Country Music Film by Ken Burns

[easysurfer]

Been checking out the Country Music film by Ken Burns. In the same style of his other works like "Baseball" giving a historic tour. Once starting each episode, I'm pretty much glued to the seat watching til the end.

Just saw episode 3 which was mostly about Hank Williams (senior). He was before my time. Watching about his death was tragic.

 

[Rianne]

We recorded all episodes. Nothing like Ken Burns detail. He doesn't miss a thing. There are so many quotable quotes, makes me smile. Colorful personalities, simple and amazing life stories come from country music.

 

[f35phixer]

Watching too.

 

[easysurfer]

Some of the history quite interesting. Before I've only seen appearances of Bill Monroe as an elderly man. Knew nothing about the big feud between him and Earl Scruggs who earlier was a member of his band.

 

[Jerry1]

Also watching. As was said, once I click onto it, I'm stuck. Surprising to me that even though I've never been a country fan and never listened to country music radio stations, I knew a lot of the Hank Williams songs. No, I couldn't sign them in their entirety, but I had heard them before and knew the tag lines like "I'm so lonesome I could cry", "Hey good lookin", and a few others. Speaks to what a celebrity he must have been.

 

[Rex]

We are glued to Ken Burn's Country......We've been fans of country all our lives and we've made the mandatory pilgrimage to the Opry a few times......But we learned many things w/Burns we did not know......The Carter Family heading to Mexico, the feud Bill Monroe had with Scruggs/Flat, the pain Hank was in and the power of those early "clear channel" radio stations.

But as a proud Southerner, the best part was being reminded about our diversity w/the combo of blacks and whites, non Southerners and Southerners working together to create the Country sound. Also, women were involved and front and center from the beginning.....Mother Maybel, Kitty Wells and Ms. Minnie ruled alongside Jimmy Rodgers, Mr. Acuff and Hank, etc.

We Southern Americans are quite a resilient and inclusive tribe....Looking forward to episode 4 tonight!

 

[SumDay]

Ken Burns never disappoints. The musical "teaser" from the Ryman Auditorium was fantastic. Rhiannon Giddons is a treasure. I've loved her since I first saw her in the Carolina Chocolate Drops when Prairie Home Companion came to town.

 

[michelek]

El Paso ... nuff said

 

[Nemo2]

El Paso ... nuff said

Loved Marty Robbins in the '60s.

 

[RAE]

I'm not a big country music fan, but I've always appreciated Hank Williams and his music. We watched the Ken Burns show on Hank last evening, and it was great............couldn't stop watching. As others have said, Ken Burns always does a great job with anything he does.

 

[travelover]

..........We Southern Americans are quite a resilient and inclusive tribe............

Yea, well some of you are. I'll leave it at that.

 

[Birdie Num Nums]

Last night's episode inspired me to learn some more great Hank Williams's songs on guitar.

I wish I had had the Internet and YouTube to help me learn songs (chords and lyrics), and how to play the guitar better, when I was a kid way back when. But, while still above ground, I guess it's never too late.

Also, last night's episode mentioned Nudie--the legendary creator of those suits that, I learned from the episode, Little Jimmie Dickens was the first to wear and popularize.

 

[nvestysly]

We were out of town when the Country Music series initially aired but we were able to catch up on all eight episodes (in sequence) by streaming from our local PBS station and re-runs captured by our DVR.

We just finished episode eight last night! What an amazing series. We've always liked country music but classic rock and blues are our go-to genres. Watching this series, and looking through our collection of music, made me realize we have as much country in our collection as anything. So much of what many might think of as alternative music, roots music and folk music is really country at its core.

Hats off to the producers of Country Music for digging deep in some areas like the origins of what became country back in the early 1900's. Many of those people are not widely known yet formed what is now a music force like no other. I'm also appreciative that the series recognized Gram Parsons, the Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers, and others in their folk-rock/cosmic American influence. Tying all of this together with historical references to what was happing in the U.S. and the world at the time is an incredible task. I realize that just one person doesn't make something like this happen but Ken Burns is the front man. Long live Ken Burns!

We also purchased the 5 CD set (soundtrack if you will) from the Ken Burns series. Our local music store had it in stock. I realize many people don't buy CDs in this day and age but we're still driving around in vehicles that don't have USB interfaces or Bluetooth.

 

[mickeyd]

I am also enjoying the series. I love history and love C/W music. Nuff said.

 

[Bamaman]

As a native Nashvillian, it seems as if the local music world was pretty satisfied with Ken Burns' documentary. It was nice to see so many of the stars I was around when I was a kid in the early 60's.

I did see on Facebook where the director of a number of Nashville's syndicated television shows (in black and white) commented that a few stars could have been covered in more detail--like Jim Reeves. On the other hand, we forget how incredible talent of some of the singers--like Hank Sr.

The country stars of the 60's were some hard living, hard drinking people. After 100,000 miles a year doing one nighters, it's a wonder more didn't die in automobile accidents.

