River of Tears: Exploring Country Music, Memory & Modernity in Brazil - Perfect for Music Lovers & Cultural Studies

When we think about Brazilian music, samba, bossa nova, and Afro-Brazilan ritual and carnival music come to mind. That is what you will find in record shops. I expected the existence of country folk and pop rancheros in Brazil but heard, read, or knew nothing of them until this excellent, well-written book and its leads to recordings. Country music in the United States is an equal to rock and pop in popularity, dividing the population largely into urban and rural, coast and interior. The same can be said for Brazil; rodeo is as popular as soccer. Moreover, there is another parallel in that the more appreciated, electrified, country-western music, with its romantic themes, contrasts with the less popular acoustic roots-folk music, performed as duos (typically brothers), with its emphasis on nature and life struggles. Country music in Brazil, which is centered in the central-western states, has Portuguese and Amer-Indian origins, with little influence from Afro-Brazilian music. The author, an anthropologist, discusses more the history and sociology of this music than its structure, although learning first-hand to play the 10-string guitar, the viola, and interviewing country musicians. Against the forces of urbanization and a global sophistication, nostalgia of Brazil's agrarian history and the folklore of "hicks" have increased the fan base of música sertaneja (music of the interior). With its modern adaptations, it has absorbed música caipira (hick music), as hillbilly folk and bluegrass are now under the umbrella of country music in the United States. This book will change your view of Brazil and Brazilian music.