CASHnCHECKS Making Waves Down Under

Oct. 7, 2009 - PRLog -- The very popular country music duet, "CASHnCHECKS", is growing in demand throughout Australia.
Tom Roland from the Country Music Association International explains traditional Country Music’s global popularity: “In this respect at least Country Music listeners around the globe have something in common with those in the United States. In Germany for instance Rohrbach identifies three general groups that gravitate to the genre: people intrigued with the American cowboy icon middle-aged fans who seek an alternative to harder rock music and younger listeners drawn to the pop-influenced sound that underscores many current Country hits.”
One of the first Americans to perform country music abroad was George Hamilton IV. He was the first country musician to perform in the Soviet Union he also toured in Australia and the Middle East. He was deemed the "International Ambassador of Country Music" for his contributions to the globalization of country music.Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Keith Urban and Dwight Yoakam have also made numerous international tours.
The Country Music Association undertakes various initiatives to promote country music internationally.
In South America on the last weekend of September the yearly "San Pedro Country Music Festival" takes places in the town of San Pedro, Argentina. The festival features bands from different places of Argentina as well as international artist from Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, Peru and the United States.
Country music in Australia has always been popular especially given the rural nature of the country. Starting in the 1800s with bush balladeers writing songs of their tales of the bush as well as songs of protest against the tyranny of the government. In the 1940s the legendary Slim Dusty embarked on a country music career that spanned over fifty years and over 100 albums. Smoky Dawson was also a country music pioneer in Australia modelling himself very much in the traditional cowboy style even starring in his own comic books and radio serials. In more recent years artists like Keith Urban and Sherrie Austin have been keeping the tradition of country music alive.
Focusing its feel on lyrics, Australian country music developed it own unique style mirrored by such artists as Lee KernaghanSlim Dusty and Adam Brand.
Country HQ showcases new talent on the rise in the country music scene down under. Grabine State Park in New South Wales promotes Australian country music through the Grabine Music Muster Festival. Australia has a 24 hour music channel dedicated to non-stop country music in Australia. CMC (the Country Music Channel) can be viewed on Foxtel and Austar and features once a year the Golden Guitar Awards, CMAs and CCMAs alongside international shows such as The Wilkinsons, The Road Hammers and Country Music Across America.
Given the versatility of CASHnCHECKS it is no wonder why they have been well accepted in certain different countries around the world. America has grown to embrace the new pop-country sound as of late, and which CASHnCHECKS accomplishes with ease, as demonstrated in their hit single "Country Girl". But the amazing talent of Deanna and James allows them to perform many different styles of country music which gives them the edge in demographics.
The first commercial recording of what can be considered country music was "Sallie Gooden" by fiddlist A.C. (Eck) Robertson in 1922 for Victor Records. Columbia Records began issuing records with "hillbilly" music (series 15000D "Old Familiar Tunes") as early as 1924. The steel guitar entered country music as early as 1922 when Jimmie Tarlton met famed Hawaiian guitarist Frank Ferera on the West Coast. Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family are widely considered to be important early country musicians started in the '20's. Their songs were first captured at a historic recording session in Bristol on August 1, 1927. The Grand Ole Opry first aired in 1925 called WSM-AM in Nashville and remains to this day. Some of the early stars on the Opry were Uncle Dave Macon, Roy Acuff and African American harmonica player DeFord Bailey. In 1935 Western swing big band leader Bob Wills added drums to the Texas Playboys. Many of the bands of that era that had drums were referred to as rockabilly. Wills was the first to include electric guitar to his band in 1938. Then in 1939 Johnny Barfield recorded "Boogie Woogie." The phrase was coined hillbilly boogieor Okie boogie (later to be renamed country boogie) in 1945. By the end of WWII,  bluegrass had emerged when Bill Monroe joined with Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, led by Roy Acuff at the Grand Ole Opry. It was in 1949 that Billboard called it all "country and western". During that same period we owe Bob Wills the claim to creating a new style of country music known as honky tonk with its roots in Texas. During the middle 50's, names like Chet Atkins, Owen Bradley and later Billy Sherrill helped artists such as Tammy Wynette and Charlie Rich with the new style known as Countrypolitan from Nashville. Progressing from the 60's there has been country soul, the Bakersfield sound, and country rock with names such as Juice Newton, Alabama, Hank WilliamsJr., Shania Twain, Brooks & Dunn, Faith Hill, Garth Brooks, Dwight Yoakam, Steve Earle, Dolly Parton, Rosanne Cash and Linda Ronstadt. Then there was outlaw country, country pop, neo country and truck driving country. In the 1990s alternative country came to refer to a diverse group of musicians and singers operating outside the traditions and industry of mainstream country music.
With all the different styles of country music, it is rare to find a group that is capable of providing something for every one. CASHnCHECKS is indeed that group. Deanna and James have deep roots in country music and love all forms of music which they bring to the appeciatation of their fans.
www.cashnchecksmusic.com
www.myspace.com/cashnchecksmusic
jamespaycheck@gmail.com