Ken Burns' Country Music (1 Viewer)

[Judge Smails]

Just caught episode 8.  I find it fascinating that one guy, ( Garth Brooks ) could have such a profound affect on country music as a whole. It seems he was Tiger Woods like in how he elevated the popularity of country music.

There is no doubt. Totally changed the game of being an entertainer in country music. Loved how he took off a decade or so in his prime to raise his kids and then comes back bigger than ever selling out the Wynn at $500 a pop. 

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Just caught episode 8.  I find it fascinating that one guy, ( Garth Brooks ) could have such a profound affect on country music as a whole. It seems he was Tiger Woods like in how he elevated the popularity of country music.

I remember McDonald's selling his greatest hits cd for five bucks.

 

[wikkidpissah]

Ep 8's awful reminder of country's egregious 90s explosion almost made me prefer Jazz's whimpering decline. Above their raisin' AND beyond all reason did that refried pop with a twang & a hat go, til a comic once joked that if Ford ever had a truck recall they could set up garages outside Garth Brooks concerts. The funny thing is that they all seemed as talented and "human" as their predecessors and might have made some nice music if there hadn't been such immense money in blenderizing it. There's nothing that captures my feeling about it like how much i like Vince Gill and hated his music and how much i hated Garth Brooks but grudgingly gave due to his songwriting skill. But "country"'s new gen of pre-faded rock poseurs makes me almost yearn for them and i'm glad the series gave the corporate era short shrift.

Have to admit i've reverted to my Albuquerque accent quite a bit in the last coupla weeks. Another wonderful effort by the Burns folk. How unfortunate are humble beginnings, but what restless beauty they squeeze from us...

 

[rockaction]

I haven't seen it, but the commodification and general blandness of the "new" country sound that I associate with Brooks and Gill doesn't elicit much in the way of generosity from me.

 

[wikkidpissah]

I haven't seen it, but the commodification and general blandness of the "new" country sound that I associate with Brooks and Gill doesn't elicit much in the way of generosity from me.

Well, the funny thing is that the stories behind Vince Gill's & Kathy Mattea's (two artists i must put in the "Campbell's Cream of Country" category) big hits in this ep were as germaine to the "elevation of simple folk" theme of the entire series as any other part and actually punched a li'l saltwater outta me. That's the element of country which made me watch it at all and now i cain't git enuff y'all

 

[ffldrew]

Caught up with episode 7 and 8 last night.

Just want to say from this former Colorado old hippie cowboy who saw a bunch of the outlaws in my day - I wish they could have found room for Doug Sahm. He co-founded the Tornadoes - they talked about Flaco and Freddy but not Doug?. With the way Burns seemed to dote on the intersection with Dylan it seemed a natural. Plus with Roky and with Dr. John and the whole Armadillo gang. His shows on Austin City Limits are legend. He was the hippie of the bunch. And no one needs an excuse to play "She's about a Mover" - do they? And this one - crap I miss Doug Sahm - https://youtu.be/eiI0FTBLKek

An unsung American legend

 

[Leroy Hoard]

For those who forgot to watch, just send in 75 bucks.

https://shop.pbs.org/country-music-a-film-by-ken-burns-dvd/product/KBCM600?mrkgcl=889&mrkgadid=3305334976&aachannel=paid_search&creative=79783380875824&device=t&matchtype=e

 

[wikkidpissah]

Caught up with episode 7 and 8 last night.

Just want to say from this former Colorado old hippie cowboy who saw a bunch of the outlaws in my day - I wish they could have found room for Doug Sahm. He co-founded the Tornadoes - they talked about Flaco and Freddy but not Doug?. With the way Burns seemed to dote on the intersection with Dylan it seemed a natural. Plus with Roky and with Dr. John and the whole Armadillo gang. His shows on Austin City Limits are legend. He was the hippie of the bunch. And no one needs an excuse to play "She's about a Mover" - do they? And this one - crap I miss Doug Sahm - https://youtu.be/eiI0FTBLKek

