Abstract
This paper explains that, in pop music, audience enjoyment and commercial success are more important than artistic concepts, such as complex musical form and aesthetics. All pop music, which is any contemporary music not categorized as jazz or classical, the author contends, evolves from another kind of music, such as hip hop that stems from folk, rhythm & blues, jazz, country and gospel music. The paper examines hip hop music, a term used interchangeably with rap music, and salsa, which actually is American music from New York with an Afro-Cuban origination. An annotated bibliography is included.

From the Paper
"Woody Guthrie popularized the style and he is known to be the innovator of it. More recently, Bob Dylan, who was strongly influenced by Guthrie, also utilized this style and brought life back to it in the 1960's. It came to be a trademark of country music (think of Willie Nelson), and can be considered an early predecessor of rap. As can be seen in comparison, hip hop grew out of this same tradition. Hip hop is known for stripping down the melody, emphasizing the rhythm, and incorporating verbalization along with vocal spontaneity and improvisation."

Tags:improvisation, electronic amplification, jamaican dancehall, griots immigration

Abstract
This paper defines Pop art, of which Red Grooms was one of the founders, and its causative factors, such as a reaction to the increase in capitalist consumerism, particularly in countries like the U.S. during the 1950s and 1960s. Pop artists, the author relates, questioned the formal aspects of art creation and presentation and refused to be confined by any conventional restrictions. While Red Grooms' art is unusually associated with large environmental sculptural works and happenings, the author points out that his oeuvre covered a very wide range of forms and mediums of expression, some of which are described in this paper.

Table of Contents:
Introduction: The Context of Pop Art
Red Grooms and Pop Art

From the Paper
"Red Grooms was born Charles Rogers Grooms in 1937 in Nashville, Tennessee. Grooms began his art career at the early age and while he was still a high school student, he had an exhibition of his work at a Nashville gallery. After school, Grooms studied art at Peabody College in Nashville. He was to move to New York in 1956, where he continued his art studies at the New School for Social Research. He remained in New York at it became both a source of inspiration for his work and his permanent home."

Tags:innovations, dissatisfaction, sculpto, picoramas, happenings, energetic

Abstract
This paper explains that all of the musical genres, such as Ragtime, Jazz, Big Band, Blues, Country, Rock 'n' Roll, Folk, Punk, Heavy Metal, Rap and Hip Hop, are linked together into a single unified whole in American music. The author discusses the importance of the development of Rock 'n' Roll and how it crossed over successfully into many earlier forms of the Blues and Country genres. The paper stresses that the contributions of the African-American influence on American music, which is the core element to many American styles that came earlier, are crucial to the latter popularity of Rap and Hip Hop.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Ragtime and Jazz
The Big Bands and the Blues
The Evolution of Jazz and Growing Popularity of Country Music: 1920-1950
The Rock 'n' Roll Era of the 1950s
The "Psychedelic" Rock 'n' Roll and Folk Music Movements of the 1960s
Punk and Heavy Metal: The 1970s and the 1980s
Rap and Hip Hop
Conclusion

From the Paper
"The first broadcast of the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee in 1925 was a crucial moment for the popularity of Country music to be introduced in American music. Often these fusion of old Bluegrass styles and Folk often helped to build the style of what became known as "Country" by the likes of the Grand Ole Opry. In this manner, Nashville became the center of this genre, helping to introduce country to a major audience. Once again, it was the radio that greatly helped to bring this music to millions of listeners across the United States."

Tags:joplin, african-american, unification, fusion, activism

Abstract
This paper explains that Clay Walker is one of the recording stars responsible for the current popular explosion of country music, a multi-billion dollar industry, which has surpassed rock-and-roll and pop music to become the best-selling music genre in the United States. The author points out that Clay is well-known for his high-energy concerts and performance style, even though he has multiple sclerosis. The paper relates that Walker uses techniques of country music, such as themes and stereotypical portrayals to good advantage; however, he also uses some elements from classical music. For example, in his song, "If I Could Make a Living," Walker uses a musical style from Elizabethan songwriters, which is called antimetabole.

Table of Contents
Review and Discussion
Biography of the Artist
Musical Development
Musical Style and Style Changes
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Walker was born on August 19, 1969 and was raised on a farm in Beaumont, Texas, the hometown of George Jones. Walker came to country music at an early age when his father presented him with a guitar when he was only 9 years old. Following his graduation from high school (where he "haunted the practice rooms of the music department teaching himself to play the piano"), Walker pursued a full-time musical career by playing concerts across the United States and Canada. "For over three years, he toured and went to school, taking courses about the music business. During this time, he acted as his own manager." Walker's real break came when he took a job as the house singer at a club in Beaumont, Texas."

Tags:antimetabole, best-selling, piano, sclerosis, texas

Abstract
This paper describes Columbia, discussing its the demographics, economic indicators, tourism and foreign direct investment. The paper relates that media coverage about civil and cocaine wars, pop stars and coffee beans has not properly described the beautiful aspects of the country of Colombia. The public should associate Colombia, the paper underscores, as an attractive place to visit and live because of its fun loving people, beautiful landscapes and lively and diverse culture.

Table of Contents:
Travel Destination
Foreign Direct Investment

From the Paper
"As a testament to that fun loving nature, Colombians celebrate around 200 festivals annually, most notable of which are the Carnaval de Blancos y Negros held every January, the Holy Week celebrations, the Feria de las Flores every August and the Carnaval de Barranquilla held in February or March. Tourists can also delight themselves in visiting national parks like the Parque Nacional Tayrona, and the Parque Nacional Los Nevados, archaeological sites like San Agustin and the Zipaquira Salt Cathedral."

