Chapter 9: Country Western Music
In the 1920s, radio emerged as one of the most powerful forces in American life, changing how people accessed news, entertainment, and especially music. As stations spread across the country, broadcasters quickly learned how to expand their reach. One method involved building high-powered transmission towers capable of sending signals across hundreds of miles. Some stations, known as “clear channel” stations, were granted exclusive frequencies by the government. Without nearby competitors on the dial, these stations could be heard across multiple states. Others set up powerful transmitters just across the border in Mexico, avoiding U.S. regulations entirely. These “border blaster” stations could send their signals deep into the American heartland, sometimes reaching as far as the Midwest.
A second and even more effective strategy was the creation of national radio networks. In 1928, NBC became the first to link dozens of local stations together using telephone lines, making it possible to air the same program across the country at the same time. This new network model made it easier to produce, distribute, and control programming from a central location, often a studio in New York City. It also allowed individual stations—called affiliates—to broadcast both national content and their own local shows. These innovations made radio a truly national medium and set the foundation for the way television and talk radio operate today.
Radio played a crucial role in promoting popular music during the 1930s and 1940s. Before streaming, records, or even jukeboxes, many Americans first heard new songs through live broadcasts. Music publishers worked behind the scenes to get their songs played on air, knowing that a single radio performance could launch a tune into national popularity. For singers and bandleaders, performing on the radio was also a way to build a following and book more lucrative performances.
At that time, most radio music was performed live. Recorded music was rarely used and, in fact, was considered misleading. Many people believed that playing a record on the air was dishonest unless clearly stated. As a result, many stations hired full-time musicians and studio bands to provide live music throughout the day. Even when national programs filled much of the schedule, local bands were still needed to fill gaps between shows and to perform on smaller regional broadcasts.
Musicians' unions, especially the American Federation of Musicians (AFM), fought hard to keep live music on the air. They feared that the growing use of pre-recorded music would eliminate jobs for performers. In the 1940s, the union launched a major campaign to restrict recorded music on the radio, successfully defending the role of live musicians in the industry—at least for a time.
Importantly, radio brought music directly into people’s homes, much like records did, shifting music listening from primarily public spaces such as dance halls, theaters, and churches to more private, domestic settings. This change helped transform the way Americans experienced music, making it a more intimate and personal part of daily life.