American barn dance radio of the 1920s-1940s evoked comforting images of a nostalgic and stable past for listeners beset by economic problems at home and worried about totalitarian governments abroad. Sentimental images such as the mountain mother and the chaste everybody's-little-sister "girl singer" helped to sell a new consumer culture and move commercial country music from regional fare to national treasure.

Drawing on personal interviews and rich archival material from the Grand Ole Opry, Kristine M. McCusker examines the gendered politics of the images through the lives and careers of six women performers: Linda Parker, the Girls of the Golden West (Milly and Dolly Good), Lily May Ledford, Minnie Pearl, and Rose Lee Maphis.

A collective biography of the women who shaped early country and western music

About the Author
Kristine M. McCusker is a professor of history at Middle Tennessee State University. She is a coeditor of Country Boys and Redneck Women: New Essays in Gender and Country Music.

Reviews
"McCusker's work sheds a welcome light on a musical movement still in living memory for some but forgotten or never known by others."--Library Journal
"McCusker delves deep into the changing creations and perceptions of female country performers. . . . Highly recommended."--Choice
"In her engaging and exciting book, McCusker brings the women of barn dance radio to life. Lonesome Cowgirls and Honky-Tonk Angels is a fascinating story of how these women constructed their public images to showcase a virtuous, all-American character and support the sale of sponsors' products. The women's lively firsthand accounts are delightful!"--Casey Henry, recording artist




Book Information
ISBN 9780252075247
Author Kristine M. McCusker
Format Paperback
Page Count 224
Imprint University of Illinois Press
Publisher University of Illinois Press
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 152mm * 15mm