Jesus in Country Music
There are many different opinions on whether or not Christianity should be combined with country music. While many artists use Jesus as an inspiration during their song writing process, many think that the two should not work hand in hand at all.
Upon doing research, I found that the opinions were either to one extreme or the other. In a scholarly article written by David W. Machacek, featured in Religion in the News, a lawsuit was filed against a company that was Christian based and similar in name. The Christian Country Music Association, or the CCMA, is often mistaken for the Country Music Association, or the CMA. Machacek notes that country music has always used a form of piety that gets a hearing from all of its listeners through prayers and salutations. Christian country artists often include what it is like to have a close relationship with Jesus Christ as a main subject in their songs. Singing about being saved by Christ is a very sentimental and important subject to sing about, making more people able to relate to the message. The CMA does not want to be associated with the CCMA because even though many country artists sing about religion, they do not want to be classified as religious. The Country Music Association wants to be careful with stating that their songs are actually considered “religious”, because they do not want to lose followers because they are non-believers.
In an interview with lead singer of Owl City, Adam Young, Mark Moring asks his opinion on religion and music. Adam explains that he is in fact a Christian and often uses his beliefs in his song lyrics. When asked about the meaning of his lyrics, he tells fans and reporters that they are open to interpret his lyrics in whatever way they would like. The reason why he will not give his exact meaning on his lyrics is because he does not want to lose fans that are non-believers when they find out that they are completely Christian inspired. Giving listeners an opportunity to take his songs and interpret them how they please earns him more respect.
Contemporary country music has its listeners deciding whether or not the songs are influenced by country music. “Contemporary country music find the nation to be a more unifying object of devotion than a particular religious god, and its imprecise class status has allowed to find the largest audience in the music’s history” (Hayes). Going off of what has been said previously, country music, and its industry, as a whole wants to gain as many listeners as possible to gain as much profit at possible. If an artist feels that they are bringing in more listeners when singing about something that Christians can relate to, then they will continue to write about things that Christians can relate to. Musicians want to share their music, share their feelings, and make money for themselves. If singing about Jesus is what is bringing in the most profit, then they will continue doing so.
In Christianity Today, Susan Brill writes about the different types of country music. There is Christian country music and Positive Country music. Christian country music is country music that is overtly Christian, and the lyrics include a very noticeable message from the gospel. This particular type of music is featured on about 80 different radio stations, and is produced on many mainstream or Christian labels. Positive country music is similar, but different in a few ways. It can simply be defined as country music that contains biblical values, but does not necessarily convey a gospel message. This type of music is more popular, and is features on 1,600 different radio stations, and is also produced on mainstream or Christian record labels. These stations also feature non-Christian artists if their lyrics resemble different principles in the Bible. Positive Country gives contemporary Christian singers and songwriters a chance to be accepted more worldwide, since they rarely receive the attention that they truly deserve. Since Positive Country is more widely accepted, it has become a very large part of a diversity of country music, rather than a subgenre of Christian music.
Some country music singers and songwriters like to speak “the truth” in their lyrics. They offer their own personal times of pain, remember shame, and explain the promise that is given in salvation. Many listeners have come to expect this from many artists. Maxine L. Grossman stated that music needs to present its religious message in a way that can be understood universally. There are two different boundaries that are set in country music. One boundaries says that the requirement that singers not disagree with the unspoken values of the music by speaking directly of the issues that lie outside of the truth of country discourse.
There are obviously very different opinions when it comes to what is accepted and what is not accepted. Many choose to listen to country music that entails Christian aspects, where many dislike country music for that exact reason. Many singers and songwriters like to leave it up to their listeners to interpret their lyrics as they will.
Annotated Bibliography
Brill, Susan. "Positively Country." Christianity Today 40, (April 8, 1996): 83-22. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost.
“Positively Country” is a short journal article in Christianity Today by Susan Brill. In, the article, Brill explains the distinctions between Christian country music and Positive country music. Christian country music is defined as country music that is overtly Christian, and contains a very noticeable gospel message. This type of music is played on about 80 radio stations, and is produced on many mainstream or Christian labels. Positive country music can be defined as country music that is “implicitly Christian, conveying biblical values but not necessarily a gospel message” (Brill). This type of music is featured on about 1,600 stations, and it is produced on Christian and mainstream labels. Music that is written by non-Christians are also featured if it conveys a message compatible with different principles in the Bible. Positive Country has quickly become part of a diversity of country music rather than a subgenre of Christian music. Contemporary Christian music artists rarely receive the type of attention they deserve, and Positive country gives them a chance to be more accepted worldwide.
