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Country Music

Discover country music—an American art form with roots in folk and blues—as reflected in the Smithsonian's collections. Smithsonian Folkways Recordings has preserved examples of many of the foundational genres of music that fed the roots of country music as well as its subgenres bluegrass, cowboy, old-time, and more.

  • DeFord Bailey
  • Hank Snow
  • Roy Acuff
  • Fiddlin' Sid Harkreader
  • Grandpa Jones and Ramona Jones
  • Jean Shepard
  • Lester Flatt
  • Hank Snow
  • Wall with Roy Acuff Poster
  • Carol Lee Cooper
  • Fans Leave the Ryman After a Performance
  • Bashful Brother Oswald
  • Minnie Pearl and Pee Wee King
  • Stringbean
  • House Band
  • Pitching a Song

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  • "Nashville-Davidson"
  • collection
    • Art 16
    • Music & Musical Instruments 16
    • Photography 16
    • Popular Entertainment 16
    • Work and Industry: Photographic History 16
    • Cultures & Communities 8
    • Family & Social Life 3
  • topic
    • Amusements 16
    • Art 16
    • Music 16
    • Musical instruments 16
    • Photography 16
    • Family 3
    • Social life and customs 3
  • place
    • Tennessee 16
    • United States 16
    • Grand Ole Opry 13
    • Ryman Theater 5
    • Tootsies Orchid Lounge 3
  • date
    • 1970s 7
    • 2000s 16

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