Originally Posted by Fdemetrio
Anybody see Ray around?

https://ourpastimes.com/how-to-compare-blues-country-music-12269434.html

According to Etta James in an interview with American Chronicle: "The Blues and country are first cousins ... What I look for in a song is for the story to be for real. I like a blood and guts kind of thing. That's what you find in the lyrics of country music." Blues and country music both developed in the 19th century in the Southern United States. They share a similar history. For this reason, they share many of the same musical and lyrical characteristics.

Learn the history behind blues and country music. They are both forms of American folk music influenced by earlier styles brought overseas. Blues music grew out of field hollers and chants sung by African slaves. Irish and Scottish balladeers borrowed the guitar and banjo of blues and thus created "country". According to Reebee Garofalo in "Rockin' Out: Popular Music in the USA", "Terms like country and blues are only used to separate the same kind of music made by blacks and whites ... designations like race and hillbilly intentionally separated artists along racial lines and conveyed the impression that their music came from mutually exclusive sources." Country is an offshoot of blues. They are essentially the same thing. In the PBS special, "Rhythm, Country and Blues," country is referred to as "white man's blues."


Congratulaions...
Based upon an un-exhaustive internet search and some subjective sources you have uncovered that 12 bars blues and some African and European music are antecedents to American country and pop music. And you made a brilliant case for it. Now that you have done this, why don't you climb into a leaky row boat and set off from the coast of Spain to discover...."the new world."

Once done...you can return here and find someone to argue about it with. LOL

PS...Make certain that the boat is leaky.