Grimshaw, Michael. "'Redneck Religion and Shitkickin' Saviours?': Gram Parsons, theology and country music." Popular Music 21, (January 2002): 93. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost.
“Redneck religion and shitkickin’ saviours?”, printed in Popular Music 21 by Michael Grimshaw, examines the life and influence of Gram Parsons, a country singer. “Parsons lived a sang a life that attempted to hold together mythic tradition and an increasingly divisive and fragmented society” (Grimshaw, 94). Parsons was able to use his theological mindset and language of the South and of country music and used it to live the archetypal ‘sex & drugs & rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle in the late 1960s and early 1970s in Los Angeles. Parsons wanted to be able to reflect a Christian way to music, which was knows as the gospel of Gram. His gospel was a sort of new beginning, which drew on the Bible-belt notion of common language of Canaan (Isaiah 19:1, 18). Gram Parson wanted his music, and all country music, to be an example of contextual theology yet another act of transgression and liminality.
Grossman, Maxine L. "Jesus, Mama, and the Constraints on Salvific Love in Contemporary Country Music." Journal Of The American Academy Of Religion 70, (March 1, 2002): 83-115. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost.
In Maxine L Grossman’s “Jesus, Mama, and the Constraints on Salvific Love in Contemporary Country Music”, she discusses the relationship between country singers and songwriters with their listeners, which amounts to a sacred trust. “Theirs is the power, and the responsibility, to speak “the truth” of country music. They recount pain, remember shame, and offer promise of the salvation that listeners have come to expect in the music” (Grossman, 109). There are two different sorts of boundaries on religious expression in country music. One boundary lies in the requirement that singers not explicitly disagree with the unspoken values of the music by speaking directly of the issues that lie outside of the truth of country discourse. The other boundary is about religious expression in country music. “The world of country music is a Christian world, and the religion of country music is equally Christian” (Grossman, 110). Music needs to present its religious message in a universal way.
Hayes, John. "Religion and country music [electronic resource]." Religion Compass 4, (April 1, 2010): ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost.
In “Religion and Country Music” by John Hayes of Wake Forest University, explains that country music is a commercial genre that began in the 1920s. When country music first came out, it was very much influenced by religion. It was first known as “hillbilly” music. “Hillbilly music bore the clear imprint of working-class religion, a folk form of Protestantism that took shape in the late nineteenth century” (Hayes). Folk Protestantism receded as an influence as the white working-class went through a change economically. After the mid 1950s, country music was less about religion and more about the secular working-class life. When evangelicalism rose in the 1970s, changes were made in the lives of country musicians and their personal lives. In 1990, the Christian Country Music Association was seeking to gain radio airplay for their religiously based and influenced songs. “Contemporary country music finds the nation to be a more unifying object of devotion than a particular religious god, and its imprecise class status has allowed it to find the largest audience ever in the music’s history” (Hayes).
Machacek, David W. "The religion of country." Religion In The News 6, (September 1, 2003): 18-19. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost.
In David W. Wachacek’s article in Religion in the News, “The Religion of Country”, he gives his own definition to what country music really consists of. He explains that there has always been a lot of piety in country music- including prayers, salutations, and what it is like to come to know Jesus. “But in recent decades, it has almost always been songs with a highly generalized form of piety that get a hearing. As insiders (but not most listeners) have known, there has been a well-policed boundary between country music and “Christian music,” which carries an explicitly and often narrowly evangelical Christian message” (Wachacek 18). In 2002, the Country Music Association (CMA) filed a lawsuit against the Christian Country Music Association (CCMA) for “using” the same name. Although many organizations use “CCMA” and “CMA” as their marks, the Christian Country Music Association was the only one targeted. According to Gene Higgins, the CCMA president, the boundary between the two was getting fuzzy.
Meizel, Katherine. "A singing citizenry: popular music and civil religion in America." Journal For The Scientific Study Of Religion 45, (December 1, 2006): 497-503. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost.