An unsung American legend

yeah, my peeps were all up in a similar sentiment about omissions like Lynn Anderson, Barbara Mandrell and all their Branson heroes. where's the Boxcar Willie segment?!?! i can guess the urban cowboys are upset about Mickey Gilley's short mention and others whoever else. for my money, the greatest country record since Hank Williams, Lovett's Pontiac, getting no mention when they did 15 minutes on Mattea's Alzheimer elegy is a thing, but whachagonnado? it's about storytelling, not coverage

 

[Eephus]

It's still streaming on pbs.org until the week of Oct 6 when episodes will begin going behind the paywall one at a time

 

[AAABatteries]

With his Jazz series, i was a little put off that the 1960s got short shrift and the years beyond that got almost nothing, but i understand that figuring out how jazz died was above Mr Burns' pay grade. With this show, i'm glad the timeline is purported to end @ 1996, cuz we all know where country music went from there - a murky corporate quagmire of processed meats and motives. 

I haven’t watched any of this yet and while I agree with your last sentence almost completely there is a perception that Top Country, the CMAs and what I call bubblegum Country represents all of it.  I don’t listen to country much at all any more for that reason but if you go looking there’s some decent stuff being made - just have to ignore the spoon fed garbage they peddle. 

 

[Judge Smails]

I gotta say the 15 minutes I watched last night that showed Rick Rubin producing 4-5 albums leading to soaring record sales, acclaim and Grammy's for Johnny Cash at the end of his career was awesome.  Rubin - man does he have some varied tastes.  Touches all genres of music and has a Midas touch.  Deserves all-timer consideration.

 

[rockaction]

Deserves all-timer consideration.

Rick Rubin absolutely receives that consideration and adulation. There's no doubt about his clout. 

 

[Eephus]

I gotta say the 15 minutes I watched last night that showed Rick Rubin producing 4-5 albums leading to soaring record sales, acclaim and Grammy's for Johnny Cash at the end of his career was awesome.  Rubin - man does he have some varied tastes.  Touches all genres of music and has a Midas touch.  Deserves all-timer consideration.

The film did a great job recognizing the contributions of people other than the star performers.  In addition to Rubin, producers Owen Bradley, Billy Sherrill and Jack Clement and a host of session musicians got their turn in the spotlight.

 

[ffldrew]

yeah, my peeps were all up in a similar sentiment about omissions like Lynn Anderson, Barbara Mandrell and all their Branson heroes. where's the Boxcar Willie segment?!?! i can guess the urban cowboys are upset about Mickey Gilley's short mention and others whoever else. for my money, the greatest country record since Hank Williams, Lovett's Pontiac, getting no mention when they did 15 minutes on Mattea's Alzheimer elegy is a thing, but whachagonnado? it's about storytelling, not coverage

They did a screenshot of Lyle - not sure I ever felt he was "country" - more of a "Troubadour" in my book ala Steve Goodman/Buffet/Guthrie/Dylan and those types - the great storytellers that do it in all sorts of genres. But I do love Pontiac - and it should count as country in the vein that Burns was going. He really spent a lot more time on the Byrds,  Gram, EmmyLou, etc than I expected.

On Doug Sahm - I was thinking Burns would link the fact that Doug played on the bill as a kid at Hanks last show in Austin - and weave that into the Tornados and the Armadillo gang.

That Mattea deal was to point out the Bluebird Cafe deal - which is another thing I personally struggle with as a vehicle for "new" Country.

I lived not far from Branson and despised that place - totally destroyed a lovely area of the country. Other places around Southern Missouri are way underrated for beauty - but Branson no thanks. I remember being a kid and going to the Ozark Opry down there and they had one at Lake of the Ozarks.  Silver Dollar City - all that and then they started putting in strip mall of crap souvenir shops one after another with theaters like the Johnny Cash one mentioned last night.

One of my favorite Country Albums from recent years is John Doe and the Sadies - Country Club. All killer no filler. Punk LA and Punk Canadian Country doing it straight up.  

