Country Music 9x51, 7x120 + 1x150

“Country fans will be gobsmacked. And those who think they have no interest in the genre will have to think again…With an avalanche of rare preserved footage, exhaustive research, and color commentary from such luminaries as Garth Brooks, Loretta Lynn, and Willie Nelson, Burns has accomplished another herculean feat of posterity-building. He establishes a public record of all that his chosen topic means to the people at its center — joy, heartbreak, hope, and everything in between.” – Rolling Stone

“Burns’ pedigree instantly signals that country music demands attention, especially from those who may have previously reduced the genre to outdated stereotypes.” – Billboard

Step back in time and journey through the compelling history of a musical art form with Country Music, a new eight-part film directed by Ken Burns, and produced by Burns and his long-time collaborators Dayton Duncan and Julie Dunfey. The series chronicles country music’s early days, from southern Appalachia’s songs of struggle, heartbreak and faith to the rollicking Western swing of Texas, California’s honky-tonks and Nashville’s “Grand Ole Opry.” The film follows the evolution of country music over the course of the 20^th century.

Country Music explores crucial questions – “What is country music?” and “Where did it come from?”– while focusing on the biographies of the fascinating trailblazers who created and shaped it — from the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers, Bill Monroe and Bob Wills to Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, Charley Pride, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Garth Brooks and many more — as well as the times in which they lived. Much like the music itself, the film tells unforgettable stories of hardships and joys shared by everyday people.

Screen Episode 1: “The Rub” (Beginnings – 1933)

Screen Episode 2: “Hard Times” (1933 – 1945)

Screen Episode 3:“The Hillbilly Shakespeare” (1945 – 1953)

Screen Episode 4: “I Can’t Stop Loving You” (1953 – 1963)

Screen Episode 5: “The Sons and Daughters of America” (1964 – 1968)

Screen Episode 6: “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?” (1968 – 1972)

Screen Episode 7: “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way?” (1973 – 1983)

Screen Episode 8: “Music Will Get Through” (1973 – 1983)

Screen Episode 9: “Don’t Get Above Your Raisin” (1984 – 1996)

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