Entry # 1 Rehan Tariq

 In It Still Moves: Lost Songs, Lost Highways and the Search for the Next American Music by Amanda Petrusich, the author brings up the idea of how Americana has had a major effect on the lives of many and still exists in the world, but yet still gives us the typical outlook that we have as Americans, even if we still aren't as American as we once used to be. I like how Petrusich realizes that music has diverse throughout the times, such as when she talks about how Americana will not be found in the top 100 billboard because i have also noticed how much music has mutated throughout time. Going from generation to generation, altering dances, moods, physiques, and styles. So, with this said, things can be very different because of music alters our lives, as she explains that Americana music is blue grass, apple pie, the blues etc. yet the music today is all about either skin tight jeans or baggy ones showing our boxers. No matter what era, music will always have a major influence on our lives, which is very well shown by Petrusich in this book.

I really liked Petrusich's behavior on going to the South from her home town in Brooklyn, New York to further research the idea of Americana. She realized at first through a CD rack about "Goodbye Babylon" which started the idea in her mind about Americana, the apple pie, John Deere alarm clock, and the thought that Americana had a huge influence on many Americans. This outlook made her want to persevere into understanding Americana, which led her to go to the South. When she reaches the South, she talks with Jeff Green, who used to be the Executive Director of the Americana Music Association, who said that it is way more diverse now than it had ever been. In my opinion, I believe that this is due to the fact of the pop culture of today and tomorrow that has influenced it in a way to become more diverse than it ever has. Which goes along with the idea of how music is changing everything all the time.

Going along with the previous paragraph about the idea of diversity and how Americana music isn't always the greatest hit, unlike Eminem or Rihanna, it will still always exist. Why? There are many different views to this in which either one can be correct but I believe it is because of the handful of people in the U.S who keep it alive. Such as the director of the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? He must have done his research, and thus created a piece of art which shows the Americana side of the U.S. This director might have realized that people in the U.S are loosing the folk aspect in their lives and might have wanted to bring it back up to notch, as well as Petrusich is trying to do through her book. I believe that the feelings and beliefs of others will cause Americana to stay alive, as many other musicians and others who have contributed to keeping all music and ideas of the music alive.