Florida Georgia Line and Religion
History of Country Music and Religion
Country music is rooted in folk music, which started being recorded in the 1920s in the South, USA. At the time, everyone referred to it as “Hillbilly” music. A lot of performers at this time were religious, so hillbilly songs often dealt with religious ideas. But it wasn't until the late 1960s and early 1970s that religion and country music became a whole to Americans. Country songs, with their reflections on patriotism, faith, family and life in America, are what drew Americans to love country music. What Grady Smith says he misses in today's country music is the authenticity with which country singers from years ago approached songs about faith.
"Historically, country music expressed its relationship with Christianity either with reverence or with angst. Singers were never perfect Christians, but they were open about their struggles to lead faithful lives. Today's artists may regularly name-drop Jesus and sing about sitting in church on Sunday morning, but they seem frustratingly content with lukewarm faith. In place of reverence and angst, country music has chosen comfortable spirituality.” - Grady Smith
I believe that faith is extremely seen in country music. This link is important because where this style of music is seen lifting the religious roots of the South, it is not only a description of the culture of the South, but also a way of people connecting to the rural past in an urban present. This music allows people to remember what things used to be like and take some of those early roots beliefs for themselves. All in all, country music has clearly been, since the beginning, a way for people to connect with God and have a musical way to enjoy their faith.
