Anybody watching?? Have you noticed EVERY PBS special has to make a point of overemphasizing race, anymore?? For chrissakes......

I wanted to watch it. I didn't realize it started tonight

Aren't we calling ken burns a commie this month?

I'm watching it now. Lots of information I was unaware of.

Yup, consider the source.

I am.

as am i. very interesting

The wright museum in Kitty hawk reopened after being renovated. Half the displays are tributes yo minority and women aviators. Nothing to do with the wright brothers.
Everything has to include the importance of the the African American contribution these days.

Good so far

One of the few times I wish I had PBS. 😢

I downloaded the PBS app so I can binge watch it

Is there a Hank Williams Jr. segment?

Nancy Sinatra should cry foul...

Was sitting here with popcorn and a Rum & Coke. Thoroughly enjoyable. Learned a lot about Jimmie Rogers.

Do you have to pay for it ???

Let me guess. It all started with blues and black people and their amazing talent. Lol

Even though only about 5 black people in the whole country like country music lol

You forgot about Charlie Pride. That makes 6. 🤠

I get sick of all the black BS.

no, you just have to activate it - at least on an Android device

Enjoyed the first part, will likely enjoy the rest of it too. As long as they don't eventually postulate that some A-rab was responsible for [bleep] kickin' music? Including the contributions of negroes in the early foundations of the music, didn't bother me none. That's something few were ever aware of, given the social climate of the times.

The segments of how the Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers were discovered during recording sessions in Bristol, TN, were very interesting.

Remember my dad telling me about listening to radio broadcasts of the Opry on a battery powered radio, back in the early 1930s. Uncle Dave Macon and the rest. One of his older brothers bought the radio and they all gathered on Sat. nights to listen. House they lived in up in Potter Co. PA, had no electricity at the time. Much of that rural area had no electricity, until REA came into being during FDR's administration.

I’ve got no issue with them mentioning it here or there, but if they have a documentary about jazz, they don’t spend time talking about the sax and the trumpet being “European instruments”. They keep showing some mixed race gal, who I’ve never heard, babbling on about nothing, when they could be showing some real historians. If she actually had some real FACTS, it might be a worthwhile inclusion, but it just seems more like a “Hey, here’s a black person who listens to country music!”, thing...

I'm the same way with the blacks inclusion in everything. By watching commercials you'd think they constitute over 50% of the population.

They can't even make a Robin Hood or Medieval movie without including them in it.

The revisionist version of history is out of control also.

Caught most of it last night. It was pretty good. I've always been interested in the roots of that stuff and how it developed over the years and before radio and records gave it mass exposure. Lots of it I never had knowledge of; like the Jimmie Rodgers stuff. In the late 19th and early 20th century a lot of the old oral tradition stuff was dying out and got saved by folks who put it all down on paper for posterity. Lots of it did have roots in the black community, but not all of it. A lot of it's based on very old Irish / Scots / English songs that migrated here and got blended in with other stuff. The history of all this is fascinating even if you like history but aren't into the music.

I watched some of it. They started off talking about how the banjo came from Africa, and that African Americans had a profound influence on country music. BUT.... African Americans are usually not given credit for their contributions.

So, right off the bat country music fans are a bunch of racists.

Then a few minutes later, they talked about how in the twenties this music was called hillbilly music. And that was an offensive term.
And on came Dolly Parton to explain that if you are an outsider and you call country music "Hillbilly" you are a racist.

And then I changed the channel. Good God on PBS every group is an offended minority.

To my memory 'back in the day' the country music genre as a whole wasn't called just "Country Music" but "Country and Western".

I watched and enjoyed the show. As to any bias, I didnt see any of that in this particular segment. It mainly focused on "hillbilly's" contribution to country music.

It has been my experience that the average American, both left and right, gets their entire concepts of any form of history from either the television, video games, or comic books. And you might as well pull teeth from a chicken to try to convince them otherwise.

Anything Ken Burns does instantly goes on my "don't watch" list. My aunt was the only pianist with a regular spot on the Opry for over 30 years- - - -I could probably give you a more accurate history of country music based on my time spent backstage at the Ryman Auditorium in the mid-1950's than most of the so-called "historians" could. I'll bet none of them know that the 5-gallon glass jug "water cooler" backstage actually contained moonshine whiskey!
Jerry

Ok, first off, I am not a PBS fan, although I did like Ken Burn's documentaries on the War Between the States and Baseball, so I watched last night, as I am a fan of the early country music.

So, not only "was we kings," but "we was also the inventors of country music."

In the year of Lord 2019, you must include the Negro in everything, except anything related to crime, or else you are a racist. In all fairness the Negroes have always been singers and musicians..........anything where there was no actual work involved, so you have to give credit where it is due. But, Burns most definitely overplays it, and anybody with half a brain knows it.

Did you really watch and listen? The city of Nashville had a problem with "hillbilly" music and wanted to change the impression the term gave. There were plenty of white people that didn't like the term way back then. Jeez, this place is full of conspiracy theorists.

I watched it and enjoyed it thoroughly. I didn't know a lot about the Carter family or Jimmy Rogers.

I'll bet they didn't mention Anita Carter running drunk and naked through a hotel lobby, being chased by one of the members of her band, who was also in his birthday suit, and sloshed to the max!
Jerry

Was Little Jimmy Dickens and Shotgun Red on there?

I think they only covered up to 1933, so Little Jimmy should make the next one.

Yep,

even into the late 70's it was still called that



Geno

There's Bluegrass, like Flatt & Scruggs, etc. which has its roots in Appalacain Scot-Irish folk music. Then there's Jimmie Rodgers' depression-era train-riding hobo blues, and "Western Swing" from people like Bob Wills, and others from Texas and Oklahoma. Since the late 1960's and early 70's, nothing resembling real country music has been produced by anybody- - - -it's all high-tech special effects and cookie-cutter "artsts" who couldn't do a one-night stand with an acoustic guitar, a bass fiddle, a banjo, and a drummer in a backwoods Tennessee beer joint or dance hall if their lives depended on it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRQfLzwnBko

Jerry

did you watch it?

