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| Country Music Finds a Home Far From Home, in Kenya | Country Music Finds a Home Far From Home, in Kenya |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| NAIROBI, Kenya — Sir Elvis, dressed in a yellow and black plaid shirt, jeans, boots and a black cowboy hat, tuned his guitar under the wooden roof and neon beer advertisements of the Reminisce Bar and Restaurant. With a signal to the band, he began singing the Don Williams country hit “It Must Be Love” in a purring baritone. Patrons got up to dance, rocking back and forth. | NAIROBI, Kenya — Sir Elvis, dressed in a yellow and black plaid shirt, jeans, boots and a black cowboy hat, tuned his guitar under the wooden roof and neon beer advertisements of the Reminisce Bar and Restaurant. With a signal to the band, he began singing the Don Williams country hit “It Must Be Love” in a purring baritone. Patrons got up to dance, rocking back and forth. |
| This would not be an unusual sight for Nashville or just about any country tavern in the United States. Except this was not East Texas, but Nairobi in East Africa, where American country music has a surprisingly robust, and growing, following. | This would not be an unusual sight for Nashville or just about any country tavern in the United States. Except this was not East Texas, but Nairobi in East Africa, where American country music has a surprisingly robust, and growing, following. |
| “I grew up with it, and my parents loved country,” said Elvis Otieno, 37, who has become perhaps the best-known Kenyan country performer. Sir Elvis, as he is known onstage, was born the year Elvis Presley died, and was named after him by parents who were big fans of the King. | “I grew up with it, and my parents loved country,” said Elvis Otieno, 37, who has become perhaps the best-known Kenyan country performer. Sir Elvis, as he is known onstage, was born the year Elvis Presley died, and was named after him by parents who were big fans of the King. |
| Kenyans are not immune to the global juggernaut of American popular music and listen to plenty of its genres: pop, hip-hop and rhythm and blues among them. But it is country music that has a strong hold. Country songs are regularly played on the radio. The Kenyan Broadcasting Corporation has a weekly radio show, “Sundowner,” that often features country, while a private television station, 3 Stones, broadcasts a program called “Strings of Country.” Reminisce and the Galileo Lounge here have weekly gigs, and the first country music fair in Kenya, the Boots and Hats Country Festival, took place in March. | |
| Increasingly, Kenyan country singers are writing their own music about love and longing, in an American twang. A Dolly Parton-loving singer named Esther Konkara has recorded her own songs, which are played on local radio stations. Sir Elvis said he was planning a gospel album, and Carlos Piba, 25, another local artist, said he hoped to record country one day in Swahili, the national language. | Increasingly, Kenyan country singers are writing their own music about love and longing, in an American twang. A Dolly Parton-loving singer named Esther Konkara has recorded her own songs, which are played on local radio stations. Sir Elvis said he was planning a gospel album, and Carlos Piba, 25, another local artist, said he hoped to record country one day in Swahili, the national language. |
| The ultimate hope for these performers, no matter how improbable, would be to sing with their heroes. “If I could share a stage with Charley Pride or Don Williams or Garth Brooks,” Sir Elvis said, “it would be a dream come true.” | The ultimate hope for these performers, no matter how improbable, would be to sing with their heroes. “If I could share a stage with Charley Pride or Don Williams or Garth Brooks,” Sir Elvis said, “it would be a dream come true.” |
| American country music has found audiences around the world, introduced by American soldiers to Japan, Korea, Thailand and Germany, and through Hollywood movies. Particularly devoted fan bases have grown in unexpected places like Australia, Jamaica and South Africa. Aaron Fox, a professor of ethnomusicology at Columbia University, theorized that country music caught on in urbanizing places, where it was embraced as a nostalgic counter to the loss of traditional values. | American country music has found audiences around the world, introduced by American soldiers to Japan, Korea, Thailand and Germany, and through Hollywood movies. Particularly devoted fan bases have grown in unexpected places like Australia, Jamaica and South Africa. Aaron Fox, a professor of ethnomusicology at Columbia University, theorized that country music caught on in urbanizing places, where it was embraced as a nostalgic counter to the loss of traditional values. |
| In Kenya, country music’s popularity dates to the 1940s and crosses classes, but is especially pronounced in the central highlands, the country’s farm belt. Many of the fans are over 50, but a younger generation who grew up listening to their parents’ music also tune in. | In Kenya, country music’s popularity dates to the 1940s and crosses classes, but is especially pronounced in the central highlands, the country’s farm belt. Many of the fans are over 50, but a younger generation who grew up listening to their parents’ music also tune in. |
| European settlers, mostly British, transported the music here during Kenya’s colonial era, which ended in 1963. “We took it up from them,” John Obongo, the host of “Sundowner,” said of the Europeans. Country’s appeal also stems from the relatively straightforward lyrics and slower tempos, he said. “Some pop music is too fast.” | European settlers, mostly British, transported the music here during Kenya’s colonial era, which ended in 1963. “We took it up from them,” John Obongo, the host of “Sundowner,” said of the Europeans. Country’s appeal also stems from the relatively straightforward lyrics and slower tempos, he said. “Some pop music is too fast.” |
