Ken Burns Country Music

[100TonsofOrangeFury]

Wow, this just rolled out on PBS--find it on their App if you have the ability to stream TV--and it is awesome. An amazing history lesson even if you don't care for country music.

It's a big investment though, at least 12 episodes each running almost 2 hours.

 

[Air_Thurman]

Wow, this just rolled out on PBS--find it on their App if you have the ability to stream TV--and it is awesome. An amazing history lesson even if you don't care for country music.

It's a big investment though, at least 12 episodes each running almost 2 hours.

I’ve watched the first three episodes. Awesome, awesome stuff.

 

[hollywood]

I'm not a big fan of Country Music, but this documentary certainly has my attention and appreciation.

 

[Ghost of Seasons Passed]

I'm not a big fan of Country Music, but this documentary certainly has my attention and appreciation.

And you call yourself a Cowboy...

 

[FMPoke]

Watched the first two. It was great. One thing I always liked about Burns you don't have to have a great interest or knowledge of his subjects to really appreciate his stuff.

 

[Been Jammin]

Wow, this just rolled out on PBS--find it on their App if you have the ability to stream TV--and it is awesome. An amazing history lesson even if you don't care for country music.

It's a big investment though, at least 12 episodes each running almost 2 hours.

I think it is 16 episodes long.

 

[100TonsofOrangeFury]

I think it is 16 episodes long.

I'll let you know my final impressions when I finish it in 2022.

 

[Air_Thurman]

Everything I’ve read about says it’s 8 episodes. He goes up through 1996.

 

[100TonsofOrangeFury]

Everything I’ve read about says it’s 8 episodes. He goes up through 1996.

It's at least 12 because I scrolled through them. Assuming that dog docs can count, it's 16.

 

[Been Jammin]

It's at least 12 because I scrolled through them. Assuming that dog docs can count, it's 16.

I don't know for sure. Was listening to the Hard Line on the Ticket, and they were discussing it. One of them said that it was 16, but they get plenty of things wrong, so take it for what its worth.

 

[Been Jammin]

OK, did a little research. According to this site....

https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/country-music/episode-guide

.... There are only 8 episodes. However, this lists all 8 in english and all 8 in spanish which accounts for confusion in thinking there are 16.

In addition, they show two bonus episodes...

PBS Previews: Country Music
Country Music: Live at the Ryman, Concert

 

[100TonsofOrangeFury]

Glad at least one of us can both Google and count.

 

[FMPoke]

So we are halfway through. That makes more sense. Also the two I've seen were three and four. I was confused how we could be up to 1964 and still have 14 episodes left.

 

[100TonsofOrangeFury]

So we are halfway through. That makes more sense. Also the two I've seen were three and four. I was confused how we could be up to 1964 and still have 14 episodes left.

You skipped 1 and 2? They do a great job of setting the stage for the rest. Gives a fascinating explanation of where this type of music came from.

Thought 3 was the best so far, Hank Williams was practically Bob Dylan-level brilliant.

 

[FMPoke]

You skipped 1 and 2? They do a great job of setting the stage for the rest. Gives a fascinating explanation of where this type of music came from.

Thought 3 was the best so far, Hank Williams was practically Bob Dylan-level brilliant.

I missed one and two. Didn't even know it was on. Happened to be scrolling by during three. I'll catch one and two when they rerun it. Plan on watching four and five this week.

 

[Air_Thurman]

To me the best part has been the commentary provided by the interviews (mainly Marty Stuart and Ketch Sector). You talk about two guys who know the history of this stuff inside and out.

 

[BluegrassPoke]

You skipped 1 and 2? They do a great job of setting the stage for the rest. Gives a fascinating explanation of where this type of music came from.

Thought 3 was the best so far, Hank Williams was practically Bob Dylan-level brilliant.

Totally agree. The focus is on Johnny Cash and Elvis. I selfishly wished Burns would have mentioned the Johnny Cash Festival I started when I was at ASU but a great episode. Rockabilly.

 

[BluegrassPoke]

Kris Kristofferson is one interesting dude. He went to Oxford and wrote a ton of country songs. He was dating Janis Joplin when she died.

He always comes to Jonesboro to play in the Johnny Cash Festival. He asked me where I went to college, I told him Oklahoma State. He told me, let me help you, never invite Garth Brooks because Johnny Cash hated him. He feels he ruined County music.

George Jones. What a hilarious dude. He was chasing skirts till the day he died.

 

[giddyup]

You got any of those possum panties?

Kris Kristofferson is one interesting dude. He went to Oxford and wrote a ton of country songs. He was dating Janis Joplin when she died.

He always comes to Jonesboro to play in the Johnny Cash Festival. He asked me where I went to college, I told him Oklahoma State. He told me, let me help you, never invite Garth Brooks because Johnny Cash hated him. He feels he ruined County music.

George Jones. What a hilarious dude. He was chasing skirts till the day he died.

 

[BluegrassPoke]

Roseanne Cash is one fake bitch!

 

[FMPoke]

Kris Kristofferson is one interesting dude. He went to Oxford and wrote a ton of country songs. He was dating Janis Joplin when she died.

He always comes to Jonesboro to play in the Johnny Cash Festival. He asked me where I went to college, I told him Oklahoma State. He told me, let me help you, never invite Garth Brooks because Johnny Cash hated him. He feels he ruined County music.

George Jones. What a hilarious dude. He was chasing skirts till the day he died.

I always knew Kris was a Rhodes scholar and a super smart dude. I never realized he left a military career teaching at West Point and become a janitor in order to pursue his music. That's one dude whose marching to his own drummer. Great songwriter writer also in my mind a great voice.

 

[100TonsofOrangeFury]

BGP, I'm going to respectfully request that you not continue to f*(k up my thread about a cool TV series with your incessant sad name-dropping.

 

[Cowguy]

Roseanne Cash is one fake bitch!

BGP, I'm going to respectfully request that you not continue to f*(k up my thread about a cool TV series with your incessant sad name-dropping.

Seconded.

 

[Air_Thurman]

Fifth episode is also fantastic. Dwight Yoakam talking about Merle might be my favorite part of the whole series so far.

Hard to really put into words how amazing this has been,

 

[lovethempokes]

Excellent series. Have been watching all of them with my husband. He has listened to country all his life. Grew up on a farm in southwest Colorado driving tractors listening in the cab. Never watched country music shows on TV though.

So we were watching the episode that had Charley Pride and he turns to me and says “Charley Pride was black”. About fell out of my chair in disbelief and laughing.

 

[SMemmett]

Been watching it all out of order since all the episodes were on the PBS app on my TV. Excellent stuff like all Ken Burns docs, even if they start getting a little formulaic. Lots of good music.

 

[FMPoke]

Fifth episode is also fantastic. Dwight Yoakam talking about Merle might be my favorite part of the whole series so far.

Hard to really put into words how amazing this has been,

When did it air? I somehow managed to miss it too. Is the whole thing out there on demand? Hopefully the whole thing we make it way to Netflix in few months.

 

[Been Jammin]

When did it air? I somehow managed to miss it too. Is the whole thing out there on demand? Hopefully the whole thing we make it way to Netflix in few months.

Check out my link above.

 

[mseabolt]

Download the PBS app and you can watch all the episodes

 

[Air_Thurman]

When did it air? I somehow managed to miss it too. Is the whole thing out there on demand? Hopefully the whole thing we make it way to Netflix in few months.

As others have said you can watch them all on the PBS app. I've been watching them on TV every night though. I think tonight is the last one. I would think they would re-air them all soon.

 

[BluegrassPoke]

Reba McIntire and Garth Brooks featured tonight.

