田納西州英文介紹
田納西州位於美國東南部，東起北卡羅來納州州界的阿巴拉契亞山脈***Appalachian Mountain***，南臨佐治亞州、亞拉巴馬州、密西西比州， 西止密蘇里州和阿肯色州東邊的密西西比河***Mississippi River***，北臨肯塔基州和弗吉尼亞州，地勢東高西低。長約432英里，州面積109,150平方公里。首府納什維爾***Nashville***，州內還有美國鄉村音樂的中心孟菲斯。
美國田納西州別名「志願者之州」***Volunteer State***的田納西於1796年加入聯邦，成為美國第16州。它是第一個由聯邦憲法批准加入的州。在成為州前，田納西又名「俄亥俄河的南部地區」***Territory South of the River Ohio***。田納西一字源自於卻洛奇族***Cherokee***的村落Tanasi。現在，田納西的首府是被稱做鄉村音樂中心的那什維爾***Nashville***，而曼菲斯***Memphis***則是田納西的第一大城，這兒也是貓王***Elvis Presley***傳奇音樂生涯的開始。田納西的州花是鳶尾花。
Called the "Volunteer State," Tennessee became the 16th state of the Union in 1796. It was the first territory admitted as a state under the federal Constitution. Before statehood, it was known as the Territory South of the River Ohio. The name Tennessee is derived from the name of a Cherokee village, Tanasi. Today, the capital, Nashville, is known as a center for country music. Memphis, the largest city in the state, is the place where Elvis Presley first began his legendary musical career. The state flower is the iris.
鄉村音樂的發源地
鄉村音樂源起何處?假如您回答那什維爾，那您就答錯了。
正確答桉是田納西的布里斯托***Bristol***。布里斯托位於田納西及維吉尼亞州的邊界上，此處的阿帕拉契山***Appalachian***民族音樂廣受歡迎，而且已經流傳好幾世代。當地的許多小提琴旋律及歌曲風格都來自於1700年代的不列顛群島***British Isles***。
唱片工業興起於1900年代早期，但大部分的音樂家都會遠至紐約錄製他們的音樂。1927年時，勝者唱片***Victor Records***的羅夫皮爾***Ralph Peer***決定要嚐試一些不同的。他來到田納西的布里斯托錄製當地音樂家的音樂，他認為可以在布里斯托找到演奏懷舊時光及山區民歌的音樂家。當時有兩個當地的表演團體簽署了唱片合約，一為來自維吉尼亞的卡特家族***Carter Family***，另一個則是來自於北卡羅來納州的前鐵路工人傑米羅傑斯***Jimmie Rodgers***。當卡特家族在演奏懷舊時光的山區音樂時，羅傑斯就負責使用一種名為約德爾調的唱腔來吟唱民歌，他們成功的打進全國市場。後來，連續好幾代的流行鄉村音樂家都以卡特家族的音樂為他們的核心音樂，而羅傑斯於1928年錄製的「藍調約德爾」***Blue Yodel***唱片成為第一張銷售百萬的鄉村唱片!
這些早期的布里斯托唱片為後來絕大部分的鄉村音樂鋪下基石。因為一般人不會將布里斯托視為鄉村音樂的發源地，所以對布里斯托的居民來說，美國國會認可布里斯托對音樂史的貢獻是很重要的一件事。1998年時，國會通過了一項決議，決議中即正式承認布里斯托為「鄉村音樂的發源地」。
Where was country music born? If you said Nashville, you'd be wrong.
The right answer is Bristol, Tennessee. Bristol is on the Tennessee and Virginia border, where Appalachian mountain folk music has been popular for generations. Many of the fiddle tunes and song styles came over from the British Isles in the 1700s.
By the early 1900s, the recording industry had begun, but most musicians had to travel to New York City to record their music. In 1927, Ralph Peer of Victor Records decided to try something different. He went to Bristol, Tennessee, to record local musicians. He thought that old-time and "hillbilly" musicians could be found there. Two local acts signed recording contracts -- the Carter Family from Virginia and former railroad worker Jimmie Rodgers of North Carolina. While the Carter Family played old-time mountain music, Jimmie Rodgers sang ballads and used a singing style called yodeling. They both became successful nationwide. The Carter Family formed the core of several generations of popular country musicians, and Rodgers's 1928 recording of "Blue Yodel" became one of the first country records to sell a million copies!
These early Bristol recordings laid the groundwork for much of the country music that followed. Because Bristol is not usually thought of as the place where country music began, it was especially important that the U.S. Congress recognized Bristol's contribution to music history. In 1998, Congress passed a resolution recognizing Bristol as the "Birthplace of County Music."