Country music is a musical genre that is usually said to have originated in the Southern United States when in reality European immigrants brought some aspects of country music here with them. Some of the most prized possessions they would bring with them across the ocean were musical instruments. These might include the Italian mandolin, the Spanish guitar, the Irish fiddle, the German dulcimer, and the West African banjo. The first generation of country music refers to the period of the 1920s. The 1920s music scene in Atlanta produced some of the first recordings by country music artists. This is probably why country music is often thought to have originated in the Southern United States. Appalachian people migrated to the big city to work in the cotton mills, and of course they brought their music and folktales with them. The first country music recordings were "Turkey in the Straw" and "Arkansas Traveler" and they were recorded by Henry Gilliland and AC Robertson. Some of the most important artists of the country's first generation were Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter family. The Carter Family actually recorded over 300 songs and the first of these recordings was made at the Bristol Sessions. This historic event occurred on August 1, 1927 and Ralph Peer was the talent scout who discovered and recorded them. The Grand Ole Opry began airing on radio in 1925 and is still on the air today, although more people watch it on television than listen to it on the radio. The second generation of country music dates back to the 1930s and 1940s. The Great Depression reduced people's ability to purchase music recordings, so most people got their musical entertainment from... middle of paper... one genre to another. Generally all songs that crossed over from the country charts to the Top 40 charts were labeled country pop. The fifth generation of country music dates back to the 1990s. Country music became more popular around the world during the 1990s. This was due in part to increased country music radio airplay and enigmatic country music stars like Garth Brooks, Travis Tritt, and Alan Jackson. Faith Hill, Leann Rimes and Shania Twain are some of the artists who became popular in the 90s and still are today. The sixth generation of country music began in the 2000s and continues to the present day. Country music is an extremely popular genre of music and it will be interesting to see where it leads in the future. Who knows what future generations will think of the country music we hear on the radio today?