In the end it was an A- though in my book. 1000% better than Jazz - I love New Orleans and Marsalis family - but Wynton was nearly punchable after that mess and when he showed up here I was steaming again. I love Rhiannon Giddens but was struggling to understand her connection to "country" and Nashville and why she was commenting every so often.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

The film did a great job recognizing the contributions of people other than the star performers.  In addition to Rubin, producers Owen Bradley, Billy Sherrill and Jack Clement and a host of session musicians got their turn in the spotlight.

Also made some nice out of genre references to country producers going for something similar to Phil Spector's wall of sound.

 

[wikkidpissah]

They did a screenshot of Lyle - not sure I ever felt he was "country" - more of a "Troubadour" in my book ala Steve Goodman/Buffet/Guthrie/Dylan and those types - the great storytellers that do it in all sorts of genres. But I do love Pontiac - and it should count as country in the vein that Burns was going. He really spent a lot more time on the Byrds,  Gram, EmmyLou, etc than I expected.

On Doug Sahm - I was thinking Burns would link the fact that Doug played on the bill as a kid at Hanks last show in Austin - and weave that into the Tornados and the Armadillo gang.

That Mattea deal was to point out the Bluebird Cafe deal - which is another thing I personally struggle with as a vehicle for "new" Country.

I lived not far from Branson and despised that place - totally destroyed a lovely area of the country. Other places around Southern Missouri are way underrated for beauty - but Branson no thanks. I remember being a kid and going to the Ozark Opry down there and they had one at Lake of the Ozarks.  Silver Dollar City - all that and then they started putting in strip mall of crap souvenir shops one after another with theaters like the Johnny Cash one mentioned last night.

One of my favorite Country Albums from recent years is John Doe and the Sadies - Country Club. All killer no filler. Punk LA and Punk Canadian Country doing it straight up.  

In the end it was an A- though in my book. 1000% better than Jazz - I love New Orleans and Marsalis family - but Wynton was nearly punchable after that mess and when he showed up here I was steaming again. I love Rhiannon Giddens but was struggling to understand her connection to "country" and Nashville and why she was commenting every so often.

Miss Giddens is in My Five and her knowledge of roots music (besides kicking off the " Ken Burns' Country Music" concert the week before the series began with a kickass rendition of the ol-timey "Ruby") is dissertation-worthy so i understand her being a part, but Marsalis was superfluous. Burns has always been conscientious providing plenty of "i"'s and "t"'s to dot in race's part of American history. 

Every year of the Naughties, my peeps (now 94 & 95) drove from Vt to Branson for a week, then an even more unexplicable 2 xtra days each way to Albq to visit me. Ma's been an invalid for a quarter-century and Slim Whitman, Buck Trent, Yakov Smirnoff (who has his horse trained to take a dump on cue during the Russky's All-American Exit) and, even weirder, the children of virtually every member of the Rat Pack and other sadsack crooners who perform there love to fuss over her so. It's a beautiful part of the country, but the humidity & radio bible shows scared me off even more than the Catheter Causeway of showbiz they got there.

 

[Judge Smails]

concert

Miss Giddens is in My Five and her knowledge of roots music (besides kicking off the " Ken Burns' Country Music" concert the week before the series began with a kickass rendition of the ol-timey "Ruby") is dissertation-worthy so i understand her being a part, but Marsalis was superfluous. Burns has always been conscientious providing plenty of "i"'s and "t"'s to dot in race's part of American history. 

Every year of the Naughties, my peeps (now 94 & 95) drove from Vt to Branson for a week, then an even more unexplicable 2 xtra days each way to Albq to visit me. Ma's been an invalid for a quarter-century and Slim Whitman, Buck Trent, Yakov Smirnoff (who has his horse trained to take a dump on cue during the Russky's All-American Exit) and, even weirder, the children of virtually every member of the Rat Pack and other sadsack crooners who perform there love to fuss over her so. It's a beautiful part of the country, but the humidity & radio bible shows scared me off even more than the Catheter Causeway of showbiz they got there.

man you can paint a word picture!

