Therearemanybiographiesandhistoriesofearlycountrymusicanditscreators,butsurprisinglylittleattentionhasbeengiventotheactualsongsattheheartofthesenarratives.Inthisgroundbreakingbook,musichistorianTonyRussellturnsthespotlightonseventy-eightoriginal78rpmdiscsofsongsandtunesfromthe1920sand1930s,uncoveringthehiddenstoriesofhowtheycametoberecorded,themusicianswhosangandplayedthem,therecordcompaniesthatmarketedthem,andthelistenerswhoabsorbedthem.Intheseessays,baseduponnewresearch,contemporarynewspaperaccounts,andpreviouslyunpublishedinterviews,andcopiouslyillustratedwithrareimages,readerswillfindsongsabouthomeandfamily,loveandcourtship,crimeandpunishment,farmsandfloods,chaingangsandchainstores,journeysandmemories,andmanyotheraspectsoflifeintheperiod.RuralRhythmnotonlychartsthetemposandstylesofruralandsmall-townmusic-makingandtheoriginsofpresent-daycountrymusic,butalsotracesthelargerrhythmsoflifeintheAmericanSouth,Southwest,andMidwest.Whatemergesisanarrativethatingeniouslyblendsthemusicalandsocialhistoryoftheera.
