"North American Singer-Songwriters"
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Music Publishers |
The North American singer-songwriters can trace their origins back to the creators of the folk music style. These folk singers established the tradition of writing songs on specific issues of the day.
Focusing their songs on social issues, they were often seen leading rallies for labor unions. Writing their songs about the hardships in the life of the working class people, the trials and successes of life during the great depression. They were the voice of the common man.
During the 1960s and early 1970s, North American and British singer-songwriters started gaining popular recognition. A series of folk and country-influenced musicians started gaining popularity and prominence in the public eye. These performers started to change from the storytelling and social issues approach to the personal songwriting approach. These songs were based on introspective, first person, personal experiences and feelings. Often leading listeners to search their own hearts and souls for the same or similar feelings. There were still many songs that dealt with the social issues of the day, but more from the personal viewpoint of the performer instead of from the traditional broader working class view.
These singer-songwriters were absorbed into the pop culture of the 1980s. But today they are again coming into prominence. Many of today's band members are responsible for writing the lyrcis they perform. The same can be said of solo artists. Once again, writing and performing their own songs is becoming a priority for todays artists.
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Brian Cook is a freelance writer whose articles on music and songwriting have appeared on many websites.
You can find more of these at SongwritersGuide.com.
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