 

[ffldrew]

concert

Miss Giddens is in My Five and her knowledge of roots music (besides kicking off the " Ken Burns' Country Music" concert the week before the series began with a kickass rendition of the ol-timey "Ruby") is dissertation-worthy so i understand her being a part, but Marsalis was superfluous. Burns has always been conscientious providing plenty of "i"'s and "t"'s to dot in race's part of American history. 

Every year of the Naughties, my peeps (now 94 & 95) drove from Vt to Branson for a week, then an even more unexplicable 2 xtra days each way to Albq to visit me. Ma's been an invalid for a quarter-century and Slim Whitman, Buck Trent, Yakov Smirnoff (who has his horse trained to take a dump on cue during the Russky's All-American Exit) and, even weirder, the children of virtually every member of the Rat Pack and other sadsack crooners who perform there love to fuss over her so. It's a beautiful part of the country, but the humidity & radio bible shows scared me off even more than the Catheter Causeway of showbiz they got there.

One of my favorite Jazzfest moments - on the small Laigniappe stage behind the fairgrounds if you are familiar. Leyla McCalla playing some beautiful Haitian music and up strolls Rhiannon to the stage and it was heaven. She's torn up Jazzfest stage several times(solo or with the Drops) but it is usually in the crappy Blues Tent(hate that place if you are listening Quint) - but this is the coolest little stage. Word got out and all of a sudden everyone is coming in. Just a magical afternoon. Hadn't seen that concert so thanks for that.

Bought tickets this week to see Tedeschi Trucks at the Ryman in Feb. War and Treaty is opening on 1 night - if you like Rhiannon - not sure if you have caught War and Treaty but a very good show - https://youtu.be/OB90sKJYtNM.  Can't wait especially after seeing all the old Ryman shows on the documentary

 

[Eephus]

In the end it was an A- though in my book. 1000% better than Jazz - I love New Orleans and Marsalis family - but Wynton was nearly punchable after that mess and when he showed up here I was steaming again.

I know a lot of people don't like Marsalis but I'm pretty sure his interviews were taped for Jazz and Burns decided to reuse them.

I agree that Country Music was much better than Burns' Jazz.  The latter's unwieldy subject matter made it difficult to find a narrative structure that worked.  But I think the biggest thing in the favor of Country Music was the quality of the interview subjects.  I'd much rather listen to Merle, Roseanne, Marty Stuart and Ray Benson than the insufferable windbag Stanley Crouch.

 

[jdoggydogg]

As usual, this is just about as good as television gets. Don't all that much care for country music, my antipathy for all things southern is fairly known and it all jusplain don't matter. The struggle of simple people to make sum'n sweet in their lives and what those who have success with it do when their dreams come true is the very heart of storytelling. For those watching on TV, first ep was the roots, of course, and Jimmie Rodgers & the Carter Family; last nite was Roy Acuff, Bob Wills, Bill Monroe & Gene Autry etc; tonite is Hank Williams. I hear all eps are streaming as well. wikkid say y'all check it, now, y'hear?

The adult Dogg always hated country music. But when I was a child, my mom raised me on Hank Williams, Sr., Johnny Cash, and Willie Nelson - and I loved all that music. It wasn't until Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? until I realized that I hated commercial country music - and that bluegrass was great. We even saw the tour for that movie, and it was amazing.

So that's a log way of saying I really want to watch this show.

 

[Softballguy]

As usual, this is just about as good as television gets. Don't all that much care for country music, my antipathy for all things southern is fairly known and it all jusplain don't matter. The struggle of simple people to make sum'n sweet in their lives and what those who have success with it do when their dreams come true is the very heart of storytelling. For those watching on TV, first ep was the roots, of course, and Jimmie Rodgers & the Carter Family; last nite was Roy Acuff, Bob Wills, Bill Monroe & Gene Autry etc; tonite is Hank Williams. I hear all eps are streaming as well. wikkid say y'all check it, now, y'hear?

The adult Dogg always hated country music. But when I was a child, my mom raised me on Hank Williams, Sr., Johnny Cash, and Willie Nelson - and I loved all that music. It wasn't until Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? until I realized that I hated commercial country music - and that bluegrass was great. We even saw the tour for that movie, and it was amazing.

