Country Music - A film by Ken Burns

[Steel Shank 9430]

Not unexpected, but still disappointed George Strait didn't agree to an interview. He certainly brought a lot to the table. Looks like Burns just gave him a quick "nod" and moved on. George missed out. Really disappointing.

[Litig8r 414]

It is amazing how many threads this show pulled together for me. Also I'm amazed how many different music worm holes it sent me down.  Here was one I posted on facebook on my birthday   I saw the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band at Rip Hewes field in Dothan Alabama in 1974. It was the first concert I ever went to. All I really knew was they sang "Mr. Bojangles". Todd Snider really filled me in on the history of that song and I sort of forgot about the NGDB. On the episode I watched last night (it mainly focused on Willie and Waylon) they had a segment on NGDB three disc album, "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" and what a classic all-time all-star recording it was. This morning I listened to parts of the recording on Itunes and the first song I listened to was "Tennessee Stud" which featured Doc Watson. Doc Watson played in Marianna in the late 70s at the Sand Hills Blue grass festival which I attended. So that tied some things together. The NGDB Circle album was a lot of live recordings and in the into to Tennessee Stud, there is a call out from one the musicians that repeats a line from the song “I whipped her brother and I whipped her pa”.
I have been a fan of John Craigie and did a show for him in Marianna (my hometown in the Florida Panhandle. One of his songs which turned me on to his unique songwriting was “Michael Collins” which tells the story of the Apollo 11 landing from the perspective of the one guy on the mission who didn’t get to land on the moon”. In the intro to Michael Collins/out take to Tumbling Dice, there is a shout out from one of the musicians that is exactly the same as the call out as the NGDB record. Craigie responds with, “Nice Call Out.” I now see what a great call out it was!.
Thanks for Birthday Wishes. Give yourself a present and watch Ken Burn’s Country Music. 

[Buzzrock 14936]

I totally lost it when the first strains of “Hurt” started playing in episode 8. I knew it was coming and it didn’t matter, I was sobbing. I don’t think any film or tv has ever done that to me. We have friends staying with us this weekend and I’m glad they didn’t walk out and see me like that.

And if Kathy Mattea’s story didn’t move you then check your pulse.

What an exceptional piece of work. 16 and a half hours long and I can’t wait to watch it again. It made me feel privileged that I have even a modicum of musical talent, and makes me want to nurture it even more in my daughter and encourage her to share it with the world, something I’ve mostly been too chickenshit to do.

[retread 2951]

Vince Gill and Patty Loveless singing Go Rest High on that Mountain at George Jones' funeral got me. 

 

[RPM 26341]

KERA running a 1978 Waylon concert tonight at 1am.

[Wally Pryor 5262]

On 9/25/2019 at 7:30 AM, EMAWesome said:

.For that matter performer wise, they pretty much just blipped over Glen Campbell.

Yeah, that's the biggest hiccup in the whole thing.  Great job by Burns overall. But essentially bypassing Campbell and Webb is inexcusable for a documentary this deep.

 

[atomheartbevo 89778]

21 hours ago, Wally Pryor said:

Yeah, that's the biggest hiccup in the whole thing.  Great job by Burns overall. But essentially bypassing Campbell and Webb is inexcusable for a documentary this deep.

I was thinking Campbell got the Kenny Rogers/Jim Reeves treatment - either cross-over and not pure country from the beginning, or not contributing enough to advancing country music.

However, I think it's probably the Conway Twitty thing - Campbell left 8 kids by 4 wives, and there was a nasty estate dispute going on during the filming of Country Music, complete with kids being disowned/kicked out of the will, said kids suing for royalties, etc.

[Wally Pryor 5262]

Interesting point(s).

[Post Oak 20256]

I don't know where it ranks with Ken Burns other epics but I absolutely loved it.  

It was educational, nostalgic and emotional.  

Well done Ken.

[tbone_ 14146]

I’m not sure where to put this so I’ll put them here. Got these as a birthday present tonight. Apparently they were my grandads.

[Chad Fuck 17743]

I’m not sure where to put this so I’ll put them here. Got these as a birthday present tonight. Apparently they were my grandads.

You really should get a 78 spinning jukebox to put those in. For parties and such.

[tbone_ 14146]

My mother was complaining about how much they cost to frame so I’ll probably leave them like that for a while.

[tbone_ 14146]

I did not know that Vince Gill was in Pure Prairie League.

[Buzzrock 14936]

Happy birthday tbone. Cool present

[Scooter Monzingo 821]

it is probably because of my age. But damn a lot of those old tunes hit home.

Edited October 23, 2019 by Scooter Monzingo
Age...lots of age

[noharleyyet 2844]

On 10/21/2019 at 10:40 PM, tbone_ said:

I did not know that Vince Gill was in Pure Prairie League.

Recorded Amie on their greatest hits but not the original version. 

[Not that Bob 739]

On 10/20/2019 at 8:28 PM, tbone_ said:

My mother was complaining about how much they cost to frame so I’ll probably leave them like that for a while.

You can hear that music numerous ways, but those framed 78's are a thing of beauty and a memory of your mother and grandfather. Display them proudly. 

[tantric superman 4667]

As someone who can play almost 10 open chords and a couple of barre chords, I would have loved a little less repetitive "salt of the earth stuff" and a bit more craft?  When did you practice? Could you read music?  Did you ever get beyond three chords?

On the one hand, these guys had to milk the cows and pick cotton from sunup til sundown.  On the other hand, there was no x-box to distract you from fiddling with the guitar.  So, four good hours of practice every night?  etc. 

Who were musicians.  Who were passing musicians and pure entertainers? 

Ken Burns is so good, it's no sign of disrespect to state what wasn't in there that you would have liked.

Crap, I would love for Marsalis to do follow up 6 hour documentaries just on the craft.

 

[Gil Bang 25999]

On 10/21/2019 at 8:40 PM, tbone_ said:

I did not know that Vince Gill was in Pure Prairie League.

for a cup of coffee

[Chad Fuck 17743]

On 1/19/2020 at 7:18 PM, tantric superman said:

As someone who can play almost 10 open chords and a couple of barre chords, I would have loved a little less repetitive "salt of the earth stuff" and a bit more craft?  When did you practice? Could you read music?  Did you ever get beyond three chords?

On the one hand, these guys had to milk the cows and pick cotton from sunup til sundown.  On the other hand, there was no x-box to distract you from fiddling with the guitar.  So, four good hours of practice every night?  etc. 

Who were musicians.  Who were passing musicians and pure entertainers? 

Ken Burns is so good, it's no sign of disrespect to state what wasn't in there that you would have liked.

Crap, I would love for Marsalis to do follow up 6 hour documentaries just on the craft.

 

While I would have loved a pure craft thread (I could listen to Marsalis talk for hours about this), I think it would be beyond the scope of what he was trying to do:  tell the broad brush story of the history of country music.  People want to hear the song, not the writing/crafting/practicing of the song.  Ask any of my girlfriends in high school/college/grad school.  They'll tell you.

 

[Ignatius 4018]

Just purchased/binge-watched this for the first time, holy shit! Love everything Burns has done, and growing up in West Texas I was familiar with a lot of this, but damn that's a hell of a watch. I live in NYC now and my nightly break from the CV madness is jogging 2-3 miles down the middle of the streets in my neighborhoods 'cuz pretty much nobody's driving down them. Kris Kristofferson's "Sunday Morning Coming Day" has felt appropriate throughout...