The Americana and roots music authority

Alt-country vs. mainstream country

I'm trying to figure out what makes Americana/alt-country/roots music different from mainstream country. Any opinions? Do they sound different? How?

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Permalink Reply by Kenny C on April 2, 2012 at 7:03pm

Americana vs Alt-Country .. what's the diff? .. help me out..

Mark Knopfler.. one of the founders of all.. He changed my life..

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Permalink Reply by Hal Bogerd on April 2, 2012 at 7:36pm

I admire Knopfler's guitar playing but I'm not sure he was a "founder" of anything under the No Depression umbrella.

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Permalink Reply by Jack on April 3, 2012 at 5:15am

Mark Knopfler has great talent as a songwriter and guitarist, and I enjoy his singing, but listen to JJ Cale and you'll know in an instant who influenced Mark's guitar style. Not a founder but what a contributor!

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Permalink Reply by Kenny C on April 3, 2012 at 6:04am

I respectfully disagree.. I’m not buying the Uncle Tupelo argument (love ‘em – love Son Volt) Dylan, Clapton, and many others were performing roots music in the 70’s. Knopfler fits my DNA well.. .. Bottom line.. who cares.. keep the music coming.

So what's the difference between Americana and Alt-Country?

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Permalink Reply by Kenny C on April 3, 2012 at 11:01am

As I suspected..

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Permalink Reply by Jerre Yeager on April 3, 2012 at 10:42am

The difference between Americana and Alt-Country is in the mind of the person choosing which term to use to describe the type of music this site's members listen to. It's symantics, Kenny, just symantics.

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Permalink Reply by Sue Rarick on November 10, 2012 at 5:55pm

I think there is a difference that does border on symantics. alt.country uses traditional country music as it's core and branches out from there incorporating mostly american based genres. Americana has american based genres as it's core. That core can be rock, blues, jazz or country (plus whatever other genre you want to add).

The end results can be the same but it's the difference in the core. In my case it was early rock n roll ala springsteen southside johnny style but I would also go to Long Branch on Wednesdays and play a jazz club that Tal Farlow also played at. Then on Sundays I would be down in West Creek playing Bluegrass and my first gig was in the backup band for a gospel group. Today I beg borrow and steal from all those influences but the core is the old American Bandstand rock n roll of 'it has a good beat and is easy to dance to'.