Font Research

 

 

Here are some fonts I have researched that I think would be appropriate for my Country and Western album cover. I have chosen these because after research these fonts were mentioned often and used for Country and Western albums. The fonts are very 'cowboy' like, but very creative and bold, expressing and portraying the attitude's of Country and Western singers in the 20's and 30's. All of the fonts are appropriate and are clear, however I am going to continue my font research to perhaps modernise these fonts to suit a modern and current Country and Western Album Cover.

Album Cover (Rough Plans)

• Today I drew up two rough plans of possible Country and Western album covers:

•  Although this album cover is very simple and needs more development, I have tried to include strong Country and Western conventions and stereotypes to create the overall required image. The artist captured in the middle of the album cover is dressed in a cowboy type outfit, with a cowboy hat and straw in his mouth. I have captured the shot outside in the country, this relates to the free-willed, raw nature of the music and its history. I centered the artist to express his importance and overt the audiences attention to him. The name of the album is in bold, making it stand out and to inform people as to what the new album is called. I think for my final, finished album cover I will make the artists name larger, as this is vital information, and from my research of existing Country and Western album covers, it is always very clear and bold.

• This rough drawing of a Country and Western album cover is slightly more creative. I have captured the artist to the left of the cover to challenge angles and make the cover more intricate and interesting. The artist is leaning against a tree to represent the casual, outdoor spirit of Country and Western singers and musicians. I have included the guitar, cowboy hat and cowboy boots on the right of the shot, to further express and emphasise the Country and Western stereotypes, and to also create a degree of humour due to the creation and creativity of the shot- with the hat on top of the guitar and the boots sitting next to the guitar. The sun in the background is there to make the album cover seem joyous and reflect the happy, up-beat rhythms of Country and Western songs. I decided to write the Artists name, the album name and the genre of music inside the sun, as I believe it fits well, and is clear and attracts the audiences attention. 

• Although both these drawings are very rough and cartoon like, I constructed them to just get an idea of shot angles and positioning, as well as prop creativity. I am going to carry on researching and constructing my album cover. I am also going to consider appropriate fonts and colouring's for my album cover.

Country and Western History

•  Country and Western music is a well-known and popular genre of American music that originated from the Southern States of America in the early 1920’s. The roots of the genre are a descendent of Western cowboy music and southeastern American folk music that fused sounds that were used some 300 years prior to the establishment of the genre.

• In it’s 80 or so years of it’s history, certain aspects of Country music have changed drastically in it’s sounds and styles, which is in stark contrast to the ‘honky tonk’ style sounds that were heard by early pioneers such as Ernest Tubb and Hank Williams. Being a new phenomenon in music, it quickly caught the attention of the everyday American hillbilly and curious citizens eager to listen in on this new-fangled ‘Country Music.’ It became quite a social event, much like modern gigs and pub events, that people would congregate in roadside pubs and meeting houses throughout the Southern states from Oklahoma to Texas on Friday and Saturday evenings and with the removal of alcohol prohibition in 1933, American citizens could relax and feel free to enjoy the new music they were hearing.

• After a while, and country music began it’s journey of growing popularity, Western states of America began to add their twist on the genre. Mainly that of a personal portrayal of the tough struggles of everyday life on the Western frontier, with the genre’s roots originating from Louisiana and Tennessee. The lonely and heroic adventures of the cowboy were also directly added to the genre in an over-romantic way, which you could typically expect a solo section from a flute or other mellowing woodwind instrument to occur to truly express the pain and sorrow felt by some Western citizens.

• It was in the 50’s that the genre morphed again into a much more fast-paced, energetic and rhythmic style that spread quickly up and down America that correlated to the younger Americans that were living a faster paced life than that of their previous generation. This style of country was made popular by well-known artists such as Jerry Lee Lewis but most famous by far was Elvis Presley, also known as ‘The King’ due to his ability to correlate his teenage life to the styles and rhythms of the genre. The difference between this style of country and that of the style heard 20 years prior to the 1950’s, is the Great Depression that swept the American nation in the 1930’s and was one of the lowest points in American history in terms of poverty and unemployment, but this new style of country music is a reflection of celebration and a prosperous outlook on the American society of the time.