I have not watched any. PBS loves reruns so I'll likely see it at some point.


News, or entrainment, can not always be spot on. Burns has an agenda, Like I was told about this site, it's like eating wings, be ready to spit out the bones.

Tonight's episode is better than last night's.

Enjoyed it and I am not a country music fan.

Watched most of it again last night, recorded the rest for later. It's getting better, but I think they're leaving a lot of early artists and their music out, while concentrating on the better known ones.. Also, they're still pushing the Negroes, and implying as to how they had all this influence on country music, because it's always been the liberals desire to prop the Negroes up.

They had a long segment on Gene Autry, and being an Autry fan, I enjoyed that part. I had forgotten about his role in WW2 and the dangerous job he had. I cannot imagine a single one of todays celebrities or singers putting their career on hold, and joining the military to fight for the country.

I watched some of it last night but I turned it when they gave the credit to negroes for inventing it. Whites just ripped it off...

Typical pbs bullshit.

Wow. That was your takeaway?

Yep.

Still can't understand the appeal of Minnie Pearl, either. 😂

I watched some of it. Better than I thought it might be, just wait, it's bound to come.

Me neither.

Least now we know where neegroes copied that "leavin dat price tag on muh nba hat"

Okay......let's be honest about things, because with this being the year 2019, and political correctness being the norm, and the White man, and in particular the Southern Conservative White man, being the root of all the countries problems, we all know how that good liberal news outlet, PBS, is going to spin things.

So, with that out of the way, there is no doubt in my mind that Black folks, being the singers and musicians that many of them are, have had an influence on America's music. However, with Blacks being the percentage of the population that they are, that influence has not been as great as we have been led to believe. I have always liked country music, and I like the pre 1980's music better than the new stuff, and I like the history of the early days. It is my thinking that if Blacks had so much influence, then there would have been some Black country music performers before Charley Pride came along. But, there weren't, because they didn't go for country music, they were into the blues and jazz.

The list of great Black singers and musicians in blues and jazz, and later on rock and roll, is numerous, yet not so in country music......the music that Ken Burns and PBS would have us believe they helped invent. The damned liberals just cannot tell the truth, even though the truth is obvious here.

If its that distasteful to you, maybe there would be something else to watch?

I can already pat juba and dance just like this, but I’ve ALWAYS wanted to be able to play this type of banjo just like uncle John!!! Suppose I’m too old a dawg to learn now. I wouldn’t know where to start.

I see it was written by David Dunkin, an Iowa boy. Dunkin wrote a book, "Miles from nowhere". about the American west. A bit dry reading, but good.

I would love to learn to play the banjo.

After Ken Burns tried to teach me that the real Vietnam War heroes were acid-dropping, lice infested, anti-American protesters, I rather lost interest in him.

whens u chillens get done stompin that chiggin shît flat, mama needs u to mash dem grapes in nem barrowels

YES.

I gets dem right awn it!

How many of you have had a one-on-one conversation with Sarah Cannon when she was not in character as Minnie Pearl, like I have? A finer, more compassionate southern lady does not exist, then or now. The Vanderbilt Hospital cancer center bears her name, proudly.
Jerry

I was going to mention the hospital, but I got sidetracked on the negroe price tag analogy.

Thanks for adding that back in.

Btw, it's over at the Centennial Tri-Star hospital, not Vanderbilt.

Thanks for the correction. It's amusing, looking at the opinions of all these people who have no idea about the inner workings of the music business in Nashville. I could print out this thread and grind it up, and have some very good fertilizer for my garden!
Jerry

Here's my point.......if you're going to go to the trouble and expense of telling the history of something, then just be honest about it. Instead, they have to be politically correct and make sure that the White man is portrayed as being unable to invent a form of music without the help of a damned Negro. I will guaradamntee you that if Ken Burns and PBS did a special on the history of the blues or jazz, there wouldn't be a White face shown.

That's why I'm criticizing it. I believe in giving credit where credit is due, and not injecting race into it. If Ken Burns and PBS ever get around to making a special about NASCAR, you can bet that instead of it's roots being in the moonshine running business, we'll be told that it started when some Black guy was trying to make his car go faster so he could outrun the KKK.

Burns, and PBS are liberal, anything they touch is bound to be tainted.

Exactly, and I believe it takes away from what should have been a very good thing.

Like the 'fire, spit out the bones. Like a bell, some things just ring true, some do not.

"Here's my point.......if you're going to go to the trouble and expense of telling the history of something, then just be honest about it. Instead, they have to be politically correct and make sure that the White man is portrayed as being unable to invent a form of music without the help of a damned Negro. I will guaradamntee you that if Ken Burns and PBS did a special on the history of the blues or jazz, there wouldn't be a White face shown.

That's why I'm criticizing it. I believe in giving credit where credit is due, and not injecting race into it. If Ken Burns and PBS ever get around to making a special about NASCAR, you can bet that instead of it's roots being in the moonshine running business, we'll be told that it started when some Black guy was trying to make his car go faster so he could outrun the KKK."

Well put jamesjr. I tuned in the first night and right away was informed that, basically country fans were racists for not giving due credit to negros. I am so sick of PC crap on PBS, that I just changed the channel.

Now I watched the Civil War documentary 30 years ago and it was very good. I may tune in on the next episode of the Country documentary, to see if PBS can go five minutes without injecting PC politics into this story.

Along those lines, another thread discusses the death of Cokie Roberts. I used to listen to NPR about 3 hours a day, back in the seventies ane eighties. They were pretty objective back then, rather like CNN was.
But NPR is obsessed with hatred of President Trump. You can't go 5 minutes on NPR without some reference to what a monster Trump is.
I haven't listened to an entire story on NPR in ten years.

NPR, PBS, same thing.

It's always like that. Wait till someone from Kuscinski, Idaho tries to tell you that 1 million 6th grade dropout/unemployed ghetto negroes in your city isn't any contributing factor to crime.

Have watched the series so far and enjoyed it all.
I am a big country fan an appreciate the history, and enjoyed the music.
Jimmy Rogers was really good.

