Country Music - A Ken Burns documentary film

Fifthelement

Is anyone else excited by this upcoming documentary on PBS?  It starts this Sunday, 15 September.  

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

The Juggler

I'll pass.

tempo_n_groove

Yes.

Early country is some good clean fun.  Lots of stories in those old songs.

Fifthelement

What I love, based on the excerpts from the Ryman concert, is that the doc goes back to all the root influences: spirituals, folk music, etc.  It also looks at how instruments, and access to them, influenced  regional sounds.  For instance, I learned that the banjo was an African instrument.  

I imagine that that it will also make the connection to early rock & roll.The Juggler said:

I'll pass.

That’s too bad.  You might learn something.

markymark550

I think I would be more apt to watch if it wasn't by Ken Burns. I know he's got accolades and awards for his documentaries, but I find them to be insufferably boring. I mean I love baseball history and military/war history, but it was all I could do to watch his Baseball and Civil War ones.

That said, I'll probably wind up watching it when it gets to Netflix or Prime. Wife and I took a trip to Nashville a couple of years ago and while I don't particularly like country music, I thought the history of it was interesting.

tempo_n_groove

markymark550 said:

I think I would be more apt to watch if it wasn't by Ken Burns. I know he's got accolades and awards for his documentaries, but I find them to be insufferably boring. I mean I love baseball history and military/war history, but it was all I could do to watch his Baseball and Civil War ones.

That said, I'll probably wind up watching it when it gets to Netflix or Prime. Wife and I took a trip to Nashville a couple of years ago and while I don't particularly like country music, I thought the history of it was interesting.

You didn't enjoy his Baseball documentary?!?  I thought it was one of the best baseball pieces ever done.  Only one book I've read was better and that was "The Greatest Baseball Book" as it was aptly named.  

I'm a big fan of the golden and silver age of baseball so this was right up my alley.

markymark550

tempo_n_groove said:

markymark550 said:

I think I would be more apt to watch if it wasn't by Ken Burns. I know he's got accolades and awards for his documentaries, but I find them to be insufferably boring. I mean I love baseball history and military/war history, but it was all I could do to watch his Baseball and Civil War ones.

That said, I'll probably wind up watching it when it gets to Netflix or Prime. Wife and I took a trip to Nashville a couple of years ago and while I don't particularly like country music, I thought the history of it was interesting.

You didn't enjoy his Baseball documentary?!?  I thought it was one of the best baseball pieces ever done.  Only one book I've read was better and that was "The Greatest Baseball Book" as it was aptly named.  

I'm a big fan of the golden and silver age of baseball so this was right up my alley.

Don't get me wrong, as a baseball fan the history was interesting. I just think the pacing of it was too slow for my liking.

Ledbetterman10

The Juggler said:

I'll pass.

I will too cause I’ve never had an interest in county music. But for country fans, I’m sure this will be great. All of Burns’ documentaries are. 

brianlux

Fifthelement said:

Is anyone else excited by this upcoming documentary on PBS?  It starts this Sunday, 15 September.  

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

If this doc is truly about real country music I will gladly watch it.  But if it's about modern "country music"- what Tom Petty once described (with a sneer) as "rock music with fiddles"-  fuhgeddaboudit!

Fifthelement

brianlux said:

Fifthelement said:

Is anyone else excited by this upcoming documentary on PBS?  It starts this Sunday, 15 September.  

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

If this doc is truly about real country music I will gladly watch it.  But if it's about modern "country music"- what Tom Petty once described (with a sneer) as "rock music with fiddles"-  fuhgeddaboudit!

It is.  Right from the early 20th century.  My favourite era is probably the 40s through the 60s; although there are artists that I love who transcend that time period.  I admit, I’m not a fan of most modern country, although there are occasions where I hear a song I like.

Who Princess

Even though I'm not really a fan of country music, I grew up listening to it because my dad loved it.  I'm really looking forward to hearing about the roots and influences.

Gern Blansten

This is a great documentary.  It is amazing how much detail they go into.  I have a new respect for Hank Williams....crazy that he died at 29.

And I agree with his son....Move it on Over was the first rock and roll song, Rock around the Clock is a ripoff of that tune.

I didn't realize how black musicians influenced Hank Williams either.  

My first exposure to Country music was Hee Haw.  I had no idea that Grandpa Jones was a character...he was fucking Grandpa Jones for 40 years starting at the Grand Ole Opry...same with Minnie Pearl.

Fifthelement

I haven’t watched episodes two or three yet.  Ep. 2 disappeared from my pvr.  So frakking aggravating!!!!! Thankfully, it will be re-broadcast on pbs this weekend so I can catch up.

I, too, love how detailed things are.  I’m amazed at how entwined folk, country, blues and rock and roll are.  All these timeless underlying melodies that permeate the music I listen to.  Or how a song that you’ve associated with a particular genre or artist was actually from another or was influenced by another.  Amazing.  The historian and music lover in me in geeking out.