"A singing citezenry: popular music and civil religion in America" written by Katherine Meizel explains how music, politics, and religion have all called for deeper research. Two songs, "God bless the U.S.A" by Lee Greenwood (1983), and "God Bless America" are very popular patriotic songs that relate to the state of civil religion from World War II to the war in Iraq. Americans define these songs in civil-religious terms, and appreciate them in the same way they appreciate patriotism.
Moring, Mark, and Adam Young. "Two mintues with... Owl City." Christianity Today 54, (May 1, 2010): 61-22. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost.
In an article written by Mark Moring in Christianity Today, a young lead singer speaks about what gives him the inspiration to write and sing his music. Adam explains that faith and imagination are the two things that help him the most. “Faith and imagination. Faith is the reason I do what I do; imagination is the fuel that keeps the creativity flowing. The Lord Jesus Christ is my reason for creating, and I have nothing but gratitude toward him for being allowed to do what I do, and ultimately seize my wildest dreams as if they were just there waiting for me” (61). Young explains that he grew up in a Christian home and came to know the Lord when he was in middle school. He considers music to be the only that he is good at, so he uses it to serve Christ in every way he can. Adam Young is often telling his fans that they can interpret his lyrics in any way that they would like to, because he doesn’t want to lose followers just because of his Christian beliefs.
Neal, Jocelyn R. "Narrative Paradigms, Musical Signifiers, and Form as Function in Country Music." Music Theory Spectrum 29, (Spring2007 2007): 41-72. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost.
Narrative Paradigms, Musical Signifiers, and Form as Function in Country Music, written by Jocelyn R. Neal explains how a Time-Shift narrative paradigm relates a central theme is country music’s texts. In 2002, the Dixie Chicks released a single, “Long Time Gone”, after an extended hiatus from touring and recording. Even though the song was very popular in the commercial country seen, the song stirred up a lot of controversy because the lyrics insulted the country radio, and had themes that thwarted long-standing conventions in country music. “Country music has long employed a consistent catalog of themes, topics, and references, both textual and music, to help identify it as distinct from other popular music genres” (Neal, 41). Themes that are often portrayed in country music relate to religion, which causes a lot of controversy with non-religious listeners.
Upon doing research, I found that the opinions were either to one extreme or the other. In a scholarly article written by David W. Machacek, featured in Religion in the News, a lawsuit was filed against a company that was Christian based and similar in name. The Christian Country Music Association, or the CCMA, is often mistaken for the Country Music Association, or the CMA. Machacek notes that country music has always used a form of piety that gets a hearing from all of its listeners through prayers and salutations. Christian country artists often include what it is like to have a close relationship with Jesus Christ as a main subject in their songs. Singing about being saved by Christ is a very sentimental and important subject to sing about, making more people able to relate to the message. The CMA does not want to be associated with the CCMA because even though many country artists sing about religion, they do not want to be classified as religious. The Country Music Association wants to be careful with stating that their songs are actually considered “religious”, because they do not want to lose followers because they are non-believers.
In an interview with lead singer of Owl City, Adam Young, Mark Moring asks his opinion on religion and music. Adam explains that he is in fact a Christian and often uses his beliefs in his song lyrics. When asked about the meaning of his lyrics, he tells fans and reporters that they are open to interpret his lyrics in whatever way they would like. The reason why he will not give his exact meaning on his lyrics is because he does not want to lose fans that are non-believers when they find out that they are completely Christian inspired. Giving listeners an opportunity to take his songs and interpret them how they please earns him more respect.
Contemporary country music has its listeners deciding whether or not the songs are influenced by country music. “Contemporary country music find the nation to be a more unifying object of devotion than a particular religious god, and its imprecise class status has allowed to find the largest audience in the music’s history” (Hayes). Going off of what has been said previously, country music, and its industry, as a whole wants to gain as many listeners as possible to gain as much profit at possible. If an artist feels that they are bringing in more listeners when singing about something that Christians can relate to, then they will continue to write about things that Christians can relate to. Musicians want to share their music, share their feelings, and make money for themselves. If singing about Jesus is what is bringing in the most profit, then they will continue doing so.