• Another ten years on, and Country music had found itself a permanent home, in a town in the state of Tennessee called Nashville. It was here that the genre became more similar to what we know to be like in today’s world, with a full orchestra of different instruments; including newly-developed synthesisers which previously had never existed and cleverly discovered studio effects that brought about this is glamorous, shiny new style. It was this sound that would be the beginning of a new era that would bring about contemporary Country music.

• From this new sound came other popular names in the modern day Country music scene such as Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers who eventually crossed over into Pop music and taking elements of their succession in the new style with them along the way.

• Modern day artists of country music give their thanks and respects to those who paved a way for country music to become what it is in the modern world. From the hard, slow and dark times of the Great Depression of the 1930’s, to the flourish of American society in the 1950’s and 60’s, and into a complete, polished musical package that we hear today that is broadcast worldwide online, on CD’s, DVD’s, on the radio and on television.

Country and Western Sub-Genres

• Although the majority of the public believe Country and Western to be a very stereotypical Cowboy image, there are deeper more meaningful connotations to the genre.
• Country and Western also breaks down into many influential Sub-Genres, which need to be considered whilst creating an album cover, as they all had great influence on the main Country and Western genre. 

Hillbilly boogie 

• Hillbilly boogie began in 1939, consisting of more 'pop' country music, and including the frequent use of banjo's. The sub-genre started to become incredibly popular, achieving top ten US country chart success. Hillbilly boogie then went on to be named Country boogie, which became a flood in 1945. One notable release from this period was the Delmore Brothers, "Freight Train Boogie," considered to be part of the combined evolution of country music and blues towards rockabilly. The Sub-genre of music lasted in the 1950's and remains one of many sub-genres of Country and Western in the 21st Century.

Bluegrass, Folk and Gospel

• By the end of World War II, "mountaineer" string band music known as bluegrass had emerged when Bill Monroe joined with Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, introduced by Roy Acuff at the Grand Ole Opry. Gospel music, too, remained a popular component of country music. Red Foley, the biggest country star following World War II, had one of the first million-selling gospel hits ("Peace In The Valley") and also sang boogie, blues and rockabilly.

• In the post-war period, country music was called "folk" in the trades, and "hillbilly" within the industry. In 1944, The Billboard replaced the term "hillbilly" with "folk songs and blues," and switched to "country" or "country and Western" in 1949. This shows me that I need to be aware that Album Covers previous to 1949, will be considered as "country" rather than the current genre of "country and western."

Honky Tonk

• Another type of stripped down and raw music with a variety of moods and a basic ensemble of guitar, bass, dobro or steel guitar (and later) drums became popular, especially among poor whites in Texas and Oklahoma. It became known as honky tonk and had its roots in Western swing and the ranchera music of Mexico and the border states, particularly Texas, together with the blues of the American South. Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys personified this music. Honky Tonk music was more up-beat and known to be the start of real liberation and freedom regarding the country and western music genre. 

Country and Western Album Cover Analysis

• This is an album cover from a well known Country and Western Artist, named Chris LeDoux. On the front of the album, the artist is shot for familiarity for his audience.  
• He is wearing a 'cowboy' hat, which conforms to the typical Country and Western stereotypes. He is also wearing a shirt and jeans, with a gold decorative belt- this represents a typical cowboy image, and is indicative of the male fashion of Southern America at the time. 
• Although many people assume that country and western music conforms to the 'Cowboy' stereotype, there is a lot more to it. Elements in this album cover represent this, for example, the artist Chris LeDoux is smiling into the camera and is standing casually, this could represent freedom and could reveal the liberation that Country and Western music connotates to.
•  On the album cover the artist portrays a joyous, free-willed representation of Country and Western music- thus inviting further audience. He is shot outside, and appears to be leaning on a stone wall, in front of a forest. This shows the links Country and Western music has with the outdoors and nature, and represents Country and Western roots and history regarding the public's sense of freedom and revealing their attitude to embracing the outdoors and feeding off the raw acoustic rhythm in Country and Western music and instruments. All this took place when Country and Western music was at its peak, and has developed from there.

Progress Report

Today we all picked out our genre for our album covers. Our album cover theme is Country and Western. Although at first I was a bit apprehensive about this genre, I have since researched and found a lot about Country and Western, and I believe it holds a lot of connotations and symbolises many things. We are in the process of creating and constructing our shots and deciding costume, makeup, lighting etc. All our choices are based on the above research and analysis of current and past Country and Western album covers, and Country and Western conventions.