lot of people associate the twang with the uneducated.  The truth is many of these artists have gone to college and have degrees.   

3 Contemporary Icons

I have chosen Aaron Spelling, the Smartphone and the Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) as my three contemporary icons.  I have chosen Aaron Spelling because I believe that he is one of the greatest television producers who ever lived.  The Smartphone is a telephone with a mini portable computer.  Finally, the SUV is one of the most popular automobile choices. 

I consider Aaron Spelling an icon because he produced one of the first shows ever to showcase women as private investigators; Charlie’s Angels.  I grew up watching countless television shows he produced.  That is, when I was allowed to stay up late to watch them, which was normally during re-run season in the summer.  In his later years he began producing more teen friendly shows such as 90210 and 7th Heaven.  Due to the fact his career spanned several decades, he helped launch the careers of many actresses, such as Farrah Fawcett, Heather Locklear and most recently Jessica Biel who appeared on 7th Heaven.  

My second choice for a contemporary icon is the Smartphone.  I personally own a Smartphone: the iPhone.  It’s the first phone I’ve enjoyed since the Nokia seems to have lost the market share for cellphones.  You can download applications (apps) that let you listen to music, read the news and play games.  You can also use these phones to search the internet and send quick messages to your contacts without actually having to call them.  My favorite app is GasBuddy because I drive a long way to work and I’m always looking to find the cheapest gas possible on my way home.  Many people find themselves obsessed with their Smartphones and have a tough time focusing on the outside world because they are so busy checking it for updated emails, texts and even Facebook or Twitter notifications.

Lastly, I consider the SUV an icon because so many people can’t seem to live without them.  I happen to own a Subaru Forester, which I credit as being one of the things that kept me from being injured during a rollover accident.  I really like it because it handles great in the snow and wet weather, which is important to me given the miles I drive for work.  Many SUV owners complain about how much money they spend fueling them up, but can’t bring themselves to downsize.  They can’t live without the spaciousness of them and how well they see over most of the traffic when driving.  They also give owners an implied sense of security compared to compact cars.  I like my SUV so much, I’m on my second one.

What is Popular Culture?

Popular culture is all the material things and viewpoints you are exposed to, as you go through your daily life.  It’s the news on your TV as you ready yourself for work.  It’s listening to your favorite radio personalities that play your favorite music on your way to work.  It’s the type of computers or tools your employer provides you with to do your daily work.  It’s the food your employer chooses to provide in their cafeteria because they feel it’s what’s popular and most healthy according to the latest research.  It’s the fast food restaurant you chose to run to instead, because you’re a grownup and don’t need to be told what you should eat. 

Popular culture may also be the gas station you chose to buy your gas from, because as far as you know that company doesn’t have a history of an oil spill somewhere in the world.  It’s the detergent you use when doing dishes or laundry once you’re home, and the food you make for your family’s dinner.  It’s the television shows you watch to wind down at the end of the day.  It’s the medication you take before bed for what ails you and the toothpaste you use to keep healthy teeth.  And finally, popular culture is the sheets and blankets you have on your bed where you fall into a comfortable slumber for your next full day of pop culture surroundings. 

Why is popular Culture relevant to a business environment?

 

Popular culture is relevant to me in a business environment because I work in a children’s hospital.  Our hospital needs to be aware of what kids like to make the décor and patient rooms as pleasant and enjoyable as possible.  These things make the patients and families want to return.  The hospital also uses social media, such as Facebook and YouTube, to show some of the great outcomes for patients who have been to our hospital.  These same popular culture tools may also be what attracts world renowned physicians to the hospital.  The hospital is always looking to improve on things such as how a patient is checked in, how much time they spend waiting for a physician and on what can be done to make the visit as short as possible.  The hospital needs to continue being up-to-date on what is popular to keep the décor’ fresh and enjoyable to patients.  The hospital also needs to make sure it’s using the most up-to-date technology in order to keep attracting the best physicians and remain competitive.

What popular culture means to me?

I find popular culture is to be a nuisance and also an enjoyable thing.  Many things that are discussed and shown on TV are an annoyance to me.  I’m horrified at what too many people will do to become part of popular culture, and more horrified at how many people believe these things are cool, which then makes it popular.   So called “Reality Shows” would be an example of this.  The most popular of these shows are the ones where people treat each other like crap and expose things about themselves that most people would be horrified if their nearest neighbor knew.  

The things I enjoy about popular culture are discovering a new great television show, a new musical artist, and news about things I might never have learned about from another part of the world.  In recent years, the thing I’ve most enjoyed is watching something previously considered folk culture, country music, now becoming popular culture. 

My Pop culture artifact!

 

I have picked Country Music as my popular culture artifact.  Growing up my mom listened to Elvis Presley, and country music singers like Conway Twitty, George Jones and Loretta Lynn.  I didn’t mind her music until I got into middle school and discovered pop music.  It was like discovering Christmas when I first heard the incredible beats in music from the likes of Michael Jackson, Journey and Def Leppard.  In my younger years, there weren’t many people that would admit to liking country music.  Do you remember that old joke?  What do you get when you play a country song backwards?  You get your house, your dog, your best friend and your truck back, because country music had a reputation for singing about loss and sad things.  I was of the same mind set until about 12 years ago.  All of the sudden I had CMT on my TV and discovered the likes of Keith Urban, Gary Allen and Blake Shelton.  And thanks to the show “The Voice” and Blake Shelton it is alright to admit to liking country music.  And thanks to Keith Urbans’ manly guitar playing it’s cool to like country music.  It’s so cool that country music award shows now have some of the largest viewerships ever.  Actors and actresses that would never have been presenters on these award shows years ago proudly show up and go on about the music stars they love.  Who would have ever dreamed there would be a country music artist judge on American Idol?  If that hasn’t turned popular culture on its head, what will?