There is no denying a black connection to many forms of music, even country.

The roots of what is now known as Country Music are far more diverse than most people know. That fact may be upsetting to some.

Nobody is going to tell me that black folks showed up in America with a saxophone or a trumpet in their hand, knowing how to sing spirituals in English. You think a documentary about the blues or jazz is going to include all the Anglo influences?? Nope.

I’m all for “credit where credit is due”, but document the history. Don’t try to CHANGE it...

There’s a hateful and bitter crowd hangs around this fire

Nobody’s holding you hostage.

Pretty Good series, I have enjoyed it

I watched some of it last night. Hearing Cousin Minnie Pearl with that "Howdeee" sure brought back a lot of good memories. At 52 years old, I think I'm in the last age group to really experience Country music before it's corruption. We used to watch the Porter Wagoner Show every week, Jim and Jesse had a tv show, Hee Haw every Saturday night.

The banjo came to America via Africa,......but nobody ever got much out of one until a Caucasian picked one up.

Marty Stuart makes a good Andrew Jackson!

Marty Robbins was a pretty good race driver. I worked on his pit crew occasionally.
Jerry

That's right! I hadn't made that connection.

Earl Scruggs could absolutely eat a banjo up...

Damn, Hank could sing...

He was one hell of a song writer too!!!

At some point here, I'm feeling like we should bow to you.

True, dat.

and his kid don't suck....

Finally, Lefty.....

Grandpa Jones was a blood uncle (his mom's brother) of a friend of mine from back in the day and stayed with them at their home several times in his teens.

Said it was surreal getting out of bed in the morning, going down stairs and seeing a table full of country music legends gathered around the breakfast table drinking coffee, talking shop, joking around and teasing one another.

And has a much bigger career than his Dad ever had.

Nothing to add about Burns' documentary, haven't seen it yet.

Just recommending the Country Music Hall of Fame if you're ever in Nashville. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I watched it all tonight and thoroughly enjoyed it.

They gave Hank a huge chunk of the episode. Sad tale.

I am enjoying this series.

It's been enjoyable, despite the obvious political correctness. I do think there was a certain bias against some of the early stars, such as Riley Puckett and Gid Tanner and the Skilletlickers, probably based upon some of their recordings.

The Skilletlickers! I bet I know at least one of the songs you are alluding to.

I was pretty surprised to find out that Hank Williams was only 29 when he died.

Yikes that's some hard living right there.

Did you notice how they just kinda threw Woody Guthrie in there, to sorta suggest the country folks weren’t cool enough to appreciate his commie folk songs???

Think they’ll throw in Pete Seeger later?

Run, Niqqer, Run.....that's one of them.

That’s the very one I was thinking of.

I finally sat down after lunch and finished watching the rest of segment 3. That was the best one so far. Of course, it centered on Hank Williams and rightfully so. The man was a genius as far as songwriting was concerned. I've always been a fan of his music. It's amazing to think about the number of the greatest country stars that that era produced.

I'm hoping tonight's segment will just as good, because Patsy Cline, the best female country artist ever will be on. To me, the era of the late 40's through the 70's was when country music was the best. Actually, there's not much recorded after 1970 that I care to listen to.

The 40's through the 70's was the Golden Age. And then came, Billy Ray Cyrus. Once upon a time I thought he was bad.
And now, country mixed with rap. Today, a complete garbage dump, country music.

We have a bunch of Skilletlickers on this forum, sorry, pot lickin hounds.

Hank Jr does or use to have an extensive collection of Colt SAA

agree totally. some really good stuff in that era. loved every minute of it, especially jeannie seely. WPLO's shower of stars in atlanta was always Grrreeaattt!

on a side note, what ever was the outcome of hank sr's little girl? maybe hank jr's half-sister?

i don't remember how it all got resolved, but it floated in the news for a spell.

he had spina bifida too

One of my farmer uncles had one helluva pile of old 78 RPM records, all country. Little Jimmy Dickens, Roy Acuff, Ernest Tubb and many more, all of 'em from the pre and post WWII years. Big Philco multi band radio/record player in the living room that still worked well into the 1960s. Record player swung out from the front of the cabinet. Back in the 1950s when I spent parts of summers up there, I'd play them old records until my aunt yelled at me to turn that damn thing off and get my ass to bed.

Still enjoying the Burns documentary and also looking forward to tonight. One of those summers in the late 1950s Patsy Cline's "I fall to pieces" was one of my favorites on the radio. Big Hank Williams fan. Sucker sure could churn out a tune.

This kicked off with a "Live at the Ryman" show on our PBS station. It was very good. It re-airs here on Friday night. You can also watch it on the PBS website and check for your station schedule.

Rhiannon Giddens did a great job on "Crazy". I had never heard of her before this series. Google her up and check her ancestry. You'll understand her appearance then.

Personally, I believe Rhiannon Giddens is a helluva musician!! Discovered her not too long ago researching 1820-1830’s songs!

Shop in San Antonio has had a number of them for sale for years.

Jr is the largest private Ruger Collector. Among other brands.
I’ve sold him quite a few over the years of various brands.

When I worked at McBrides in Austin in the early 80’s, he was always in and out of the shop.

Always lookin’ for nekkid lady ivory stocks for SAA’s!

Billy Ray Cyrus should’ve been called Cyrus The Virus because he was a POX on Country Music 😡

George Strait was the last of the REAL Country Singers.

He does a pretty good Hank sr imitation too

Need to find out when they are gonna rerun episodes 1&2 as I missed them.

You can download the PBS app and watch them anytime. They are also available on Amazon Prime.

KW I think you can watch them here.

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

I watched the part of Live at the Ryman that I'd missed.


I used to spend money at McBrides in Austin on a regular basis when I lived there. Don't remember seeing you or Hank Jr.

George is great but I wouldn't consider him the LAST of the "REAL" country singers... but Randy Travis just might could be:

Thanks, all I have is an iphone.

I was there at McBrides full time from late1980 to early 86. Went back to state. Retired and was there part time from 2009 to 2014.

