American Songwriter

On This Day in 1965, a Massive Country Hit Inspired by Bill Monroe Became the Tennessee State Song

Sixty-one years ago today, a major country hit inspired by a Bill Monroe classic became a state song of Tennessee.
American Songwriter

On This Day in 1969, Merle Haggard Released a Song That Arguably Was a Better Tribute to Oklahomans Than “Okie From Muskogee”

We make the case for why "Hungry Eyes" was a better tribute to Oklahomans than Merle Haggard's signature song, "Okie from Muskogee".
Smithsonian Magazine

‘Yankee Doodle’ Was One of America’s Earliest Protest Songs. But Its Origins Are Shrouded in Mystery

Historians have debunked many of the popular theories surrounding the tune's creation. Still, its legacy as a patriotic ...