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cover of episode How Country Music Became the Sound of U.S. Patriotism

How Country Music Became the Sound of U.S. Patriotism

2025/7/2
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Joseph Thompson: 我认为人们常常认为乡村音乐天生就是一种爱国的音乐类型，但我们忽略了它是如何变成这样的。我的研究表明，乡村音乐与美国军方在冷战时期紧密结合，通过电台节目、巡演和招募活动，乡村音乐逐渐成为一种爱国主义的象征。这种结合不仅服务于军方的人员招募需求，也为乡村音乐产业带来了更广阔的市场和听众。然而，这种结合也并非没有争议，种族歧视在乡村音乐产业中长期存在，黑人音乐家的贡献被忽视。此外，越南战争时期，乡村音乐的爱国主义色彩变得更加复杂，甚至带上了党派之争的色彩。尽管如此，乡村音乐与军队的联系仍然延续至今，成为一种文化符号，被政治家所利用。

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Today's country music industry is deeply associated with a certain jingoistic ‘rally around the flag,' ‘support the troops’ spirit. In this week’s podcast, we're re-airing a conversation with Joseph M. Thompson,) author of Cold War Country: How Nashville's Music Row and the Pentagon Created the Sound of American Patriotism).

Micah and Joseph discuss how hillbilly music transformed into the powerful country music industry, starting with a little assistance from the US military in the 1940s and 50s. Plus, how country music came to be linked to a certain type of American patriotism, and why some of country music’s most famous jingoistic songs are more complex than many listeners think. 

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