Patsy Cline closed out tonight's show with "Crazy and Sweet Dreams" Still the best that ever was...

I thought last nights segment was every bit as good as the night before, maybe even better, with one exception.......Burns just had to let everybody know that Willie Nelson said that Ray Charles did more for country music than anybody else with his recording of "I Can't Stop Loving You." BULL CHIT.......that liberal SOB just can't praise the Negroes enough, and tries to give them credit for everything.

Anyway, with that out of the way, I suppose Patsy Cline and Johnny Cash were the main focus of last night. I think Patsy Cline is the best female singer, country and anything else as well, there has ever been. Her voice was absolutely perfect. I never get tired of listening to her.

On the other hand, Cash was never a favorite of mine, and I can take him or leave him. I could never see the appeal for June Carter either, as she couldn't sing, and if anyone has ever watched her early years on the Opry, all she did was act stupid. Her sister Anita was the best singer of the Carter family, and I enjoy listening to her songs.

Quite abit of negro worship last night, otherwise it was good.

To be honest, and shouldn't a person always be honest, I though what I saw last night was good. Lot's of rock, but the line is thin at times.

Not the worst TV ever by a long shot.

What a crock of s hit.

I enjoyed the 4th episode.

Patsy Cline, what a voice.

What did the Fire think about Sunday night's segment? I'm wondering where George Jones is, as I thought he'd have been mentioned last night. I find if odd that June Carter is getting so much mention, when she was the worst singer of all the Carter family, and especially couldn't hold a light to her sister Anita. I suppose it's because of her connection to Johnny Cash.

Anyway, we're into the time period that I'll probably lose some interest, as I didn't care much for the music that was produced after the mid-70's. I also found it odd that Jim Reeves, who had one of Country music's best voices, and whose career was cut short with his death in the plane crash, has not been talked about. Yet, they have constantly let us know that Blacks were discriminated against during this time period.

It's easy to see where PBS's priorities lie.

Burns just can't help himself, everything always has to revolve around the negro.

Preachy, tiresome.

They should let Burn make a series about blacks in America, and slavery. I would not have to watch, and he could finally get it all out of his system.

I agree. I'm not politically correct, and I'll get that out of the way. I believe if you're going to tell the story of something, you need to stick to facts, and not inject your perspective into it.

In the history of country music, there has only been ONE Black artist that has had any success whatsoever, and that is Charley Pride, who got quite a bit of air time last night. I like Charley Pride's music, always have, and consider him to be a good singer, in addition to a great person. But, in the big scope of things, he doesn't crack the top 25, maybe even the top 50, of the greatest and best country singers. While I have no doubt that some of the White country singers were influenced by some degree or another by Black musicians, the fact is that most were not, and did what they did on their own. Yet, Burns would have us believe that Blacks deserve just as much credit for the roots of country music as anyone else does, and cannot resist including them....despite the fact that history shows us that it was Whites that made country music what it is today, not anyone else.

I have lived in a part of the country that has a large population of Blacks. I've worked with them, and lived around them all my life. I cannot recall ever seeing one of them playing a country song. Jazz, blues, hip-hop, rock and roll, and rap.........yes, and to that list I'll add gospel. Countless times I've been a gas pump, and had a car driven by a Black person pull up with the radio so loud that you could hear it in the next county, and not one single time was there a country song being played. Yet, Burns would have us believe that they like country music just like the rest of us. I don't believe that is true.

Those are good questions regarding Jim Reeves and George Jones. Jim was mentioned in the previous segment to last night but it was not extensive at all and I agree with you regarding his voice. He was a superb singer and was lost entirely too early. The absence of George Jones is a complete mystery. I'm going to withhold comment until I see the entire documentary, in case he is brought in later.

They barely mentioned Jim Reeves in episode 4 when leading up to the "Nashville Sound"

One thing to consider is he was also a big star in South Africa! There’s your reason!

Well, there you go. Jim Reeves a big star in the racist country South Africa, so, he is written out of Ken Burns history. Same thing Mao and Stalin did, same thing ISIS did when they blew up those ancient Buddhist statues.
Ken Burns is a good socialist, he provides history, with a strong blend of politics.

There has to be a reason. Jim Reeves was one of country music's stars in the 60's, and for him not to be mentioned anymore than he was, was a huge thing to me. Same way with Johnny Horton, as I don't recall seeing him on there, and he was a great singer, who's career was also cut way too short.

Burns is pretty much picking and choosing who he wants to, and for some reason, leaving out some very important artists.

I’ve heard that for years Johnny Horton was mis-associated with the Ku Klux Klan. All of which is said to be totally without basis and untrue.

I believe it was a result of his song "Johnny Reb" and a rather colorful Louisiana singing who went by the name of "Johnny Rebel". Some may have heard of this character. People being people made the association.

"In the history of country music, there has only been ONE Black artist that has had any success whatsoever, and that is Charley Pride, who got quite a bit of air time last night. I like Charley Pride's music, always have, and consider him to be a good singer, in addition to a great person. But, in the big scope of things, he doesn't crack the top 25...

I have lived in a part of the country that has a large population of Blacks.... Yet, Burns would have us believe that they like country music just like the rest of us. I don't believe that is true."


***********************************

That is a good bit of analysis jamesjr. Yes Charley Pride was a great performer. I love "Anybody Going to San Antone" in part because I drove to San Antonio about 600 times in the Big Rig I always had to sing that song out there on I 10. A unique voice.
Oh, if you are singing country, you have to say "San Antone." If you say "San Antonio" you are a nerd. A city dweller.

I remember, in summer of 1968 I was working as a brick mason helper with a group of redneck brick masons in Atlanta. Played country all day long, and played it very loud, on the transistor radio. And that song came on, and Woodrow said to me "Hey kid did you know that guy is a ni**ger?"
I thought he was kidding, I was not much of a fan of country when I was in high school.

Yes he was a great singer but certainly not in the top 10. And I have spent a lot of time also around blacks. That is a good way to analyze it, never heard a black person playing country on the radio.