| Country music’s stories of love, family, chivalry, the land, faith, roads and working-class life resonate with many people here, said David Kimotho, a director at 3 Stones TV, which receives up to 180 text messages requesting songs during each show, notably tunes by Kenny Rogers, Ms. Parton and Mr. Williams. | Country music’s stories of love, family, chivalry, the land, faith, roads and working-class life resonate with many people here, said David Kimotho, a director at 3 Stones TV, which receives up to 180 text messages requesting songs during each show, notably tunes by Kenny Rogers, Ms. Parton and Mr. Williams. |
| Kenyans, Mr. Kimotho said, “can identify with the stories in the songs.” A type of music called Mugithi, a genre developed in central Kenya and traditionally sung with guitar accompaniment in the Kikuyu language, has a country feel, giving its listeners an affinity for modern American country music. | Kenyans, Mr. Kimotho said, “can identify with the stories in the songs.” A type of music called Mugithi, a genre developed in central Kenya and traditionally sung with guitar accompaniment in the Kikuyu language, has a country feel, giving its listeners an affinity for modern American country music. |
| Taste runs to the traditional artists like Jim Reeves, Mr. Rogers, Ms. Parton and Mr. Pride, said John Andrews, director of A.I. Records, Sony Music Entertainment’s agent here. Country represents at least 15 percent of all CDs sold in Kenya, he said. | Taste runs to the traditional artists like Jim Reeves, Mr. Rogers, Ms. Parton and Mr. Pride, said John Andrews, director of A.I. Records, Sony Music Entertainment’s agent here. Country represents at least 15 percent of all CDs sold in Kenya, he said. |
| Newer artists also receive some airtime. “We play some Dixie Chicks and Carrie Underwood, but not a lot,” Mr. Kimotho said, laughing. | Newer artists also receive some airtime. “We play some Dixie Chicks and Carrie Underwood, but not a lot,” Mr. Kimotho said, laughing. |
| Sir Elvis was born in central Kenya and lived for some time in the small railway town of Kibigori. Guitar was his hobby growing up. “My parents did not want me to go into music because the notion was that musicians were reckless, drunk and on drugs,” Sir Elvis said. | Sir Elvis was born in central Kenya and lived for some time in the small railway town of Kibigori. Guitar was his hobby growing up. “My parents did not want me to go into music because the notion was that musicians were reckless, drunk and on drugs,” Sir Elvis said. |
| But he persevered. He lived for a time in Norway and then the United States before returning to Kenya, where he went professional and rose from playing in small bars to being invited to perform in neighboring countries. | But he persevered. He lived for a time in Norway and then the United States before returning to Kenya, where he went professional and rose from playing in small bars to being invited to perform in neighboring countries. |
| “It took time, but now it has worked,” he said. | “It took time, but now it has worked,” he said. |
| One of the few female country musicians here, Ms. Konkara, 27, grew up in a village north of Nairobi and sang gospel in Kikuyu at church. “We had potatoes, maize, beans, but the only thing we did not have were horses,” she said, comparing her village with the American West. Ms. Konkara won a scholarship as a teenager to study at a music academy and now performs around the country | One of the few female country musicians here, Ms. Konkara, 27, grew up in a village north of Nairobi and sang gospel in Kikuyu at church. “We had potatoes, maize, beans, but the only thing we did not have were horses,” she said, comparing her village with the American West. Ms. Konkara won a scholarship as a teenager to study at a music academy and now performs around the country |
| “Just like Dolly Parton sings about her Smoky Mountains, Tennessee, I want to sing about the hills of Kiambu,” she said. | “Just like Dolly Parton sings about her Smoky Mountains, Tennessee, I want to sing about the hills of Kiambu,” she said. |
| The popularity of country music here encouraged CC Lamondt, a country music artist from South Africa who lives in Kenya, to organize the festival in Nairobi. “These guys can actually play,” she said. “So we thought: ‘This is an idea. Let’s do this.’ ” | The popularity of country music here encouraged CC Lamondt, a country music artist from South Africa who lives in Kenya, to organize the festival in Nairobi. “These guys can actually play,” she said. “So we thought: ‘This is an idea. Let’s do this.’ ” |
| The daylong festival took place on the grounds of a racetrack, where fans sat on wooden bleachers and hay bales. Many were dressed for the occasion in jeans, boots, cowboy hats and leather vests. | The daylong festival took place on the grounds of a racetrack, where fans sat on wooden bleachers and hay bales. Many were dressed for the occasion in jeans, boots, cowboy hats and leather vests. |
| “Howdy!” said Mr. Kimotho, the television host, who was the master of ceremonies. “This is a country music festival, so we have to greet you in a country way.” | “Howdy!” said Mr. Kimotho, the television host, who was the master of ceremonies. “This is a country music festival, so we have to greet you in a country way.” |
| Mary Kimani, 48, an information technology specialist who lived in the United States for three years — and sported a large belt buckle studded with rhinestones bought in Texas — was pleased with the performances. | Mary Kimani, 48, an information technology specialist who lived in the United States for three years — and sported a large belt buckle studded with rhinestones bought in Texas — was pleased with the performances. |
| “This is music that stands the test of time,” she said. | “This is music that stands the test of time,” she said. |
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