So that's a log way of saying I really want to watch this show.

This is so true. Today's country music, outside a few performers like Sturgill Simpson, should go down in history as the absolute worst music ever produced. Can't wait to watch the documentary and learn more about a time when country music wasn't complete garbage.

 

[Charlie Steiner]

As usual, this is just about as good as television gets. Don't all that much care for country music, my antipathy for all things southern is fairly known and it all jusplain don't matter. The struggle of simple people to make sum'n sweet in their lives and what those who have success with it do when their dreams come true is the very heart of storytelling. For those watching on TV, first ep was the roots, of course, and Jimmie Rodgers & the Carter Family; last nite was Roy Acuff, Bob Wills, Bill Monroe & Gene Autry etc; tonite is Hank Williams. I hear all eps are streaming as well. wikkid say y'all check it, now, y'hear?

The adult Dogg always hated country music. But when I was a child, my mom raised me on Hank Williams, Sr., Johnny Cash, and Willie Nelson - and I loved all that music. It wasn't until Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? until I realized that I hated commercial country music - and that bluegrass was great. We even saw the tour for that movie, and it was amazing.

So that's a log way of saying I really want to watch this show.

I was fortunate to be introduced to bluegrass in the early 70's, when my father transitioned to it from country. I was familiar with about half the songs from O Brother, yet the way the songs were curated for the film helped me rediscover bluegrass and feel less ashamed about being the only one of my friends that liked it.

 

[jdoggydogg]

As usual, this is just about as good as television gets. Don't all that much care for country music, my antipathy for all things southern is fairly known and it all jusplain don't matter. The struggle of simple people to make sum'n sweet in their lives and what those who have success with it do when their dreams come true is the very heart of storytelling. For those watching on TV, first ep was the roots, of course, and Jimmie Rodgers & the Carter Family; last nite was Roy Acuff, Bob Wills, Bill Monroe & Gene Autry etc; tonite is Hank Williams. I hear all eps are streaming as well. wikkid say y'all check it, now, y'hear?

The adult Dogg always hated country music. But when I was a child, my mom raised me on Hank Williams, Sr., Johnny Cash, and Willie Nelson - and I loved all that music. It wasn't until Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? until I realized that I hated commercial country music - and that bluegrass was great. We even saw the tour for that movie, and it was amazing.

So that's a log way of saying I really want to watch this show.

This is so true. Today's country music, outside a few performers like Sturgill Simpson, should go down in history as the absolute worst music ever produced. Can't wait to watch the documentary and learn more about a time when country music wasn't complete garbage.

Actually, there's a pretty decent group of artists making music today that are very good. I recommend Shakey Graves, First Aid Kit, Gillian Welch, and Alison Krauss.

 

[jdoggydogg]

As usual, this is just about as good as television gets. Don't all that much care for country music, my antipathy for all things southern is fairly known and it all jusplain don't matter. The struggle of simple people to make sum'n sweet in their lives and what those who have success with it do when their dreams come true is the very heart of storytelling. For those watching on TV, first ep was the roots, of course, and Jimmie Rodgers & the Carter Family; last nite was Roy Acuff, Bob Wills, Bill Monroe & Gene Autry etc; tonite is Hank Williams. I hear all eps are streaming as well. wikkid say y'all check it, now, y'hear?

The adult Dogg always hated country music. But when I was a child, my mom raised me on Hank Williams, Sr., Johnny Cash, and Willie Nelson - and I loved all that music. It wasn't until Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? until I realized that I hated commercial country music - and that bluegrass was great. We even saw the tour for that movie, and it was amazing.

So that's a log way of saying I really want to watch this show.

I was fortunate to be introduced to bluegrass in the early 70's, when my father transitioned to it from country. I was familiar with about half the songs from O Brother, yet the way the songs were curated for the film helped me rediscover bluegrass and feel less ashamed about being the only one of my friends that liked it.

Don't ever feel shame about pleasure unless it's illegal or immoral.