As a matter of fact there are very few songs or records of the musical history during the development of the Nineteenth Century times. Many of the original folk songs were passed on, and the words changed to fit the times. During these times, music was highly hybrid, constantly changing with the complexity of an advancing civilization. Though society was advancing at a rapid rate, the people were separated by great distances and few roads. And of course, music had yet to hit the air waves.
History shows that music was becoming more and more a passion in the South.
Maybe because of agriculture and the strong sense of family and culture, maybe the music of the Blacks had a strong influence. The rural life and the commitment to tradition and cultural values was showing to be the cradle of the nation's music. In 1867, P.T. Barnum formed his first traveling circus, and later came up with the idea of the three ring circus. Then from the Northern cities came the minstrels and troubadours bringing new music to these remote areas of the country. These wandering musicians were messengers and historians of a sort, story tellers who were documenting the times in their songs.