Being a star of PBS, Burns has to be a raging Lib, and he is cramming his Lib politics down your throat, if you watch his documentary.

I am far from an expert on country but I listen to Willies Road House on Sirius quite a bit. I do hear Ray Charles on there quite a bit so obviously he was a pretty big influence on country, but other than him, who else? Nobody?

Dayton Duncan is listed as the writer on the ending credits, not that he is any less liberal than Burns.

We can enjoy Mister Pride now.

Charley Pride had a great voice. Nobody else sounded like him.

I don't care if Charley Pride is green, or purple, or yellow.......he was a great country singer, and he sang many songs that I liked. But, it was a slap in the face to such artists like Jim Reeves, Johnny Horton, Hank Locklin, the Wilburn Brothers, Stonewall Jackson, Sonny James, and a number of others, who were never mentioned, or else were barely mentioned. Meanwhile, a lot of time was devoted to Pride, reminding us how he was often called a niqqer.

That has been the focus of Burns......constantly reminding the listener that in order to tell the history of country music, he must also tell the story of the Black folks. He reminds me of when Obama said "you didn't build that," meaning that one certain segment of the population shouldn't be given credit for something, instead everyone should.

The surprising thing to me was how great Charley Pride looked. How old is he now? He has got some Keith Richards level mojo going on.

If George Jones isn't a part of this, it pretty much nullifies the entire series in my opinion.

I think they said he was born in 1933.

He did look good.

and yes. haven't seen much of tammy wynette either. maybe i missed that one.

jeannie seely always had a hold on my heart. haven't seen her at all.

https://www.foxnews.com/media/ken-burns-country-music-about-elemental-human-experience

They had a decent amount of coverage on Seely last night. I'm wondering if Tammy Wynette might not be on the next one, as the time frame for her might be a little later than what was on last night.

You noticed that as well. The film is good. Well done Ken Burns. I liked the part of last night about Ray Charles' country album. Ol Ray did a great job on Don Gibson's "I can't stop loving you". As well the part on Johnny Cash. As to SOME open your ears, minds and hearts. You'll be happier and better informed for it.

I will not watch or listen to anything that has Ken Burns associated with it!!!

Neil

Watching George and Tammy now. Can't believe how little jim reeves was mentioned.

Tammy had a hard life...

16 hours how in the heck are you gonna please everybody telling 100+ years of any sect of history. You aint.

Carry on.

Limited watching time these days, so have only viewed the first episode. It is fairly well done and it was revealing and educative to learn about the methods and histories of the Carters and Jimmie Rodgers, and how the recording and sale of their work enabled the opening-up of this music to a greater audience. Pivotal events there. The given explanation about the term "hillbilly" and its effects made sense - we used that term for such music (heard on the radio) in the late 40s and early 50s.

All fans of a certain type of music have their favorite performers - and their dislikes - so once past these early historical accounts (stuff before most of us were born) there will be picking and choosing among and between performers and how much emphasis on each. This will give rise to strong opinions and pointed critiques from viewers. As for the true root factors and seminal influences (racial/cultural and otherwise) it might be helpful to consider that, in general in any form of music, such aspects normally are seen and understood uniquely and differently by those on the inside (the musicians/performers) than by the listeners/consumers/devotees/fans. Such is life.

Well looky thar, Charlie Daniels performed with Lester Scuggs at the Anti-War March in Washington DC.

Who would have thunk Daniels and Scruggs were pinko commies.

History is uncomfortable.

Yep. One of the greats!

Haven’t had a chance to watch it yet. Have they even mentioned Ray Price or Buck Owens???
What about Bob Wills and Waylon Jennings???

Finally..........we get to hear about George Jones, along with Tammy Wynette. Now, I realize that everyone has their favorites performers, and the ones they don't care for. There are also those artists that though they may not be a favorite, get your respect because of how good they are. Jones is one of those, as far as I'm concerned. His contribution to country music ranks near the top.

Now, I've also been disappointed with all the coverage and sucking up to Johnny Cash. Cash did not have a good singing voice, but no one can discredit his ability as a performer. However, Cash was someone who's politics were on the fringe, and because of that, I was never a big fan. Also, I don't get all the coverage of Bob Dylan, that commie was not a country performer. Of course, Burns loves people like him.

I'm also a little surprised at all the coverage on Kristoferson. I know he is a great song writer, but he's gotten more than his fair share of air time.

I loved Jan Howard's response to the anti-war demonstrator. People like her deserve all the respect we can give them. As time has gone by, I've come to see the Vietnam war as a huge mistake on Americas part. It accomplished nothing but the taking of thousands of young American lives. I lost several friends over there, and saw some others affected by the time they spent there. I was not a supporter of the anti-war demonstrations, believing at the time that it was justified. Though I now believe the war was wrong, I still hold a grudge against those who were so openly against it and more importantly, against the soldiers who fought there. That includes a number of celebrities, including Earl Scruggs and Charlie Daniels.

It would take a lot for me to like Lyndon Johnson. Nothing to do with music of any kind.

I was working in a large company's paving/excavation crew, when Cash got his TV show. The morning after Dylan was on, most of the guys were upset about his appearance. One guy said it was the worst thing Cash had ever done, having that "Dolan" guy on and was the ruination of Country music.

"History is uncomfortable". Yep. Judging by some of the comments here, many are uncomfy finding out how various the influences were in country music? Pretty much how most forms of popular music works. Artists borrow from what has come before and the music is usually better for the sharing.

When that Nitty Gritty Dirt Band album came out, gave my dad and the farmer uncle whose old 78s I listened to as a kid, both a copy. They loved it.

They didn't mention it last night, but Bill Monroe refused to participate in that album. The Byrds' "Sweetheart Of The Rodeo" is also a great album.

Still remember the day I was driving up to hunting camp and heard on the radio that Jones had died. "No Show Jones". We had a rough ol' gal around here that did handyman work for years. Had a huge George Jones decal on her truck's bug deflector. One day I stopped at a convenience store and she pulled in right behind me. Noticed the Jones decal was gone from the front of her pickup. Asked what was up with that? She went into a profane rant about having traveled three times to see him and he'd never showed up for any of them. Oops!

