Country Music: A Film by Ken Burns

After centuries of percolating in America’s immigrant and racial mix, particularly in the American South, what was first called “hillbilly music” begins reaching more people through the new technologies of phonographs and radio. The Carter Family, with their ballads and old hymns, and Jimmie Rodgers, with his combination of blues and yodeling, become its first big stars.

During the Great Depression and World War Two, country music thrives and reaches bigger audiences. Gene Autry sets off a craze for singing cowboys, Bob Wills adapts jazz’s Big Band sound to create Texas Swing, and Roy Acuff, a singer on the Grand Ole Opry, becomes a star. Despite a divorce between two of its members, the Carter Family carries on, turning out songs that will become classics.

Country music adapts to the cultural changes of post-war society. Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt, and Earl Scruggs transform string band music into something more syncopated: Bluegrass. Out of the bars comes a new sound with electric guitars and songs about drinking, cheating, and heartbreak: Honky Tonk. Its biggest star is Hank Williams, a singer and songwriter of surprising emotional depth.

In Memphis, the confluence of blues and hillbilly music at Sun Studios gives birth to “rockabilly,” the precursor of rock and roll. Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash are at the forefront. Nashville has become Music City USA. Patsy Cline is becoming one of its biggest stars when her life is cut short by an airplane accident.

During a time of upheaval, country music reflects the changes in American society. Loretta Lynn writes and performs songs that speak on behalf of women everywhere. Charley Pride becomes a country star. Merle Haggard comes out of prison to become the “Poet of the Common Man.” Johnny Cash’s life descends into drug addiction, but he finds salvation through a landmark album recorded at Folsom Prison.

With the Vietnam War intensifying, America is more divided than ever. Country music is not immune to the divisions. Kris Kristofferson abandons his military career, becomes a janitor in a Nashville studio, then a writer whose lyricism sets a new standard for country songs. Bob Dylan, the Byrds, and other non-country artists find Nashville a creative place to record.

Defining country music is debated as never before, and the argument sparks a vibrant era. Dolly Parton crosses over to mainstream success to become the most famous woman in country music. Willie Nelson finds creative freedom in Texas, and with Waylon Jennings launches the “Outlaw” movement. Emmylou Harris bridges folk and rock and country music and influences a new generation of artists.

As country music’s popularity skyrockets, the genre confronts the question of whether it can also stay true to its roots. After first being turned down by every label in Nashville, Garth Brooks explodes onto the scene. An aging Johnny Cash returns to a studio with just his guitar and his unforgettable voice to record a series of albums that cements his place in the industry he helped to create.

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