Hillbilly Boogie
tagStarted 1943Peak 1946–1952Last big hit 1955
Hillbilly boogie is pre-rockabilly country with swing and boogie-woogie engine parts: driving rhythm, walking bass, piano bounce, hot guitar or fiddle, and a cheerful sense of motion. It is country music already halfway toward rock and roll, grinning the whole time.
History
Emerging from western swing, honky-tonk, and boogie-woogie currents, hillbilly boogie helped prepare the ground for rockabilly's explosion. The Delmore Brothers, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Moon Mullican, Maddox Brothers and Rose, and related artists made records that sound like country rhythm learning to kick open the door.
Defining artists
Essential listening
- Freight Train Boogie — Delmore BrothersSpotifyYouTube
- Shotgun Boogie — Tennessee Ernie FordSpotifyYouTube
- Seven Nights to Rock — Moon MullicanSpotifyYouTube
- Move It on Over — Hank WilliamsSpotifyYouTube
- I'm Little but I'm Loud — Little Jimmy DickensSpotifyYouTube
- Rocket 88 — Bill Haley and His SaddlemenSpotifyYouTube
Sources
- Britannica
- rockabilly histories
- early-country overviews