Ken Burns's _Country Music_

[Nova Carmina]

If you have any interest at all in other musical forms or Americana or American history, for that matter, I would recommend the latest thing from Ken Burns on country music.

 

I'm passingly interested in country -- mostly from growing up in a house where my dad would play Uncle Dave Macon or Ernest Tubbs records. (Fun bit of family trivia -- the first time I ever saw a prostitute was on a family trip through Nashville and my dad insisted on stopping downtown at the Ernest Tubbs record store . . .)

 

But the stories are interesting, even if you're not really a fan -- although I was more engrossed in the early episodes. As it gets more modern, my interest has waned a bit, but I thought I would pop on here and strongly recommend the first two or three.

[Fordgalaxy]

If you have any interest at all in other musical forms or Americana or American history, for that matter, I would recommend the latest thing from Ken Burns on country music.

 

I'm passingly interested in country -- mostly from growing up in a house where my dad would play Uncle Dave Macon or Ernest Tubbs records. (Fun bit of family trivia -- the first time I ever saw a prostitute was on a family trip through Nashville and my dad insisted on stopping downtown at the Ernest Tubbs record store . . .)

 

But the stories are interesting, even if you're not really a fan -- although I was more engrossed in the early episodes. As it gets more modern, my interest has waned a bit, but I thought I would pop on here and strongly recommend the first two or three.

 

I've watched the first three and they were great. I have a fondness for documentaries and especially ones that are about music or the people performing the music and these are some of both. I think it's interesting to hear some of the stuff my dad did when I was a kid like the yodeling parts of some songs. I thought my dad was just doing that and didn't know that it originated in old timey country music.

 

Also interesting to see very young people like Johnny Cash and Roy Acuff.

[blueschica]

If you have any interest at all in other musical forms or Americana or American history, for that matter, I would recommend the latest thing from Ken Burns on country music.

 

I'm passingly interested in country -- mostly from growing up in a house where my dad would play Uncle Dave Macon or Ernest Tubbs records. (Fun bit of family trivia -- the first time I ever saw a prostitute was on a family trip through Nashville and my dad insisted on stopping downtown at the Ernest Tubbs record store . . .)

 

But the stories are interesting, even if you're not really a fan -- although I was more engrossed in the early episodes. As it gets more modern, my interest has waned a bit, but I thought I would pop on here and strongly recommend the first two or three.

 

I've watched the first three and they were great. I have a fondness for documentaries and especially ones that are about music or the people performing the music and these are some of both. I think it's interesting to hear some of the stuff my dad did when I was a kid like the yodeling parts of some songs. I thought my dad was just doing that and didn't know that it originated in old timey country music.

 

Also interesting to see very young people like Johnny Cash and Roy Acuff.

 

We have seen the first two so far and really enjoyed them. Like FG with his dad, my dad used to talk about "ol Hank" and how good his songs were. I knew Hank Williams had died from drinking but I had no idea he was still in his 20s and had written so many classic songs. The series is really worth a watch.

[JohnRogers]

Does Donna Fargo make an appearance?

[pjbear05]

If you have any interest at all in other musical forms or Americana or American history, for that matter, I would recommend the latest thing from Ken Burns on country music.

 

I'm passingly interested in country -- mostly from growing up in a house where my dad would play Uncle Dave Macon or Ernest Tubbs records. (Fun bit of family trivia -- the first time I ever saw a prostitute was on a family trip through Nashville and my dad insisted on stopping downtown at the Ernest Tubbs record store . . .)

 

But the stories are interesting, even if you're not really a fan -- although I was more engrossed in the early episodes. As it gets more modern, my interest has waned a bit, but I thought I would pop on here and strongly recommend the first two or three.

 

I've watched the first three and they were great. I have a fondness for documentaries and especially ones that are about music or the people performing the music and these are some of both. I think it's interesting to hear some of the stuff my dad did when I was a kid like the yodeling parts of some songs. I thought my dad was just doing that and didn't know that it originated in old timey country music.

 

Also interesting to see very young people like Johnny Cash and Roy Acuff.

 

We have seen the first two so far and really enjoyed them. Like FG with his dad, my dad used to talk about "ol Hank" and how good his songs were. I knew Hank Williams had died from drinking but I had no idea he was still in his 20s and had written so many classic songs. The series is really worth a watch.

Alcohol and Chloral Hydrate, the classic Mickey Finn, from whence came the term "slip them a Mickey"-and not a malt liquor.

[Mithrandir]

Does Donna Fargo make an appearance?

Her funny face did appear.

[Fordgalaxy]

What a great series. Something that I had no idea about was Kris Kristofferson being an officer in the Army and teaching at West Point. When he decided to go into music full time, he resigned his commission and moved to Nashville. When he told his parents (his dad was a general in the Air Force), his mom told him to not come around anymore or even write to them because she didn't know anyone who listened to that "trash" and he was an "embarrassment". Harsh and uncalled for, but he clearly proved her wrong.

[blueschica]

What a great series. Something that I had no idea about was Kris Kristofferson being an officer in the Army and teaching at West Point. When he decided to go into music full time, he resigned his commission and moved to Nashville. When he told his parents (his dad was a general in the Air Force), his mom told him to not come around anymore or even write to them because she didn't know anyone who listened to that "trash" and he was an "embarrassment". Harsh and uncalled for, but he clearly proved her wrong.

 

That was an interesting episode! I thought it told a lot about Johnny Cash's personality and heart when they told the story about how Cash would let Kristofferson observe him record, even though Kris was just a janitor at the company at the time. I still have a few episodes to watch but I'm really enjoying them.