What is Western Swing?
The program showcases Western Swing music, an American music form born in Texas and Oklahoma in the 1930’s. It’s an amalgamation of Scotch/Irish fiddle music, New Orleans jazz and Black blues, and it evolved in the 1940’s parallel to Big Band Swing. It uses fiddles, mandolins, guitars and steel guitars, in lieu of or along with trumpets, reeds and trombones. The words and vocals tend toward the light, happy side. Over the years, there have been many different groups with varied and different styles playing what can be considered Western Swing music. In addition, many artists in other fields of music have recorded Western Swing songs and used Western Swing style musicians and sounds.