 

[Chillwell]

I saw an interview with Ken Burns recently on a cable news show...can't remember which one exactly. I think it may have been Brian Williams. Anyway, Ken Burn made some reference to Merle Haggard and said something like Hollywood has to be preparing a biopic on him as we speak because his life story is amazing and beyond belief.

 

[Cowguy]

I saw an interview with Ken Burns recently on a cable news show...can't remember which one exactly. I think it may have been Brian Williams. Anyway, Ken Burn made some reference to Merle Haggard and said something like Hollywood has to be preparing a biopic on him as we speak because his life story is amazing and beyond belief.

I have an autobiography he did called “sing me back home”. I’m sure it’s highly sanitized, but still an amazing story.

 

[100TonsofOrangeFury]

Bumping this thread. The show actually gets better as it gets to the end IMO.

Do yourself a favor and finish it.

The most interesting thing about the show is who got featured and who got left out or minimized. Somehow country music sidebar Marty Stuart gets the most attention of almost anyone outside Cash or Williams, he's a knowledgeable guy but hardly some key figure of the genre. This observation seems to be the most recurring thought about the show in online commentary.

But that's nitpicking, the show is tremendous.

 

[Air_Thurman]

Bumping this thread. The show actually gets better as it gets to the end IMO.

Do yourself a favor and finish it.

The most interesting thing about the show is who got featured and who got left out or minimized. Somehow country music sidebar Marty Stuart gets the most attention of almost anyone outside Cash or Williams, he's a knowledgeable guy but hardly some key figure of the genre. This observation seems to be the most recurring thought about the show in online commentary.

But that's nitpicking, the show is tremendous.

His overall career probably doesn't warrant that much of a spotlight (especially over people like Conway Twitty and Keith Whitley). More than anything Marty Stuart has sort of become the unofficial historian of country music. He knows this stuff better than almost anyone and even has one the largest country music memorabilia collections in the world. A lot of the stuff he owns is displayed in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Country Music Hall of Fame.

I liked Marty Stuart being a big part of it because I liked having someone as through line who could talk about all the different aspects of the genre and tie it all together. The dude has had a pretty interesting career. He married Connie Smith, was big in the bluegrass scene with Lester Flatt and then played with Johnny Cash. He then was part of the early 90s pop boom (although a small part of it) before pivoting back to making critical acclaimed, "traditional" country albums.

 

[100TonsofOrangeFury]

His overall career probably doesn't warrant that much of a spotlight (especially over people like Conway Twitty and Keith Whitley). More than anything Marty Stuart has sort of become the unofficial historian of country music. He knows this stuff better than almost anyone and even has one the largest country music memorabilia collections in the world. A lot of the stuff he owns is displayed in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Country Music Hall of Fame.

I liked Marty Stuart being a big part of it because I liked having someone as through line who could talk about all the different aspects of the genre and tie it all together. The dude has had a pretty interesting career. He married Connie Smith, was big in the bluegrass scene with Lester Flatt and then played with Johnny Cash. He then was part of the early 90s pop boom (although a small part of it) before pivoting back to making critical acclaimed, "traditional" country albums.

No doubt, I'd never diss his qualifications as a historian and authority. Probably shouldn't equate air time on the doc with impact or importance to the genre but it's hard to separate the two.

It was interesting at the very end of the final episode whose photos flashed through -- post 1996 artists that presumably would've been part of an episode 9 if there were one. Sturgill, Paisley, Urban, Faith Hill plus half a dozen others I'm forgetting.

Other random thoughts:
-- the show was a tribute to all the greatest country stars.....that were good-looking enough to become stars. Especially the women. Makes you wonder how many average looking women out there actually could out-sing Wynette or Parton but would never see the light of day in the entertainment business.
-- the show covered the half of the topic that deals with the entertainers--who are all the business decision-makers that decided who got signed and stayed signed? and decided what sound they wanted on the radio, etc. Almost every part of the subject is heavily impacted by these decisions, but you never hear a peep about who makes those decisions and why.