Ken Burns - Country Music Documentary

Yeah that bluegrass part was great, I didnt realize Flat and Scruggs started with Bill Monroe, and comparing that lightning fast style to Dizzy and Bird doing something similar at the same time was a great comparison.

 

Speedwise yes, as harmonically complex, no, but LOVE the comparison

 

From his 2017 album Way Out West

 

Just saw ep 4 - best one yet. I was gripped through the whole thing. So much was involved they had to leave out Dolly Parton's beginings. She played the Grand Ole Opry at age ten, and was performing around the Knoxville area, in the late 50s, so it fits in with the time frame. Though she didn't make it big till later, they could have done an interesting foreshadowing bit, considering the GOO appearance was pretty significant. But so much going on then they are saving her for the next episode, when she really took off.

 

She lifted her family out of poverty(or began to) at TEN! She was pretty amazing. After all the stories of childhood deprivation, it's interesting to see a poor but enterprising Child!

 

Another great episode.

Charlie Pride's story was interesting. Said he was inspired by Jackie Robinson. Seeing as they both gained "Allies" who backed them up, the comparison is apt.

Merle Haggard. Man, what a story. Is his biopic coming? Some of these guys really were from the other side of the tracks. A lot of punks probably wish they had their cred.

And the Man in Black never fails to fascinate.

 

Loved the Nashville Cats segment - the studio musicians. Charlie McCoy actually understated his contributions. He said, among other things, he performed bass on several Dylan albums. But his acoustic guitar on one of Dylan's masterpieces - Desolation Row is absolutely amazing. He didn't even mention DR.

 

I was glad to see a clip of Hank Snow at the beginning of 4. I'm *hoping* the show will cover him, even if briefly. Not only as a Canadian who became one of country musics biggest stars, but his iconic & instantly recognizable hits: I'm Movin' On, The Golden Rocket, and his cover of I've Been Everywhere, in which he substituted North American place names for the Australian originals.

 

Marty Stuart looks like he just stepped off of the cover of a Western novel. I was disappointed in the short shrift shown Don Rich, I do hope we'll see more of him and Buck. More Marty Robbins too!

 

I was glad to see Roger Miller get a lot of attention. Dang Me and the other similar sorts of songs were very well written and fun to listen to. Interesting story there too about how he thought he was finished, cut a desperation album, started working some other job, and then was surprised to hear Dang Me on the radio, and he really took off from there. And, I believe he may be the only poet/lyricist who attempted a rhyme with the word "purple".

 

So far, this has proved to be a well-written, well-conceived and well-executed documentary series! For a while, the only good Country documentaries came from the BBC (I think one was called Lost Highways or something like that.)

But this one has the right amount of stories, enough bits of music to grab your attention and make you want to seek those artists out, and has emotional punch.

What I like is that if someone becomes interested more in the genre, their research in seeking out this music will have them finding those lesser known names, people not mentioned in this series.

And a couple episodes ago, it confirmed for me that Lefty Frizzell's version of "The Long Black Veil" is nothing short of a masterpiece. It's always been a haunting song for me, especially his version, and hearing it again the other night just brought the emotion all back from when I first heard it years ago.

 

So far my favorite scene is Johnny Cash imitating Elvis; I thought that was hilarious!

 

The Buck Owens segment was interesting they showed the Beatles doing Act Naturally.

 

Charlie McCoy discuss the recording of "Desolation Row" in episode 6.

 

Excellent! Also, in the previews we see there will be more coverage of Dylan working alongside Johnny Cash.

 

I mentioned this in the other thread. If you want to watch all the remaining episodes they are now available "unlocked" on the PBS website and app. Kind of surprised they did that before they aired. I believe they did that with the first 4 episodes last week too.

I am still contemplating binge watching them all. I've already finished episode 6.

 

Posted this in the PBS Ken Burns Country Music thread but thought it enlightening enough to cross-post here, too.

Ken Burns 'sobbed uncontrollably' during new country music documentary

 

This documentary has made me realize I need to take it easy on the old rock and jazz records and start building a nice country album collection.

 

My Mother called Jan Howard a "fool" for threatening to shoot the Woman who tried to recruit her for an anti-War protest if she came back to her door, but I can't blame Howard. They were trying to exploit her grief.

 

Sadly, the politics is starting to overwhelm the music as the series gets into the 60s. I'm for civil rights and against the Vietnam war, but every time they start with the stock footage of protest marches I go oh no not again.

 

"wishing I was STONED" Atta boy Johnny.

 

Art doesn’t exist in a vacuum though, and a Ken Burns doc is going to talk about American history like that through different lenses.

Country gets tagged a lot as being redneck, ultra conservative, white music. How did the music, how did the artists react and create against that backdrop when the country was going through some serious turmoil and change. Rock certainly changed due to those events, and I think those outside factors are very relevant to talk about in a doc like this.

One similar example I liked in the show was how it showed how women were bristling at being dismissed as the cute opener for the male headliners and treated as little lady, fine young lass. Can’t really talk about Loretta without noting what was going on with women’s lib either. It was a social and political change reflected in the music.

 

Yeah, anyone watching a Ken Burns doc goes in knowing that you are going to have to sit through the sermons. I just thought the earlier episodes had a better balance.

 

A criminally, underrated record.

 

Remember, this is not only for our generation, but for younger audiences who don't know what really was going on...