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Country Music: A Film by Ken Burns

Season 1
Ken Burns's eight-part, 16-hour documentary series, COUNTRY MUSIC, chronicles the history of a uniquely American art form, focusing on the biographies of the fascinating characters who created it.
201911 episodesX-Ray16+
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Episodes

  1. S1 E1 - The Rub (Beginnings –1933)
    September 14, 2019
    1 h 52 min
    TV-PG
    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.
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  2. S1 E2 - Hard Times (1933 –1945)
    September 15, 2019
    1 h 53 min
    TV-14
    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.
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  3. S1 E3 - The Hillbilly Shakespeare (1945 –1953)
    September 16, 2019
    1 h 53 min
    TV-14
    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.
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  4. S1 E4 - I Can’t Stop Loving You (1953 –1963)
    September 17, 2019
    1 h 51 min
    TV-14
    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.
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  5. S1 E5 - The Sons and Daughters Of America (1964 –1968)
    September 21, 2019
    1 h 54 min
    TV-14
    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.
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  6. S1 E6 - Will the Circle Be Unbroken (1968-1972)
    September 22, 2019
    1 h 52 min
    TV-14
    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.
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  7. S1 E7 - Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way? (1973-1983)
    September 23, 2019
    2 h 20 min
    TV-14
    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.
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  8. S1 E8 - Don’t Get Above Your Raisin’ (1984 –1996)
    September 24, 2019
    1 h 54 min
    TV-PG
    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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  9. S1 E105 - Bonus: “Will the Circle Be Unbroken:” Country Music’s National Anthem
    Watch on supported devices
    September 15, 2019
    3min
    ALL
    More discussion of “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.”
    First episode free
  10. S1 E107 - Bonus: Elvis: The Hillbilly Cat
    Watch on supported devices
    September 15, 2019
    8min
    ALL
    More on Elvis and rockabilly.
    First episode free

Extras

Bonus

Bonus: Dolly Parton: “Pretty Fair Maid”
Bonus: Dolly Parton: “Pretty Fair Maid”
2minNR
Dolly Parton sings “Pretty Fair Maid."
Dolly Parton sings “Pretty Fair Maid."
Dolly Parton sings “Pretty Fair Maid."

Details

More info

Content advisory
Violencealcohol usesmokingfoul languagesexual content
Audio languages
English
Subtitles
English (UK) [CC]English (US) [CC]
Directors
Ken Burns
Producers
Ken BurnsDayton DuncanJulie Dunfey
Cast
Peter Coyote
Studio
PBS
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