Yes, Robert Zimmerman, know as Bob Dillon, was not country in my book.

He was "folk music". And even they turned on him when he went and used an electric guitar.

All were mentioned. Big piece on Bob Wills (and frequent mention). Nice piece on Buck Owens.

The program hasn't fit all my pre-conceived notions or assumptions, but it's been interesting and I can separate the wheat from the chaff by myself.

Perhaps just me, to put music in a box, or try to jam a type, then, what is a type, or call it a category, is futile. The edges are too blurred. Sometimes, that is.

allus liked jack greene, and his statue of a fool.

swinging a hammer, and listening to good country.

somehow it always seemed to make the day go faster.

if i had to pick and choose, it'd be jeannie seely every time.

I've enjoyed the series so far. It brought back a lot of memories.

I have not seen near half of the show. I may have missed a lot. In fairness to the black artistes', where would this gentleman fit?

From what I read in this thread a lot of you SOB's can't be happy with anything

Dang fellers, try and keep up.

the point was about how good the Nashville Studio musicians were.

Nashville musician was in NY, came by while Dylan was recording, Dylan asked him to sit in, great track, producer asked Dylan, "did you see how easy that was?"

Next album (Blonde on Blonde) Dylan went TO Nashville and recorded with A BUNCH of Nashville Studio Musicians. 2 more albums followed. Later he returned to do a country album, "Nashville Skyline" with Nashville Studio Musicians.

Better tonight. More history, less “agenda”...

Bob Dylan sucked. All of his music sucked. And it had nothing to do with Country Music. Period.

I always thought Jessi Coulter was Über hawt!!!!

Always thought she was a great looking lady with a great voice too.

Oh, and the whole thing has had way too much Johnny Cash.

all of it?


Studio albums 38
Live albums 13
Compilation albums 19
Video albums 11
Music videos 40
EPs 26
Singles 91
Soundtrack albums 7
Tribute albums 29
Box sets 13
Bootleg Series 14

Yep. All of it. Just because a bunch of hippie liberals bought a bunch of his records does not make it good music.

Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt now

I doubt if you heard all of it, or even much of it.

If you get a chance, you might get something out of Nashville Skyline.

Am not a Dylan fan but he wrote a bunch of songs eventually recorded by country artists that were very successful.

He might have wrote a few “decent” songs. But as a singer, performer, he sucked.

You'll get no argument out of me on that. He can't carry a tune in a bucket with a lid on it.

Could he sing "Possum up a gum tree” ?

No doubt.

not well...

LOL

Emmy Lou!

and lots of Willie!

Loads of talent but she’s a big time Liberal Commie.

Him too. Dope smoking Liberal Commie.

Emmy Lou was a stone fox in 1975

WHOLLY CHIT, Johnny Rodriquez was a Mesican? LOL!!!

David Allen Coe song lyrics:

“Long before Rodriquez stole that goat”

signature line material there ^^^^


Geno

Haven't had a chance to watch any of it.

Did they play Wild Horses by the Stones?

Any mention of the band "Old and in the Way"? Or was that too "bluegrass" and not enough country.

Dang them protestors all to heck anyway, even the famous musician kind. How dare they have an idea that what was going on just might be wrong?

Geno

Where's Glen Campbell? Did I miss him?

Just the kind of people that Burns and PBS love. That's why Willie, Emmy Lou, and Johnny Cash have received so much mention. Of course, Jones was an alcoholic and a pill popper, along with Hank Williams, but they weren't Commies.

If you've noticed, the more leftist an artist is, the more they have been played up. Which really isn't all that surprising,

Maybe I missed any mention of Country music on TV (Porter Wagoner’s show, Wilburn Bros, Hee Haw, Glen Campbell), or movies (Urban Cowboy, Smoky and the Bandit, Every Which Way But Loose, Bronco Billy, Tender Mercies)....

Eddie Rabbit and Johnny Lee brought in more “crossover appeal” than Emmylou ever did, but weren’t as “cool”...

They showed Glen Campbell last night but spent little or no time talking about him. They had also mentioned Tanya Tucker but didn't spend any time on her career.

Hee Haw and Porter Wagner were covered too.

Think they briefly showed Don Williams' back in one segment? Looked like his hat.

Never went to Armadillo World HQ. Nor any picnics.

Sis was working first aid station at the Willie 4th of July picnic out at Briarcliff by Paleface Park west of Austin 1979(?). Said this chick came in bleeding from her breast like a stuck hog. She got on her boyfriend’s shoulders and took off her halter top. Some drunk biker dude decided to try to bite her nipple off. He almost completed the task. Sis said nipple was just hanging on by a sliver of meat.

However was at the first Luckenbach worlds fair in 73. We had a cannon shoot. I was on the crew of a 3" Rodman gun. Willie and all were there. As well as probably 10,000 people. The dude who did most of the artwork for the underground comics and music posters in Austin then, Tony Bell ( also creator of the Bat boat on the old Batman TV series), was the cannon shoot organizer. Amazing no one died there.

Bell’s likness is forever planted on the Becker (Fredericksburg Tx.) Vinyards "Iconoclast" wine label.

I recognized him by his hat and mentioned that to my wife.

When Ralph Emery had his TV show on TNN, Williams was on one night. Talking about a group of country performers going to entertain QEII and they were told to "dress up" for their performance before the Queen.. Williams wanted to wear his usual outfit. The Queen sent word that she preferred he wear what he wanted to, fine with her.

First time I ever heard Allison Krause and Union Station, was on Emery's show. This may well be the best documentary Burns has ever made?

I have come to the following conclusion that Burns is trying to pass country music off as something other than an invention of Conservative minded White folks.

In the first few segments, he lets us know that if it weren't for Blacks, there would be no country music. In the past couple of segments, he's given the credit to the Nelson-Cash-Dylan, liberal, drug using crowd. Given the politics at PBS, it's not surprising.

Jesus H. Christ. You really don't get out much, do you?

