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Research Paper On 1930s Music

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Research Paper: The 1930s

When the Great Depression hit its lowest point, approximately 15 million Americans were unemployed and nearly half of the nation’s banks failed says, History.com. From the music that people listened to, to the clothing they wore, the people of the 1930s were forced to change their lifestyle.

The way people lived changed dramatically during the 1930s due to the Great Depression. Many new musicians were founded during this era. There was a huge switch in the music industry and the genres that existed. For example, two of many new genres were introduced throughout the 30s. Hillbilly folk and Western. The center of this new western music was Texas, where taverns with new jukeboxes or stages entertained patrons. Musicians dressed as cowboys became legendary during this decade. By the end of this generation, western music became a lot more danceable and rowdy (Berg). Hillbilly folk first originated from the Appalachian Mountains and the Southeast. A few folk musicians that prospered this genre were, the Carter Family and the Smoky Mountain Boys. Hillbilly music benefited especially from radio programming like the National Barn Dance and the Grand Ole Opry. As mentioned in “1930s: Music”. Although there were many more genres, those two are the ones that became very popular over the course of the 30s. Not only did music provide a distraction, but it also supplied entertainment.

Due to the Great Depression bringing lots of fear and uncertainty,

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