Honky-tonk

The term honky-tonk (also called honkatonk, honkey-tonk, honky tonk, or tonk) refers either to a bar that provides country music for the entertainment of its patrons, or to the particular genre of music which is played at such establishments itself. It can also refer to the type of piano (a tack piano) used to play such music. Bars of this kind are common in the American South and Southwest. Many prominent country music artists such as Jimmie Rodgers, Ernest Tubb, Lefty Frizzell, Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Johnny Horton and Merle Haggard began their careers as amateur musicians in honky-tonks. The origin of the term "honky-tonk" is disputed, originally referring to bawdy variety shows in areas of the Old West (Oklahoma, the Indian Territories, and mostly Texas) and to the actual theaters showing them. The first music genre to be commonly known as honky-tonk was a style of piano playing related to ragtime but emphasizing rhythm more than melody or harmony; the style evolved in response to an environment in which pianos were often poorly maintained, tending to be out of tune and having some nonfunctioning keys. This honky-tonk music was an important influence on the boogie-woogie pi