I knew Hank Jr. had that bad cliff fall, but could not figger out why I didn’t remember hearing about it when it happened. Hell, I was in boot camp when it happened. We never heard nothing. Except DI’s yellin’ at us!

Yep.....you are still so bent out of shape on black people and Bob Dillon to pull your head up out of your ash to see anything else

Yep.....you are still so bent out of shape on black people and Bob Dillon to pull your head up out of your ash to see anything else

No doubt

didn't play it, but mentioned it.

I'm pretty sure the Joos are behind it all. First 30-40 seconds says it all



Geno

It'll be replayed someday, I'll try to watch for it and record it.

PBS has this wonderful way of using stuff like that to raise money. If I record it I can FF through all the pleas for money.

Geno

In keeping in the vein of the thread.

Perfect Bob,

I think they even had a coupla black fellas in that band.

Funny little one on the drums........................."You got the money you owe us [bleep]".

And you sir, seem to have led an interesting life.

Cannon shoots are all sorts of fun, eh? I've been to one and would go to another if I get the chance. Before they ban them semi-automatic high caliber black powder mortars.

Geno

At least I can spell...............it's Dylan, not Dillion


We're talking about Bob the singer, not Matt the marshal.

I think Matt the Marshall was probably a better singer!

Best country singer ever=George Jones

Next=Merle Haggard

Funny thig you see Alexa doesn't seem to care either.

If you think I take the time to type any this crap out you are nuts.

I can't get opening horns from Ring of Fire out of my head.

Bum padumpa duhda dummmm
Bum padumpa duhda duuuu

F'in Ken Burns.

Im watching it dvr'ed..at bob wills ..good stuff so far ...lot more black fplk in country music than charle pride ..lol !

This post captures the essence of my reaction to nearly everything in modern culture.

People all over Montana complain about crack whores in Billings. I talked to Billings cops. There is no real crack whore problem there. More than 50% of budget is spent on native Americans that have been drinking.

What most of Montana is pi$$ed off about Billings is that it is just like Seattle, a hive of liberals with the latest political correctness.

There's a reason some of those commies are featured. It's because they deserve to be, they are/were that great. Personally I forgive the really great ones for their politics because I just feel I have to or I can't enjoy their work. Classic stuff.

BTW their was a quick shot of Linda Ronstadt in a picture with Emmy Lou. Linda is sorta marginal country, definitely cross-over, but I love both of their music. I haven't quite forgiven Linda for fooling around with that Moonbeam governor. On the other hand Gavin Newsome makes him look...well, not quite so bad. The

Dolly, on the other hand, has enough brains and class to stay out of politics.

All in all it's been pretty good and quite enjoyable. I'm afraid things head downhill tonight. "Some call it country. I call it bad rock and roll."...Geezinslaw Brothers

Fburgtx: Just keeps getting better and better and more interesting every night.
It's VERY rare that I ever commend a liberal (it's seldom ever warranted to begin with!), but in this instance I must say "SUPERB job" there Ken Burns.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I've been enjoying the heck out of it. Wife is dragging me off to something tonight and I might miss the finale. You guys sure see everything through a political filter. Me I just enjoy the music who ever sings it. Learning a lot of things too. You want to be surprised, read Kris Kristofferson's bio. Golden Gloves boxer, Phi Beta Kappa, Rhodes Scholar, Airborne Ranger helicopter pilot, Captain, turned down a teaching assignment at West Point... And all this time I thought he just wrote a few songs and did a movie or two.

My guess is...
Dolly is bi and a closet lib.
Pat Benatar is a closet conservative.

I have been guessing things for a long time.
The most important thing to guess is the probability you are right.

I didn't see any fundraising, just the story sans commercials.

Vince Gill had a good line last night about change and how boring country music would be if it never changed. Lot of old fuds here with calcified brains that can't handle anything new.

You can't tolerate a liberal musician but drunks, drugies, ex-cons, and adulterers are OK. Yeah, bring back those old time values

They spent way too much time on George Jones and Tammy Wynette; I never cared for most of their music.

There are a lot of young country musicians turning out some very good music today.

Well, maybe you can take enough time to see that I never said a gawd-damned thing about “Dillon” (your spelling) in any of MY posts. As for being out of shape on “black people”, I’m all willing to give credit where it is due. My issue is with Burns trying to make a bigger deal out of race and politics in country music than it is, rather than concentrating on the actual history.

Wanna see what constitutes real racism?? I’ve seen Elvis Costello show up MULTIPLE times in this documentary to comment on country music (as if he knows a damned thing about it). Google his thoughts/feelings on Ray Charles. THAT is what real racism sounds like...

What if he's right?

that was pretty cool, they had a pic of him with his parachute

My take on the constant references to coloreds in this series, that has some gettin' wadded up panties over it:

Good chance if a hundred years of segregation and oppression hadn't contributed to much of what they'd offered being ignored, maybe we wouldn't hafta put up with the constant reminders that Burns has woven in there?

I gradumacated from HS in 1964. Don't recall one damn positive, historical thing about negroes, the whole way thru there. Other than slavery, the Civil War and other bits of history, never heard much about what blacks had ever contributed, other than free labor. The Civil Rights movement was still in its infancy back in 1964, so all we got were news blurbs of negroes under a fire hose or night stick back then.

Pretty obvious to those that follow music, where some of the roots came from. I love country, blue grass, delta blues, folk and rock.They all share some basic backgrounds, themes and instruments, to some degree.Dig it, or ignore it. To me it's all music.

Same way I feel about firearms. ARs, bolt, lever gun or single shot, all the same in my book.

He was very friendly to us on the movie set. Not an A-hole at all. As was the Narrator of this series Peter Coyote. ( Both in the same production). Coyote would actually joke around a bit with you.

I'd be willing to bet he knows more about country music then all of us put together.

As far as I know, this Country Music documentary is the most comprehensive piece ever done on the subject. It may not be perfect, especially if one has preconceived ideas about the topic, but I think it is well done, politics and race aside.

Please... Nick Lowe was the brains of that bunch (and was sleeping with Cash’s step-daughter to boot)...

