History of country music on PBS

[smokeless]

I too was miffed that George only got a small part. I think it is a Johnny Cash special. Over and over and over......poor Johnny and his drug addiction.

[AntlerCollector]

It was a great series until they gave George Strait barely a passing mention.

A 48 year career with 60 #1 hits deserves more recognition than that.

Did George Strait write any of those hit songs he sang?

[rvd]

Did George Strait write any of those hit songs he sang?

Some but he was pretty busy recording #1's, pays a little better than writing them.

[AntlerCollector]

Some but he was pretty busy recording #1's, pays a little better than writing them.

No doubt he's made lots of money, and a great career singing other people's song. I guess it doesn't suck to be the highest bidder if you can afford it.

I haven't seen the episode about GS yet, but I will say this series has leaned a lot on the singer/song writers. Maybe that's why George didn't get his due. Idk.

[SaltwaterSlick]

I haven't gotten to the "Strait" episode yet, but I personally have never been a George Strait fan... Further, this series so far has been about people that were pioneers, that started a genre', that did something new and different... I don't recall George ever doing anything like that. He was a very successful singer, but did nothing new best I recall... To me, he was a little guy with a big guitar and an average at best singer/performer that benefited from timing.

[220swift]

Strait was the person that brought traditional country music back to the front of the line again. The episode touches on that a bit. (they called it "neo-traditional". Nobody was playing traditional country in the 1980's. It had all gone to pop/country.

[splitbeam145]

No doubt he's made lots of money, and a great career singing other people's song. I guess it doesn't suck to be the highest bidder if you can afford it.

I haven't seen the episode about GS yet, but I will say this series has leaned a lot on the singer/song writers. Maybe that's why George didn't get his due. Idk.

My thought too. They covered a lot on singers that actually wrote hit songs.

[whitetailfanatic]

I’ve seen a few and missed a few, was definitely surprised about how much willie has written for others

[Mertzon Man]

Been watching and really enjoying!

[kennyelp]

Great show, Ken Burns is the best. I think all Americans should be required to watch his Civil War documentary, that series was awesome.

[rvd]

My thought too. They covered a lot on singers that actually wrote hit songs.

My wife suggested GS might not have given them much time. Most of the people they spent a lot of time on haven’t been relevant in years, GS is still relevant and I don’t remember them even interviewing him.

Agree it was a great documentary.

[Gary Roberson]

I think that I watched the whole series and thoroughly enjoyed it. I cannot and will not listen to the junk that is considered country today.
Adios,
Gary

[Terry]

It seems like every 10 years or so someone states country music is dead, it’s not like it used to be. I heard that in the 1950’s,60’s,70’s,80’s,90’s and now again in the 2000’s. I don’t know, CM seems to defy outright permanent classification. Best I heard was three chords and the truth. I suspect CM will survive all our efforts to limit it.

[SaltwaterSlick]

I watched the third episode last night.. the one with Hank and all the bluegrass history in it... That episode is my "Wheelhouse" in music. It was amazing that almost all the songs and partial tracts featured in this episode are all songs I know and have played/sang many, many times... I knew almost all the people the program featured in some form or other. I'll likely watch that one again.


And TERRY, I also loved the description of E.T., "three chords and the truth..."!!



The author Ken Burns must have been working on this documentary for a long time as quite a few of the people in the program that were featured in "live" interviews are now gone...

[AntlerCollector]

I guess he could have done a 9th episode with today's singers, but decided no one would care
He pretty much gave them the middle finger.

It was a great documentary showing it's early days, and how it was all created. He did a great job of illustrating when the torched was passed and by whom. Everyone was influenced by someone,. Overall it was a great show. I've never been a big Marty Stewart fan, but wow at his career. He played in seemingly every generation of the music. Those who say George Strait didn't get his due I would have to disagree. He wasn't revolutionary in his music. He didn't change country or fight the system for the betterment of the artists. George Strait got every ounce of success he could out of his talent. Lots of great singers barely got a mention. Some only a still photo, and others no mention at all. With the way the show seemed to be geared towards the bad boys, song writers, and all their problems, I was surprised David Alan Coe wasn't mentioned. It still gets an A+ in my book.