Texas has a style all its own. Whether you’re eating the incomparable Tex-Mex, buying high-fashion cowboy boots, or admiring a home built with dazzling Austin stone, you always recognize the Texas “style stamp” of approval. In much the same way, the music of Texas–played in Texas or played by Texans at events in Canton TX–has an unmistakable air of Texan authenticity. Also much like the visual arts, pinning down exactly what makes it unique to Texas takes some work. Like most musical genres, however, the Texas style has had various influences over time:
- Country–Because most of the folks who originally settled in Texas were from other Southern states, they naturally brought their country music with them. They also brought stringed instruments, some of which–notably the banjo and fiddle–had African roots.
- Fiddles–Ironically, it was the band Alabama who noted, “If you wanna play in Texas, you’ve gotta have a fiddle in the band.” Perhaps some things are clearer from a distance? Fiddles in the Texas music genre are characteristically slower, although it wasn’t a hard and fast rule because of the region’s love of dancing to fiddle music, too.
- Western swing–As a response to the love of dancing, bands incorporated more instruments and added a jazzier tempo. Early purveyors of the Western swing were known to enjoy black musicians and tried to fuse that style into pieces that their audiences could dance to.
- Outlaw music–Even as the relatively genteel Western swing orchestras entertained dance houses across the state, smaller bands of musicians put forth a rougher strain of country music for their patrons in honky-tonks. By this time in the 1970s, musicians were able to access musical styles beyond the former geographic constraints. Rock music came to Texan ears by way of radio and TV and musicians eagerly blended it into the country style they had grown up hearing and playing.
- Tejano–as with most of the arts in Texas, no list would be complete without mentioning the significant influence of Mexican artists. From Mariachi bands to horn- and voice-driven musical groups, Tejano music has been both a style of its own as well as an influence on more traditional Texas musicians.
Naturally, in a state as big and diverse as Texas, no one style of music can lay claim to being more authentic. Nonetheless, musicians continue to consider their sound “authentically Texan,” as does their audience. In most cases, those musicians have been heavily influenced by some or all of the historically Texas sounds. Throughout Texas, and specifically at events in Canton TX, the music that speaks to the traditionally Texan soul of the state gets played to great acclaim.
Mill Creek Ranch Resort proudly showcases authentic Texas music every Friday night at The Creek. Whether you’re a dedicated music aficionado or simply looking for truly enjoyable events in Canton TX, a concert in a spectacular lodge-like setting overlooking the gorgeous infinity pool at The Creek sounds like a winner. To answer the question about what makes Texas music great, Mill Creek Ranch Resort responds: Texan musicians, great food and drink, and an enthusiastic audience. To find out who’s playing on a given Friday night, call us at 877-927-3439.
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