Country Music on PBS

[LarsMac]

I didn't think I was a fan of country music but I sure enjoyed the program.  Maybe I am a fan after all.

There is a lot of the commercial "Country Music" you hear on the radio that, just like a lot of the Pop/Rock mainstream Radio is just noise, I think.

I grew up listening to all sorts of Music. Relatives on Mom's side were Southern and Mountain folk, so I got exposure to a lot of country/folk/Bluegrass. Dad's family were Urban, and lived in New Orleans, and Chicago. I got a lot of Classical Music, and a lot of Jazz from them.
Mom and Dad had tons of albums from the Big Bands of the 40s
I also spent a lot of time in the Caribbean, and Mexico. I don't think that there is a musical genre from which I cannot find something to like.

When you've finished with Ken Burns' Country series, I highly recommend checking out the series on Jazz.

 

[ziplock]

Oh my!

That is Ken Burns?

I thought it was Henry Fonda?

They really do sound alike.

Yes, I love PBS, and I have been watching the country music show.

And I LOVE Free Over The Air TV!

 

[Larry N.]

Oh my!

That is Ken Burns?

I thought it was Henry Fonda?

They really do sound alike.

Yes, I love PBS, and I have been watching the country music show.

And I LOVE Free Over The Air TV!

The credits say that the narrator is Peter Coyote...

 

[LarsMac]

Peter Coyote has narrated a number of Burns' series.

He does have kinda a Fonda'ish timber to his voice, with a bit of a Southwestern Drawl.

 

[ziplock]

ohhhhhhhhhhh,

Does Peter Coyote also do the Arbor day Commercials?  I really thought that voice on the country show was Henry Fonda.    Thanks for telling me!

Ya know what Henry could be dead by now?  Don't know.

 

[Robert K]

Ya know what Henry could be dead by now?  Don't know.

about 37 years


fixed quote

 

[ziplock]

I didn't know it was 37 years,  but I  figured he was dead.  So now I need to know who does the Arbor Day foundation commercial these days.

Glad I gave ya something to google.  Well maybe you memorized the year he died long ago?  ;D

 

[Robert K]

Yep googled
I knew he was dead but I didn't know it was that long ago. Heck I was only 12 ;D

 

[Bill N]

Have watched the entire series on PBS and it was, as expected, fantastic.  Was disappointed in that some of my favorites were not given much attention and others who agreed to be interviewed were perhaps given too much.  Even a few I never heard of.  My only minor gripe is that, as Ken Burns normally does, he likes to divert attention at times to race and, in this one, to the Vietnam War.  He is no doubt a liberal but his overall work is outstanding if you can look over some of his political points.

 

[RVfixer]

We are up in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Went to the Nothin' Fancy Band 3-day Bluegrass Festival. Great festival!  Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers took took the IBMA Entertainer of the Year just a few days after the festival.  At the festival Joe said he was loving the PBS Country Music Special and was very happy that they were able to interview many of the Greats and get the true stories.  We moved to a campground near Floyd, VA and have attended several music events at the Floyd Country Store and some good street Jamming.  They are also raving about the PBS special there also.  Last night we attended the Jeff Little Trio Show at the Blue Ridge Music Center Theater...Great Show!!...Wow!!  Jeff also raved about the PBS Country Special.

Because we are usually out at night attending old-time, country and bluegrass music events we have only been able to catch 3 of the PBS Series.  When we get home if I don't catch a full rerun I am going buy the DVD Set.  We loved what we saw!!

 

[Larry N.]

Was disappointed in that some of my favorites were not given much attention and others who agreed to be interviewed were perhaps given too much.

There might have been a little of that, but I feel that, for the most part, the featured artists were chosen more for their influence on the direction that country music takes, rather than for their popularity or how "good" they were. Sure, Bobby Bare (for one example) was very good and very popular, even having several cross-over hits, but had little influence on the direction the genre goes, while Johnny Cash, though he may have had a touch too much coverage, was one of the major influences, just in somewhat different ways (several different ways) than the obviousness of Hank Williams, Jimmy Rogers, Kitty Wells, etc.

 

[LarsMac]

Have watched the entire series on PBS and it was, as expected, fantastic.  Was disappointed in that some of my favorites were not given much attention and others who agreed to be interviewed were perhaps given too much.  Even a few I never heard of.  My only minor gripe is that, as Ken Burns normally does, he likes to divert attention at times to race and, in this one, to the Vietnam War.  He is no doubt a liberal but his overall work is outstanding if you can look over some of his political points.

Well, I don't know his political views, really, but both Race and "The War" were, unfortunately, significant factors - as significant as drugs and drinking problems - to some parts of the story. To avoid them would have been a disservice, IMHO.

I think he handled them fairly well. covering the impact without making them THE story.

 

[SeilerBird]

Well, I don't know his political views, really, but both Race and "The War" were, unfortunately, significant factors - as significant as drugs and drinking problems - to some parts of the story. To avoid them would have been a disservice, IMHO.

I think he handled them fairly well. covering the impact without making them THE story.

You cannot discuss country music without discussing race and the war. They are intertwined.

 

[LarsMac]

You cannot discuss country music without discussing race and the war. They are intertwined.

In 1970, I got thrown out of a country concert because I was wearing a T-Shirt with a Peace Sign, and got tossed from a Rock Concert for wearing a hat with US Navy emblem. 

Strange year.

 

[SeilerBird]

In 1970, I got thrown out of a country concert because I was wearing a T-Shirt with a Peace Sign, and got tossed from a Rock Concert for wearing a hat with US Navy emblem. 

Strange year.

It blows my mind that certain people cannot handle seeing or hearing an opposing view point. This is how we learn.

 

[Lou Schneider]

I'm watching the series on the PBS website, since I don't have access to PBS over the air.  All 8 episodes are currently there.

 

[8Muddypaws]

Yes! 

Also Bill Monroe, Johnny Cash passing and a song and story by Kathy Mattea "Where've You Been" about her husband grandparents.

Where?ve You Been was co written by John Vezner (her husband) and Don Henry.  Don grew up in Morgan Hill, Ca.  My neighborhood!  He performs in this area fairly often and we?ve gotten to know him.  Super nice guy.