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"And to be clear, without African-Americans, there would be no rock or country music as we know it either — but I digress."

This narrative is said over and over and people think it's true. Country music has it's roots in Ireland and Scotland and the last time I checked, those people are pretty white. I just have to look down at myself to know that since I'm half Irish. As for Rock and Roll, the most important thing about Rock is the guitar, can we all agree on that? Where was that invented? Not in the deep dark areas of Africa, but in Europe or possibly the Middle East.

What is fair to say is that all races have contributed to the creation of Rock and Country Music. American Blacks can uniquely claim creation of Rap, but not all this other nonsense.

They’ll tell you that all music comes from the drum and the drum comes from “Mother Africa” (but don’t all people supposedly originate from Africa, so confusing).

The Grand Ole Opry didn’t permit drums.

http://musicweird.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-first-drums-on-grand-ole-opry.html

In its September 30, 1967, issue, Billboard reported that “a full set of drums was used on the ‘Grand Ole Opry’ for the first time in history” when Jerry Reed performed the previous week. (Billboard also misspelled drummer Willie Ackerman’s name.) But was Reed really the first?

For decades, the Opry famously refused to allow performers to use drums, and many artists over the years have been credited with being the first to bring drums to the Opry.

The no-drums rule adversely affected country artists who added rock and pop elements to their music in the late 1950s, which many artists did to remain commercially viable as traditional country waned in popularity. When they performed these crossover country songs on the Opry, they were forced to sound more traditional than they really were.

The rule also adversely affected rock and rockabilly performers who appeared on the Opry. When Carl Perkins’ rock ‘n’ roll classic “Blue Suede Shoes” became a hit on the pop, R&B, and country charts in 1955, he was invited to perform it on the Opry but wasn’t allowed to use drums.

Today, Music Weird will look at some of the artists who claim to be—or are claimed to be—the first to use drums at the Opry.

...The Billboard reporter who wrote about Jerry Reed apparently forgot that Bob Wills used a drummer on the Opry in 1944. Western swing star Bob Wills was scheduled to appear on the Opry for the first time on December 30, 1944, and was told that the Opry didn’t allow drums. Wills told the Opry that he would perform with drums or not at all, so the Opry allowed his band to go on with its drummer...

>>American Blacks can uniquely claim creation of Rap, but not all this other nonsense.

I’ve got a couple of theories of the origin:

1) country had a thing where the “singer” would talk out the words (quickly). Think “Smoke That Cigarette” and “I’ve Been Everywhere”. Eefon’ is like beat-boxin’ too.

2) and probably more accurate, boys being babysat by their older sisters doing jump rope rhymes on the street. It just sounds cooler to claim that it was their tribute to the pimp toasts at gatherings that they could only read about.

Frankie Smith - Double Dutch Bus (Official Music Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fK9hK82r-AM