As the western United States was settled, cowboys and other workers on the range developed a unique style of music that reflected their experiences and way of life. This music was often performed on acoustic guitars, fiddles, and banjos, and it featured simple melodies and lyrics that told stories of life on the frontier.
In the early 20th century, western music began to gain popularity outside of the West. This was due in part to the rise of the recording industry, which allowed western musicians to reach a wider audience. Additionally, the popularity of western movies helped to spread the genre to a wider audience.
In the 1940s, western music began to merge with other genres of American music, such as country and pop. This led to the development of a new genre of music called country-western. Country-western music was a more commercialized version of western music, and it featured a wider range of instrumentation and styles.
Country-western music continued to grow in popularity throughout the 20th century, and it became one of the most popular genres of music in the United States. Today, there are many different sub-genres of country-western music, such as honky-tonk, bluegrass, and rockabilly.
Here are some of the key factors that contributed to western music becoming a part of country music:
* The rise of the recording industry: The recording industry allowed western musicians to reach a wider audience, and this helped to spread the genre to a wider audience.
* The popularity of western movies: The popularity of western movies helped to spread the genre to a wider audience.
* The merger of western music with other genres of American music: In the 1940s, western music began to merge with other genres of American music, such as country and pop. This led to the development of a new genre of music called country-western.
* The growth of country-western music: Country-western music continued to grow in popularity throughout the 20th century, and it became one of the most popular genres of music in the United States.