new Ken Burns "Country" documentary on PBS

[Brian Roth]

I ran across this a week ago and it seems that it's available online for a few weeks.  I have watched the first four shows (nearly 8 hours for that!) and now into episode five.

I can't say that I am a country music fanatic even though I grew up in Oklahoma, but this doc shows the evolution of American music from 1800's folk music that came from mulitiple countries as it mixed in with black and gospel, big band jazz, merged with rockabilly into rock and roll, and tons of other stuff.

As usual. Ken Burns made a great documentary.  Warning...it's addictive and runs for many hours!

Here is episode one, with links to the following shows:

https://www.pbs.org/video/ken-burns-country-music-episode-1-the-rub/

Bri

 

[fazer]

I’m enjoying this series.  Music history that parallels growing up.  I was into rock at the times (50s-70’s) but you heard  the string of  hits.  Crossovers would happen and AM radio rules.  It’s Moving !

 

[pucho812]

Just finished episode 3. Such good stuff. I learned so much so far.
For example new term to me “border blaster”, a radio station right on our southern border but on the Mexican side to be out of reach of the fcc.  One they mentioned was 500,000 watts

 

[Brian Roth]

I grew up listening to my parents Big Band music in the 50's, but began hearing Other Stuff in the 60's.  My folks hated "hick" music for the most part, but Dad grudgingly enjoyed Bob Wills.

Growing up in the 60's in Oklahoma, I heard a ton of variety on AM radio and on TV.  Country was a big part, although I favored rock from the Top 40 AM radio.  But (as shown in the Burns doc) there was quite a bit of crossover.

And, as a Kid Geek, I discovered "DX-ing" with a radio on shortwave, but especially on the AM band.  Many of the border blasters played rock music while also pimping Snake Oil remedies.  Wolfman Jack was on one (XETRA??).  XERF also comes to mind......

Anyway, completed episode 5 tonight.  Plenty of mid 60's culture discussion (like how Charlie Pride made it on the Country charts even though he was black).  Also lots of cool pix from sessions in Nashville studios.

Bri

 

[Brian Roth]

Just finished episode 6 covering the late 60's/early 70's.  Just when an episode seems to "bog down", there are plenty of "Oh really...I had forgotten that..."  moments.  Great series....with again lots of[pix in studios from that era.

Bri

 

[CJ]

binge watched 3 episode in  1 day, working on #4 right now, super excellent like all his stuff!