Country & Western Christian Music (and CCM)

Through Old-Time music, we have already established that Country & Western music has a folk song connection, and is similar to the blues. Also like blues that have a close relationship to religious music (spirituals and Gospel music), so too Country & Western have always had a strong connection with religious music. It is probable that while the religious foundation for the blues was the spirituals (an African lineage), for Country Music it was hymns (a European lineage).

Below are examples of religious Country & Western music.

Let’s start with a bluegrass performance by Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, aka The Foggy Mountain Boys. The name for the “Soggy Bottom Boys”, the fictional bluegrass band in the movie “O Brother Where Art Thou” to whom we listened to before may have been inspired by the Foggy Mountain Boys. We will listen to them perform “When the Saints Go Marching In.” We have heard this song before in most of the genres we have discussed so far; by now you should recognize that it is quite a successful meme.



One of my favorite bluegrass gospel songs is by Alison Krauss and the Union Station. Listen to it here.

Jim Reeves, the professional baseball player turned singer, is one of the most noted singers of Christian music in the Country & Western style. Below is another story-song, “The Farmer and the Lord”:



Here is another song performed by Jim Reeves. Take note of the orchestration: the fiddle to give the melody, a piano for harmony, and a guitar for rhythm.


There are many noteworthy Country & Western Christian songs that have stood the test of time. One such a song is “One Day at a Time, Sweet Jesus.” It was originally written by Marijohn Wilken and Kris Kristofferson (both well established singer/songwriters). Kris Kristofferson also wrote the song “Me and Bobby McGhee,” one of Janis Joplin’s most famous covers. The song “One Day at a Time, Sweet Jesus” was written in 1974 and was covered by hundreds of artists. We will listen to one of the most famous renditions, by Cristy Lane.



When I think of Country Music one of the first faces that come to mind is Dolly Parton. She has been in the music industry for almost 50 years and is known as the "Queen of Country Music." One of her most famous songs is "I will Always Love You," covered by many artists, including Whitney Houston. Here is Dolly Parton singing another memorable Country & Western Gospel song “There is Power in the Blood.” Note the leader-chorus feature in this song. This should remind you of the Gospel music we have covered before. (Listen to Mahalia Jackson singing “There is Power in the Blood” in the Gospel style)



The interaction between Gospel music and Country & Western Christian music is a strong one, with artists borrowing songs and adapting it to their respective genres.

Country & Western Christian music's success is an undeniable element in the development of Contemporary Christian Music (CCM). CCM refers to pop-music (in different genres) that focus on Christian themes. An example of a CCM-ensemble in the Country & Western style is the Gaither Vocal Band (which you heard before when we discussed “Harmony”). Listen to them perform one of their most successful songs, “Alpha and Omega.” The song doesn’t sound much like any of the Country & Western music we have heard so far. What Country & Western elements can you identify in the song? Apart from Country & Western music, what other genres do you think influenced this song?