Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

“Country Music” Episode 4: I Cant Stop Loving You 1953 To 1963
pbs.org ^ | September 22, 2019 | Ken Burns

Posted on 09/22/2019 12:30:54 PM PDT by CaliforniaCraftBeer

“Travel to Memphis, where Sun Studios artists Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley usher in the era of rockabilly. Ray Charles crosses America’s racial divide by recording a country album. Patsy Cline shows off Music City’s smooth new Nashville Sound.”

As the 1960’s began Country & Western music was being heavily influenced by the rock & roll sound. A new generation of artists, songwriters and shrewd producers would record some great American music during this transitional era.


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; History; Music/Entertainment; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: countrymusic; countrywestern; cw; elvis; hillbilly; johnnycash; kenburns; music; patsycline; pbs
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-56 last
To: CaliforniaCraftBeer
1959 Grammy Award to The Kingston Trio for ‘Tom Dooley’ (Best C&W Song [for 1958])

There are many who would hotly dispute the notion that "Tom Dooley" is a country-western song. The same goes for Petula Clark's "Downtown," which won the Grammy for Best Rock and Roll Song for 1964. I especially agree as to "Downtown," which is a bolero and not rock and roll.

I would contend that the best CW song for 1958 was Alone with You by Faron Young and that the best rock and roll song for 1964 was Run, Run, Run! by the Supremes.

41 posted on 09/22/2019 3:47:22 PM PDT by Fiji Hill
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CaliforniaCraftBeer

Did they do much on Roy Rogers


42 posted on 09/22/2019 4:20:02 PM PDT by ballplayer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oshkalaboomboom

Well....that answers that doesn’t it. Well, I’ll finish the country series but I’m not going to look for his other ‘work’ like I had originally intended.


43 posted on 09/22/2019 4:27:18 PM PDT by LibertyWoman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: CaliforniaCraftBeer

This is the era I’m most interested in and watching the first half, I think it’s excellent.


44 posted on 09/22/2019 4:47:39 PM PDT by bigbob (Trust Trump. Trust the Plan.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: ballplayer

Roy was mentioned only briefly as the heir to the “singing cowboy” movie star role when Gene Autry left the studio in a dispute over money. Autry was making $600,000 per year in 1940.


45 posted on 09/22/2019 5:29:20 PM PDT by MisterArtery
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: Oshkalaboomboom

With the exception of interviews with one annoying Oberlin SJW-type, he’s behaved himself so far. Well done.


46 posted on 09/22/2019 6:31:32 PM PDT by ArmstedFragg (So Long Obie)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: catnipman

Agreed. Watching now: Johnny Cash, Charlie Pride, Loretta Lynn, Merle Haggard, Buck Owens...


47 posted on 09/22/2019 6:36:03 PM PDT by Labyrinthos
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: CaliforniaCraftBeer

OK...where was Tammy Wynette and George Jones in this episode? Somewhat disappointed.


48 posted on 09/22/2019 6:58:19 PM PDT by LibertyWoman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CaliforniaCraftBeer

Episode 5: “The Sons & Daughters Of America” airs tonight on pbs tv stations. Just a happy reminder if you’ve missed any parts of this series so far you can stream all of them on demand for free at their .org website here: https://to.pbs.org/2kWdfGx


49 posted on 09/22/2019 7:00:01 PM PDT by CaliforniaCraftBeer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CaliforniaCraftBeer
Commercial Photography
50 posted on 09/22/2019 7:00:40 PM PDT by CaliforniaCraftBeer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: miserare

“Did you know that black people invented Country Music?”

Ha, that’s the impression I got too after watching the first episode.

I enjoy hearing comments from Dolly and others, so guess I’ll continue on with it.


51 posted on 09/22/2019 10:44:31 PM PDT by Cedar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: CaliforniaCraftBeer
I don’t care what anyone says, I love Ken Burns, and think he is American through and though, I watched “Country Music” beginning to end. But while I have some Willie Nelson and a few major country hits by other artists on my playlist, I have never been particularly a country fan, so take my novice views for whatever they are worth. Here is what I have learned by watching “Country Music”:

1. Hank Williams was a genius. “Genius” is not a word I throw around a lot.

2. Even though he isn’t quite the songwriter his father was, Hank Williams, Jr. is underrated. His quality songwork vastly exceeds what I knew coming in, “Take This Job and Shove it” and the Monday Night Football theme.

3. Emmylou Harris was, and is, a knockout.

4. Kris Kristofferson is a darn good songwriter.

5. Not much good country music has been made since 1980.

6. While I understand their incentives, Nashville has been bad on balance for the artistic value of country music. Overproduced country music is bad country music.

7. Patsy Cline was more like big band than genuine country.

8. Country and rock and roll are not much different in terms of how they tempt their performers into making foolish life choices.

8. Anyone who dislikes Bob Dylan needs to have his head examined. He loves American music in all its forms., including country.

9. Bakersfield, CA deserves to be better known as a wellspring of country music.

52 posted on 09/25/2019 6:59:09 PM PDT by untenured
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: untenured

Also, “Will the Circle Be Unbroken,” which I had never heard, is a very moving song.


53 posted on 09/25/2019 7:07:55 PM PDT by untenured
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: CaliforniaCraftBeer
Commercial Photography
54 posted on 09/25/2019 7:14:38 PM PDT by CaliforniaCraftBeer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: untenured
Actually David Allan Coe wrote "Take This Job And Shove It" but mostly your post is spot-on.

I've watched several documentaries by Ken Burns, including this one. I know he has a reputation of being a Lefty, but I have not seen that in his works. At least those that I have seen.

55 posted on 10/31/2020 12:06:17 PM PDT by SamAdams76 (Orange Man GOOD!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: SamAdams76
Wow, blast from the last. When I was discussing the documentary with a friend face-to-face she corrected me that the singer who made the song famous was Johnny Paycheck.

I think it was documentary on the Vietnam War that cemented this reputation. I thought it was up to his usual standard of excellence as a craftsman.

56 posted on 11/01/2020 3:39:14 PM PST by untenured
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 55 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-56 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson