The old world – Europe, attached by unseen riches, nature charm adn adventures gushed to a New Continent. Feeling no fear to the storms of Atlantic Ocean, new conquerors and missioniers, planters and slaves came out on the shore of America. To tel the truth not everybody made this at their own wish. They, emigrants from England, Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, Scandinavian countries, African Continent brought here their own cultures, music. Those cultures, interwined in that „cultures` pot“ feeding each other, were changing and modulating to a new phenomenon – country music, that was grown up in Southern states from „domestic“ poor south-inhabitants` and white workers` music. It had seen semi-language and variuos in its expression: English-celtic ballads were replenished by New Orlean jazz and rhythm` in blues, French Canadian music of Louisiana, German polka, Spanish Mexican music. The development of Western swing in Texas in the 20-ies symbolizes the music of country style with strong elements of bigband jazz and urban blues. That`s how various species and combination of country-music appeared: country and western, cajun, zydeco, country-rock, country-folk, newgrass etc.

And what can we see in Lithuania? Lithuania is also a country-side...the best helper in agriculure works was (and is again) the bay (horse)... also here in village evening-parties sweeping accordion and fiddle accompanied to hot-furiuos polkas and sad waltr„es... we can also see melodism of songs and comfortable articulation of tongue...

Only in the beginning of eighties Vytautas Babravičius took guitar, and played in the student`s parties otherwise tha others. Vytas needed almost 10 years for creating the students` colleagues` gruop „Deficitai“. That was the result of this love to such music. First Lithuanian country-music performers touched „unrecommendable“ themes in satiric manner and immediately they became even the opposition to somewhat musty, officially accepted variety-art music. The figure of Algirdas Klova , the student of Composition class of Vilnius Conservatoir flashed here. „Kikilis“, the group of actors`-students, established by him, was performing succesfully and traditional opuses and also countrystyled romances of independent prewar Lithuanian towns.

On the other students` stages in the years 1975-1980 own ballads were succesfully played by Romas Gižys – mathematician, Zita Povilėnaitė – psychologist, Alfredas Kukaitis – philologist, Vytautas Kernagis – actor and art-director, Virgis Stakėnas – padagogue. Not all of them choose stylistics of country music for further development of their ballads, but they all were that inkpot, that gave ink for Lithuanian country music history`s writing. Parnas Trijonis, brilliant joiner according to his occupation, but country musician according to his calling, after long searchings created the family group „Jonis“ in Šiauliai town. Unexpectedly allies of similar genres appeared. That was the unique phenomenon of socialistic culture, i.e. urban countryside orchestra, was performer of pop-folk music with a help of cosmopolitired musical instruments in a manner „a la folk“. „Vienkiemis“, one of such orchestras, unexpectedly enriched its program with Lithuanian words. Pop-group „Vairas“ gashes a little in Lithuanian countryade („A Dance on a Tray“, „Fire Rain“, „Brothers“) and ensemble „Armonika“ astonished with the instrumental country-folk play „Cowboy in Žemaitija“. „Zewizdruolis“, furiuos Lowlanders group from Venta was infected with country bacillus.

Rebirth of country-music in Lithuania comes together with first legally celebrated Easter. After a long break, in early spring of 1990 people in Kaunas were making arrangements for the first Lithuanian country-music festival, named „Once Upon a Time on Easter“. Unfortunately the work of organizers almost wasn`t ruined by politicians. But goodwill adn understanding of public rescued. This program had a resonance – it was repeated in summer music festival „Palanga-90“, but the title was changed correspondingly into „Half a Year After Easter“. In spring of 1991 another festival was held. Now its title was corresponding again: „Two Weeks After Easter“ (the title was given according to the organization time).

Virgis Stakėnas, III international music festival „Visagino country `93“.

The author of these words had this idea for a long time. First try of him was more show-concert than festival in „Once Upon a Time on Easter“ (Kaunas, 1990). Then Sigitas Morkūnas, an employed of Ministry of Culture offered a place – National park of Aukštaitija. Edmundas Žalpys had his own thoughts and „idea transfered into body“: the town named Sniečkus, was chosen. It was a citadel of especially precious nature, sincere people and cultural province. The author of those lines has written an entire note-book of possible titles of festival, till he close one – Visaginas name. It is the title of lake, on which shore the town has spread. Here was built a new stadium – an arena for future festival. Many gray hairs appeared on a head of Vytautas „Kugelis“ Stauga, the Director of „Alternetyva“ – technical organizer of first festival till first chords of festival sounded. It is not ridiculous when one week is left to the beginning of festival, an orginizing car is riding at full speed, and the festival is being stopped. The reason – putsch in Moscow. Fortunately madmen defeated. Fortunately no one lost the will. And the festival was held. Certainly the geography of festival had losses. That why twice glory for participants. Everything was a lesson: and sound, and lighting, and organizational troubles. Nothing curiuos – such festival on the whole was first in Lithuania. Calendar showed the days of August 24 and 24, 1991. That was a date of first „Visagino country“ festival.

When the decision regarding such feast on every last weekend of summer was accepted, „Visagino country II“ was held on August 28, 29, 1992. Natural satellites of country music flourished: fair, beer industry. Maybe then we couldn`t hear distinguished surnames and titles, maybe the sky of August was adorned more by cosmic stars, not musical, but the feast was held. Thousands of Sniečkus inhabitants pushed into the main year-performance of the town, groups of travellers from all over Lithuania, from more far and very far sides came here to see „what miracles have been held here“. And when traditional (again traditional!) fire-work lighted the face of aged madam, she grasped my hand and asked without stopping: „when will be held the next festival?“.

That were my reminiscenes. But they are not personal of me one. This is already a part of culture and history, because festival is going to be serious from the point of geography, artistic level, variety of genres. Not in vain Sniečkus, the town of last year feast (1992 Visagino country festival) was christened to be Visaginas. I understand that it isn`t merit of festival, but still...

Virgis Stakėnas, III international music festival „Visagino country `93“.