 

[stepford]

One part I found really interesting was the way in which we've defined music categories. Were it not for regional politics and mutual distrust folk and country might have been the same genre.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

I haven't started watching this, but I am anxious to see it. I have been fortunate to see a lot of very good concerts in my life, but going to the Grand 'Ole Opry was one of my top 10 life experiences. I miss "country" music...the snap and clap tracks make me nauseated. At least it still lives on, but as an "Americana" genre.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

I haven't had a chance to see this series yet, but I did read an article recently in the Wisconsin Magazine of History about the songwriting team of Felice (nee Scaduto) and Boudleaux Bryant. The couple wrote "Rocky Top" and much of the Everly Brothers' songbook. A photo on an inside page shows their sons with Ken Burns, so they may have made it into the documentary.

The article is readable online but requires a little work as you have to click on separate pages of the magazine. Here's a link: Wisconsin magazine of history: Volume 102, number 4, summer 2019 :: Wisconsin Magazine of History Archives

 

[Gumby]

Sadly, we only discovered it at Episode 5, although we watched from there to the end. We don't listen to country music now, but it was ubiquitous in my house when I was young, so virtually every bit was familiar. I was particularly interested in the episode about all the cross-pollenization among country, folk and rock in the 60s and 70s, as performers and songs moved back and forth across the boundaries. For instance, I never knew that Kris Kistofferson wrote the Janis Jopllin hit "Me and Bobby McGee". If I can find the first 4 episodes, we'll watch them too.

 

[RonBoyd]

We were "on the road" for the past month and was unable to watch the shows "live." I did, however, record each one while we were gone. We began to watch the series last night starting with the "Big Family" episode.

Music, for whatever reason, is very important to me and "country" music is one of my preferences (along with Jazz, Blues and anything from the Caribbean). I spend a lot (way too much) of my time searching for new sources.

With that in mind, I can make some recommendations:

First, the best source of country/Bluegrass listening would be the "Hazel & the Delta Ramblers" program found Sunday mornings from 10:00 to Noon CT on WWOZ-FM (https://www.wwoz.org/programs/old-time-country-and-bluegrass-with-hazel-delta-rambler). She's forgotten more about country music than most experts ever knew. She also has a Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/HazelAndTheDeltaRamblers/.

FWIW, this program is proceeded by 1½ hours of Gospel music (very related to Bluegrass) and followed by 2 hours of Cajun music and then 2 hours of Blues (again Bluegrass related).

Anyway, I have listened to Hazel for several years and have each of her programs scheduled to be recorded (https://applian.com/replay-radio/).

Next would be to watch the PBS show "Bluegrass Underground." https://www.pbs.org/show/bluegrass-underground/. I, also, have been recording episodes of this show for a long, long time. This show features everything from big name stars to those just becoming known.

Finally, one should visit the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in Owensville, Kentucky. https://www.bluegrasshall.org/visit/visitors-guide/ We visited when they had been open for a only week and they were "not quite ready for Primetime" but the displays and memorabilia were impressive. I have been told it is much better now -- matching the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville (which is another must see).

 

[big-papa]

Not a country music fan at all, but my Dad listened to it daily so it was impossible to ignore. Really enjoyed the entire series! Ken did seem to concentrate quite a bit on a couple of particular artists, and I'm sure that a lot of fans were put out because their favorite didn't receive as much air time, but one can only do so much.

 

[easysurfer]

Yes, there were some noticeable artists that were either not mentioned or just barely mentioned. For example, I don't think there was even a mention of Don Williams. He wasn't a flashy performer seeking the spotlight but had a lot of number one hits, nicknamed The Gentle Giant. Barely a mention of John Denver nor Kenny and Dolly together (though there was a portion dedicated to Dolly).

That being said, I loved the documentary and learned a lot. As for the artists not or barely mentioned, I compare that to the all star game in baseball. There are going to be people left out .

 

[Breedlove]

Country or what we know of Nashville has had it's weird days . When I lived in Ohio a Hillbilly moved from Kentucky , went to Ohio State and was playing clubs all over east Columbus . He billed himself as hillbilly music or Country Punk . Nashville would not touch him or even talk with him . He went to Bakersfield California and hung out with Buck Owens , who also was having a rough time to make the Grand Ole Opera . When Buck played the Grand Ole Opera for the first time he brought the young Hillbilly with him . That was Dwight Yokum

 

[zinger1457]

When Buck played the Grand Ole Opera for the first time he brought the young Hillbilly with him . That was Dwight Yokum

Not a bad actor either, I thought he was great in Sling Blade.

 

[Breedlove]

Yes Dwight went to Ohio State for I believe drama . Nashville promotors would not promote him because he would sell himself as a Hillbilly . Dwight would say I am a hillbilly all the family is from Kentucky , why can't we embrace what we are . This right before the Hee Haw era , how political incorrect was that .