Beautifully done!

Ole Elvis Costello wouldn’t know schitt from shinolla. He has even less singing talent than Bob Dylan. If that’s even possible

On the whole, I enjoyed it. They missed a few I would have included, but It ended at about the right time.

Streets of Bakersfield performed by Dwight Yoakam with Buck Owens, pretty good country.

Yep. Dwight actually helped ole Buck become popular again. And brought some actual talent and real Country Music back to the Genre.

I've got friends in low places--------Was Garth here on the fire?

For the Fuds:
I loved that Tom T. Hall quote near the end of tonight's show responding to: "They don't do Country Music the way they used to".
"Well, they don't do brain surgery they way they used to either. They used to drill a hole in your head and let the bad air out".
Some of you derelicts that think country music ended with Merle Haggard need some bad air let out.

NV with average age of this board guaranteed Bad Air being let out like an uncapped pressurized gas well.

Damn right

They should have called it the Johnny Cash documentary on country music. There is no doubt that Cash was one of country music's greatest and best known artists. But, there is also no doubt that part of his appeal was because of his not being particularly mainstream in his politics and lifestyle. He got more coverage than any of the other country stars, yet as far as his singing ability goes, he's not even in the top 25 IMO.

Also, his daughter Roseanne Cash got as much coverage, along with Emmy Lou Harris, than any of the other female stars. When compared to such artists as Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, Dolly Parton, and others too numerous to mention, Roseanne Cash isn't even a blip on the radar. But, she was riding on her daddy's coattails.

I still believe that the number one intention of this Burns documentary was to make it appear that country music was the result of the contributions of a lot of different cultures. My spin is this......it started out as hillbilly music, played by people who resided below the Mason-Dixon line. It's early pioneers were from such places like Texas, Mississippi, the Appalachians, Georgia, Alabama......and they were White, not Black. Despite Burns trying to change the history, the facts are that it was an invention of the White man, something that today is seen as unfair, and not politically correct.

For the most part, I enjoyed the first 4 segments, political correctness aside. Certain big names, such as Jim Reeves, were slighted. I don't know if it was intentional or not, but it was obvious. If one has studied the roots of country music, the Georgia natives Riley Puckett and Gid Tanner, were two of the best known names in the early beginnings of what was called hillbilly music, yet were never mentioned. Now, I know that every artist who has ever performed was going to be given credit, the ones who contributions stand out should have been. Instead, many were obviously shunned for whatever the reason.......a reason I think I know.

I enjoyed it. I also believe it would be next to impossible to mention every singer who has been involved in country music since the early 1900's. I learned many things about the singers and song writers I did not know. Overall, I thought it to be very well done.

Too much of the Cash's for sure.

I enjoyed the perspectives. Country music for me is like snow to Texans. You go to it, enjoy it, then go home. Too many other kinds for me to park myself in just it. Of course, as an international who only functions cross-culturally, I appreciate all things from an outsider perspective. Cannot wring my hands about "our music", but Brad Paisley coming on the radio is a fine thing. When I heard a Texas buddy say the kids down there were into country music, I couldn't relate. (It was all Boxcar Willie, Hee Haw and Conway Twitty up in Illinois.) When I put that in my rear view mirror and became a Texas Aggie instead, the difference on the radio here was dramatic. I get caught up on my country pretty quick, like Baptist sermons. Just part of America to me, not the entire experience. Glad to have watched the whole thing!

Enjoyed it. Learned a few things, mostly got to revisit some favorite memories.

I probably enjoyed the dwight yoakam segments the most. He had a great sound.

WALMART WELCOMES THE JUDDS!

LOL! Sorry couldn’t resist.

Personally, I enjoyed the last two evenings.

Did they mention that Wide nonna had the vocal cords removed from her chiuahuahauhaus?

Two urban myths I missed were Kristofferson stealing the NG helicopter and flying it to Johnny Cash’s house to get him to look at a song he wrote. (We asked him about this on the movie set, he just grinned)

And Johnny Rodriguez was in the county lockup (misunderstanding over ownership of a goat) and the sheriff discovered his voice after heard him singing in his cell!

I suppose the legends will live on!

I haven't watched the whole thing yet. Please tell me Taylor Swift never gets mentioned. There are some more modern country singers I enjoy but they are fewer and further between. John Anderson, Dan Seals, George Strait, Suzy Boguss, Pam Tillis. I liked the Dixie Chicks. Travelling Soldier is a good song. Allison Krause. Faith Hill should have been tarred and feathered for her "Piece of my Heart' butchery.
Back in the mid-eighties, I watched a country music documentary which covered a whole bunch of stars this series skipped over altogether. Still, the series has been worth watching so far. The big change, starting in the late seventies mostly, was a big difference in the backgrounds of the singers and songwriters. No longer poor, working, folks. They reflected the affluence of the times. GD

Did they ever mention when Maybelle Carter passed? Never knew how integral she was and for how long!

And WTF no mention of Chris LeDoux?

I caught a good portion of Burn's Country Music politically correct, forced diversity interpretation, I enjoyed parts inspite of itself.

But, one cannot do a documentary on Country Music without showing an old bar/ tavern with country music on the old juke box.

Country music and juke boxes are well etched in my memory.

They never mentioned her, just showed a quick pic of her near the end.

Slumlord saw that, and he's still salivating.

I can recall, when I was a kid, on a Saturday night going to sleep to the sound of "Tennesee Stud" coming from the jukebox in White's Tavern. Customers would challenge the proprietor to "match for the jukebox" and would roll dice or deal a poker hand. The loser would have to drop a quarter for five songs. GD

Jukes got some mention, even showed a pic of the "remote" boxes that used to be in booths. Remember how you had to put a finger on the metal tab at the top, to rotate the song menu? Spent too much time doing that when I was a kid and got thumped, told to pick a damn song and let that thing be.

Noticed the Chixie Dicks were included in that montage at the end. Talk about a waster of pure talent Man I loved their music, until that little ahole Natalie opened her mouth about GWB, when they were overseas..

If that's what you saw, that's what you were looking for.