My reply to Tim McGraw

—–

Writes George F. Smith:

Re: https://www.lewrockwell.com/political-theatre/re-what-is-american-music/

Tim,

What Americans happen to be listening to at the moment isn’t necessarily what defines American music. My essay was about a formative moment when Americans first recognized a musical voice that was distinctly their own rather than an imitation of Europe’s. Jazz — and Rhapsody in Blue — marked that turning point. It was less about popularity than about cultural self-recognition.

Foundational forms rarely remain fashionable; they become embedded. Much of what followed in American music, including film scores and popular genres, grew out of earlier fusions of rhythm, harmony, and improvisation. The question isn’t whether jazz tops today’s charts, but whether it helped Americans first hear themselves as something new.

Best,
George

The Best of Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr.