As you can see by the title, this post has nothing to do with genealogy. That is, unless you stretch the idea of genealogy-related blogs to anything “history” oriented. Hmmm. That makes sense, so I guess I won’t apologize for posting this.
As my readers most likely know, I love country music – especially older country – anything up through the 1990s or so. At one time Patty and I had season tickets to Opryland, and even owned a membership to an RV park in Nashville. All that was over 20 years ago, but I still look back fondly on the good times at country concerts.
After years in the making, the Country Music Ken Burns produced special is to premiere on PBS this coming Sunday evening – September 15. Looking at my local KCTS Seattle PBS schedule, I can see that the documentary will air Sunday (Sept. 15) through Wednesday evening (Sept. 18), and then continue Sunday (Sept. 22) and air through Wednesday (Sept. 25) – 8 PM and 10 PM each evening. There’s to be 16 hours of country music history! Don’t expect me to work until midnight between September 15 and 25, as I will be in nostalgiaville most evenings. I really don’t have time for much television in my life, but I’m going to make an exception. I may even watch both showings each evening – meaning I can get 32 hours of pure pleasure. I’ve seen enough Ken Burns documentaries to know that I will not be dissapointed.
The time frame covered by the documentary is from 1933 through 1996 – the period which I’ve had a passion for.
The following is the breakdown for each of the documentaries. Note that your PBS schedule may be different (although I doubt it), so check you local channel or cable listings.
The Rub (Beginnings -1933) (1 hour 56 min) – Sept. 15
See how what was first called “hillbilly music” reaches new audiences through phonographs and radio, and launches the careers of country music’s first big stars, the Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers.
Hard Times (1933 -1945) (1 hour 56 min) – Sept. 16
Watch as Nashville becomes the heart of the country music industry. The genre grows in popularity during the Great Depression and World War II as America falls in love with singing cowboys, Texas Swing and the Grand Ole Opry’s Roy Acuff.
The Hillbilly Shakespeare (1945 -1953) (1 hour 56 min) – Sept. 17
See how the bluegrass sound spreads in post-war America, and meet honky-tonk star Hank Williams, whose songs of surprisingly emotional depth are derived from his troubled and tragically short life.
I Can’t Stop Loving You (1953 -1963) (1 hour 56 min) – Sept. 18
Travel to Memphis, where Sun Studios artists Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley usher in the era of rockabilly. Ray Charles crosses America’s racial divide by recording a country album. Patsy Cline shows off Music City’s smooth new Nashville Sound.
The Sons and Daughters of America (1964 -1968) (1 hour 56 min) – Sept. 22
See how country music reflects a changing America, with Loretta Lynn speaking to women everywhere, Merle Haggard becoming “The Poet of the Common Man” and audiences looking beyond race to embrace Charley Pride.
Will The Circle Be Unbroken? (1968 -1972) (1 hour 56 min) – Sept. 23
Learn how country music responds to a nation divided by the Vietnam War, as Army captain turned songwriter Kris Kristofferson sets a new lyrical standard, and artists like Bob Dylan and the Byrds find a recording home in Nashville.
Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way? (1973 -1983) (2 hours 26 min) – Sept 24
Witness a vibrant era in country music, with Dolly Parton finding mainstream success; Hank Williams, Jr. and Rosanne Cash emerging from their famous fathers’ shadows; and Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings launching the “Outlaw” movement.
Don’t Get Above Your Raisin (1984 -1996) (1 hour 56 min) – Sept. 25
Learn how “New Traditionalists” like George Strait, Randy Travis and the Judds help country music stay true to its roots. Witness both the rise of superstar Garth Brooks and the return of an aging Johnny Cash to the industry he helped create.
The following is from the Documentary website. Click on the link or illustration for more information, and to view the trailers.
Explore the history of a uniquely American art form: country music. From its deep and tangled roots in ballads, blues and hymns performed in small settings, to its worldwide popularity, learn how country music evolved over the course of the 20th century, as it eventually emerged to become America’s music. Country Music features never-before-seen footage and photographs, plus interviews with more than 80 country music artists. The eight-part 16-hour series is directed and produced by Ken Burns; written and produced by Dayton Duncan; and produced by Julie Dunfey.
Country Music explores questions –– such as “What is country music?” and “Where did it come from?“–– while focusing on the biographies of the fascinating characters who created and shaped it — from the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers and Bob Wills to Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, Charley Pride, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Garth Brooks and many more — as well as the times in which they lived. Much like the music itself, the film tells unforgettable stories of hardships and joys shared by everyday people.
Enjoy!
I am very excited to see this series as well – I am also with you on “old country music”.