Series synopsis
Country Music is an American documentary television series that premiered on PBS on September 15, 2019. It ended on September 25, 2019. It stars Peter Coyote.
Explore the history of a uniquely American art form: country music. From its deep and tangled roots in ballads, blues and hymns performed in small settings, to its worldwide popularity, learn how country music evolved over the course of the 20th century, as it eventually emerged to become America’s music.
Premise
Explore the history of a uniquely American art form: country music. From its deep and tangled roots in ballads, blues and hymns performed in small settings, to its worldwide popularity, learn how country music evolved over the course of the 20th century, as it eventually emerged to become America’s music.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Peter Coyote as Narrator
Guest cast
- Jimmy Rogers as Himself (archive footage)
- DeFord Bailey as Himself (archive footage)
- Roy Acuff as Himself (archive footage)
- Hank Williams as Himself (archive footage)
- Randy Travis as Self (archive footage)
Episodes
This series spans 2 seasons with 47 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 0 | 39 | June 14, 2019 | January 10, 2020 |
| Season 1 | 8 | September 15, 2019 | September 25, 2019 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
PBS Previews: Country Music A special preview of the series. Meet the filmmakers, go behind the scenes, and enjoy exclusive clips from the films. |
June 14, 2019 |
| 2 |
Country Music: Live at the Ryman Concert Join celebrated musicians for a concert celebrating the series. Hosted by Burns and featuring performances and appearances by Dierks Bentley, Rosanne Cash, Rhiannon Giddens, Vince Gill, Kathy Mattea, Marty Stuart, Dwight Yoakam and more. |
September 3, 2019 |
| 3 |
Ketch Secor: Old Fiddle and Banjo Tunes DVD Special Feature Disc 1 -1 |
September 6, 2019 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Rub (Beginnings -1933) See how what was first called “hillbilly music” reaches new audiences through phonographs and radio, and launches the careers of country music's first big stars, the Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers. |
September 15, 2019 |
| 2 |
Hard Times (1933 -1945) Watch as Nashville becomes the heart of the country music industry. The genre grows in popularity during the Great Depression and World War II as America falls in love with singing cowboys, Texas Swing and the Grand Ole Opry's Roy Acuff. |
September 16, 2019 |
| 3 |
The Hillbilly Shakespeare (1945 -1953) See how the bluegrass sound spreads in post-war America, and meet honky-tonk star Hank Williams, whose songs of surprisingly emotional depth are derived from his troubled and tragically short life. |
September 17, 2019 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | PBS |
|---|---|
| First aired | September 15, 2019 |
| Last aired | September 25, 2019 |
| Runtime | 117 minutes |
| Status | ended |
| Schedule | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Sunday at 20:00:00 |