Tags:impressions, smorgasbord, gateway, inexpensive, export

Abstract
In this article the writer examines two plays and looks at what they have to say about community. The plays discussed are 'Mom, Dad, I'm Living with a White Girl' by Marty Chan and 'House of Sacred Cows' by Padma Viswanathan. The writer points out that each of the plays deals with a family in an ethnic community and in both cases a family that is part of an ethnic community embedded in a majority white society in a different country. The writer shows the tensions created in the family that are caused by the culture differences.

From the Paper
"Community is a central issue in many stories told in the theater, and it is a central issue in the two plays 'Mom, Dad, I'm Living with a White Girl' by Marty Chan and 'House of Sacred Cows' by Padma Viswanathan. Each deals with a family in an ethnic community, in both cases a family that is part of an ethnic community embedded in a majority white society in a different country. The younger generation is more part of the majority culture than is the older generation, which creates tensions within the family and between members of the family and the majority culture. This latter element is strong in the Chan play in which a recurring fantasy involves scenes from an imaginary movie called the Yellow Claw, a satire on racist interpretations of Chinese culture by Hollywood."

Tags:plays, canadian, ethnic

Abstract
This paper discusses the background and musical achievements of Kenny Rogers, a giant of American country music. It begins by discussing Rogers' upbringing and the beginnings of his singing career. The paper then looks at the course of career, both as an individual and as part of a group. The paper specifically focuses on Rogers' success.

From the Paper
"Like classical music giants like Beethoven and Mozart, Rogers signifies a particular time in the evolution of music. Beethoven and Mozart are remembered not just for their stunning compositions but also for their impact on Western music in general. Changing the way music is heard by the general public, incorporating elements into the music that were unheard of prior, and reaching out to a broad audience are all hallmarks of musical genius. Rogers brought country music and vocal styles into the mainstream. He synthesized elements from a number of different musical styles. Kenny Rogers is also an emblem of the American Dream: showing that a poor boy from Houston can rise to the top of the charts."

Tags:country-pop, vocalist, Lucille

Abstract
The paper explores how America underwent a major transition from being a war-torn country to becoming an economically prosperous society, giving birth to mass and popular cultures. The paper discusses the proliferation of pop culture materials and paraphernalia and the subsequent rise of the advertising industry. The paper looks at the inappropriate representation of females and under representation of minorities in popular print ads in American magazines. The paper shows how America became a materialistic culture and eventually a consumer-oriented society as it moved toward the 20th to 21st centuries.

From the Paper
"The 1920s was noted for its contribution to the creation and development of mass and popular ("pop") cultures. These cultures pertain to the prevalence of consumer culture in America, wherein Americans became avid consumers of new products produced in the market. In effect, as a result of this proliferation of new consumer goods, advertising and marketing strategies also became rampant. Advertising and marketing goods and products become part of the popular, or pop, culture."

Tags:pop, advertisements, film, consumer, materialism

Abstract
This paper discusses the contention that pop music is tomorrow's classical music within the context of rock/classical music collaborations since the early 1950s. The paper makes the point that pop is as certainly the classical music of tomorrow as classical music is the spirit of rock today.

From the Paper
"Long before the official birth of Rock and Roll, the incorporation of old classics into a new sound was a common practice among trendsetters and musical rebels alike. Classical music is certainly not the only genre of music to be reinvented in meaning and sound, but the choice of Classical pieces is a popular one because of the impact on listeners. Classical pieces are almost universally recognized as familiar to an audience, whether they are able to make a distinct identification of the piece, or if it is simply a vague sense of deja vu influenced by the historical music. "Thus even the early days of ragtime and vaudeville produced their own variations on the classics, though we have few recordings. From the 1920s through the 1940s, James Price Johnson, Jelly Roll Morton, and Fats Waller 'jazzed up' the classics, alongside the Big Band versions of Paul Whiteman, Duke Ellington, Harry James, Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Les Brown... Many composers of Broadway shows also appropriated classical melodies." (Duxberry, "Nexus...") Pre-Rock Classical interpretations did not stir nearly the amount of controversy that would be seen in later years. The fervent nature of Rock and the moral/political rebellion associated with the genre, perhaps coupled with the passionate dedication of Rock musicians that equals that of the greatest Classical virtuosos, has been fuel for the fires of disapproval."

Tags:musical, genres, alternative, easy, listening, styles, theory, jazz, country-western

Abstract
This paper explains that Sandy Troy's "Captain Trips" tells the story of the life of pop cultural icon and musician Jerry Garcia of the rock band The Grateful Dead. The author feels that the prose style of this book, which reads like a very long encyclopedia article, is not the most interesting style to read; however, the author was looking for this type of detail about Garcia's life. The paper includes three quotations from the chapter on Garcia's childhood to illustrate themes found later in the biography.

Table of Contents:
Summary
Rationale for Choosing the Book
Recommended or Not
Three Representative Quotes

From the Paper
"I have been interested in Jerry Garcia because he is a pop cultural icon. Most people know who he is, and can picture his face. He even has a Ben and Jerry's ice cream named after him. But I realized that while I could picture his face and I associated him with the Grateful Dead, I didn't know that much about him. I knew some stray facts here and there and things I had seen in rock documentaries. But I really wanted to explore his life in more detail, to see what made him such a legendary musician who was able to touch so many people."

Tags:rock-country-bluegrass, icon, counter-culture, encyclopedia, celebration