In Christianity Today, Susan Brill writes about the different types of country music. There is Christian country music and Positive Country music. Christian country music is country music that is overtly Christian, and the lyrics include a very noticeable message from the gospel. This particular type of music is featured on about 80 different radio stations, and is produced on many mainstream or Christian labels. Positive country music is similar, but different in a few ways. It can simply be defined as country music that contains biblical values, but does not necessarily convey a gospel message. This type of music is more popular, and is features on 1,600 different radio stations, and is also produced on mainstream or Christian record labels. These stations also feature non-Christian artists if their lyrics resemble different principles in the Bible. Positive Country gives contemporary Christian singers and songwriters a chance to be accepted more worldwide, since they rarely receive the attention that they truly deserve. Since Positive Country is more widely accepted, it has become a very large part of a diversity of country music, rather than a subgenre of Christian music.
Some country music singers and songwriters like to speak “the truth” in their lyrics. They offer their own personal times of pain, remember shame, and explain the promise that is given in salvation. Many listeners have come to expect this from many artists. Maxine L. Grossman stated that music needs to present its religious message in a way that can be understood universally. There are two different boundaries that are set in country music. One boundaries says that the requirement that singers not disagree with the unspoken values of the music by speaking directly of the issues that lie outside of the truth of country discourse.
There are obviously very different opinions when it comes to what is accepted and what is not accepted. Many choose to listen to country music that entails Christian aspects, where many dislike country music for that exact reason. Many singers and songwriters like to leave it up to their listeners to interpret their lyrics as they will.
Annotated Bibliography
Brill, Susan. "Positively Country." Christianity Today 40, (April 8, 1996): 83-22. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost.
“Positively Country” is a short journal article in Christianity Today by Susan Brill. In, the article, Brill explains the distinctions between Christian country music and Positive country music. Christian country music is defined as country music that is overtly Christian, and contains a very noticeable gospel message. This type of music is played on about 80 radio stations, and is produced on many mainstream or Christian labels. Positive country music can be defined as country music that is “implicitly Christian, conveying biblical values but not necessarily a gospel message” (Brill). This type of music is featured on about 1,600 stations, and it is produced on Christian and mainstream labels. Music that is written by non-Christians are also featured if it conveys a message compatible with different principles in the Bible. Positive Country has quickly become part of a diversity of country music rather than a subgenre of Christian music. Contemporary Christian music artists rarely receive the type of attention they deserve, and Positive country gives them a chance to be more accepted worldwide.
Grimshaw, Michael. "'Redneck Religion and Shitkickin' Saviours?': Gram Parsons, theology and country music." Popular Music 21, (January 2002): 93. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost.
“Redneck religion and shitkickin’ saviours?”, printed in Popular Music 21 by Michael Grimshaw, examines the life and influence of Gram Parsons, a country singer. “Parsons lived a sang a life that attempted to hold together mythic tradition and an increasingly divisive and fragmented society” (Grimshaw, 94). Parsons was able to use his theological mindset and language of the South and of country music and used it to live the archetypal ‘sex & drugs & rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle in the late 1960s and early 1970s in Los Angeles. Parsons wanted to be able to reflect a Christian way to music, which was knows as the gospel of Gram. His gospel was a sort of new beginning, which drew on the Bible-belt notion of common language of Canaan (Isaiah 19:1, 18). Gram Parson wanted his music, and all country music, to be an example of contextual theology yet another act of transgression and liminality.
Grossman, Maxine L. "Jesus, Mama, and the Constraints on Salvific Love in Contemporary Country Music." Journal Of The American Academy Of Religion 70, (March 1, 2002): 83-115. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost.
In Maxine L Grossman’s “Jesus, Mama, and the Constraints on Salvific Love in Contemporary Country Music”, she discusses the relationship between country singers and songwriters with their listeners, which amounts to a sacred trust. “Theirs is the power, and the responsibility, to speak “the truth” of country music. They recount pain, remember shame, and offer promise of the salvation that listeners have come to expect in the music” (Grossman, 109). There are two different sorts of boundaries on religious expression in country music. One boundary lies in the requirement that singers not explicitly disagree with the unspoken values of the music by speaking directly of the issues that lie outside of the truth of country discourse. The other boundary is about religious expression in country music. “The world of country music is a Christian world, and the religion of country music is equally Christian” (Grossman, 110). Music needs to present its religious message in a universal way.
