Ffm 2009

For creators and performers of American or Southern Gothic music, symbols of stereotyped Southern religion—emotionally charged revival, errant preachers, the amen corner, mourner’s bench, serpent handling, curses, damnation and divine retribution—find a place of prominence not only as fodder for songs, but as pillars of a vibrant live performance scene. This paper asks what kinds of cultural capital these symbols have both for the artists who employ them and for their audiences.