The electric guitar is an important cultural icon of the twentieth Essay

The electric guitar is an important cultural icon of the twentieth century - Essay Example This "The electric guitar is an important cultural icon of the twentieth century" essay outlines the impact of the electric guitar's innovation on the music's history. As music became popular in the 20th century, there was a need to have instruments with loud volume that captures musical performance. The innovation of electric guitar captured musical performance and attracted a number of audiences to music. In 1930s, it was evident that prolific jazz artists such as Aynsley Dunbar and George Duke used electric guitars in their performance. The instrument became a necessity to attract a large number of audiences. During that era, many electric guitars were sold. Some of the electric guitar pioneers of the 1930s and 1940s include artists such as Jazzmen, Oscar Moore, and Eddie Durham, country pickers Merle Travis and Noel Boggs, Muddy Waters, and T-Bone Walker. These artists paid attention to the new electric sound, which captured many of their audience. In the 1930s, jazz and country musicians such as Charlie Christian realized that the electric guitar had the ability to compete and ensemble music performance. Having lost faith and hope in the American dream, many young artists used the electric guitar in their performance to express their feelings of openness, confusion, new ideas, and new ways. Many artists realized that the electric guitar was an icon of the 20th century and the most applicable outlet to express thoughts and feelings about what was going on during that period. Guitar legends such as Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, and Eric Clapton established creative and new ways to express themselves with the electric guitar. These artists ensured that their music and instrumentation captured many people to think of American policies and dreams that were lost during the Vietnam and cold war. The electric guitar became an icon to express thoughts on anti-war messages. The sound and melodies of the electric guitar attracted most people to music, which by that era wa s a powerful medium of communication (Sokolow 2008, p78). For instance, various genres and groups embraced the electric guitar to express their messages such as the civil rights and women’s rights movement. Black guitarists such as B.B King explored blues music with their electric guitar and this helped them to express their disappointments in America and their tribulations and trials. Women such as Bonnie Raitt clearly demonstrated how the electric guitar was an icon of the 20th century. In her music performance, Raitt used the instrument to express her thoughts on how women were discriminated in the society and denied their rights to exercise human and economic power. In most concerts, Raitt and King used electric guitar to express the deepest needs that affected the community such as racism, discrimination, and