Hayes, John. "Religion and country music [electronic resource]." Religion Compass 4, (April 1, 2010): ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost.
In “Religion and Country Music” by John Hayes of Wake Forest University, explains that country music is a commercial genre that began in the 1920s. When country music first came out, it was very much influenced by religion. It was first known as “hillbilly” music. “Hillbilly music bore the clear imprint of working-class religion, a folk form of Protestantism that took shape in the late nineteenth century” (Hayes). Folk Protestantism receded as an influence as the white working-class went through a change economically. After the mid 1950s, country music was less about religion and more about the secular working-class life. When evangelicalism rose in the 1970s, changes were made in the lives of country musicians and their personal lives. In 1990, the Christian Country Music Association was seeking to gain radio airplay for their religiously based and influenced songs. “Contemporary country music finds the nation to be a more unifying object of devotion than a particular religious god, and its imprecise class status has allowed it to find the largest audience ever in the music’s history” (Hayes).
Machacek, David W. "The religion of country." Religion In The News 6, (September 1, 2003): 18-19. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost.
In David W. Wachacek’s article in Religion in the News, “The Religion of Country”, he gives his own definition to what country music really consists of. He explains that there has always been a lot of piety in country music- including prayers, salutations, and what it is like to come to know Jesus. “But in recent decades, it has almost always been songs with a highly generalized form of piety that get a hearing. As insiders (but not most listeners) have known, there has been a well-policed boundary between country music and “Christian music,” which carries an explicitly and often narrowly evangelical Christian message” (Wachacek 18). In 2002, the Country Music Association (CMA) filed a lawsuit against the Christian Country Music Association (CCMA) for “using” the same name. Although many organizations use “CCMA” and “CMA” as their marks, the Christian Country Music Association was the only one targeted. According to Gene Higgins, the CCMA president, the boundary between the two was getting fuzzy.
Meizel, Katherine. "A singing citizenry: popular music and civil religion in America." Journal For The Scientific Study Of Religion 45, (December 1, 2006): 497-503. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost.
"A singing citezenry: popular music and civil religion in America" written by Katherine Meizel explains how music, politics, and religion have all called for deeper research. Two songs, "God bless the U.S.A" by Lee Greenwood (1983), and "God Bless America" are very popular patriotic songs that relate to the state of civil religion from World War II to the war in Iraq. Americans define these songs in civil-religious terms, and appreciate them in the same way they appreciate patriotism.
Moring, Mark, and Adam Young. "Two mintues with... Owl City." Christianity Today 54, (May 1, 2010): 61-22. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost.
In an article written by Mark Moring in Christianity Today, a young lead singer speaks about what gives him the inspiration to write and sing his music. Adam explains that faith and imagination are the two things that help him the most. “Faith and imagination. Faith is the reason I do what I do; imagination is the fuel that keeps the creativity flowing. The Lord Jesus Christ is my reason for creating, and I have nothing but gratitude toward him for being allowed to do what I do, and ultimately seize my wildest dreams as if they were just there waiting for me” (61). Young explains that he grew up in a Christian home and came to know the Lord when he was in middle school. He considers music to be the only that he is good at, so he uses it to serve Christ in every way he can. Adam Young is often telling his fans that they can interpret his lyrics in any way that they would like to, because he doesn’t want to lose followers just because of his Christian beliefs.
Neal, Jocelyn R. "Narrative Paradigms, Musical Signifiers, and Form as Function in Country Music." Music Theory Spectrum 29, (Spring2007 2007): 41-72. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost.
Narrative Paradigms, Musical Signifiers, and Form as Function in Country Music, written by Jocelyn R. Neal explains how a Time-Shift narrative paradigm relates a central theme is country music’s texts. In 2002, the Dixie Chicks released a single, “Long Time Gone”, after an extended hiatus from touring and recording. Even though the song was very popular in the commercial country seen, the song stirred up a lot of controversy because the lyrics insulted the country radio, and had themes that thwarted long-standing conventions in country music. “Country music has long employed a consistent catalog of themes, topics, and references, both textual and music, to help identify it as distinct from other popular music genres” (Neal, 41). Themes that are often portrayed in country music relate to religion, which causes a lot of controversy with non-religious listeners.