Your takeaways from Ken Burns' Country Music Series on PBS

I read there were times during the making of his eight-part series "Country Music" that Ken Burns cried "uncontrollably". I noticed several accounts in last night's series finale where the sadness would make someone emotional. The series reflected many life lessons that could benefit all of us, perhaps the most valuable being the need to be persistent and keep trying no matter how many times you get turned down. Granted, it's a lesson you'll find in many aspects of work and everyday life. Still, you have to credit those who refuse to give up when it comes to following their passion.

Even my wife, who isn't a country music fan herself, thought it was a great and monumental television documentary. But then, has Ken Burns ever delivered anything less?

I’m only halfway through, but it may be his best yet.

Perhaps because it is more modern and there is film as opposed to just pictures. But the legacies that people like Jimmie Rogers, the Carters, Roy Acuff, Ernest Tubb, and so many others left is just amazing.

The dedication to their craft as well as passing it on the younger generations was so great. I was especially taken by the relationship that developed between Charlie Pride and Faron Young, at a time when those things didn’t come easily.

Can’t wait to get through the last 8 hours.

Ken Burns is truly one of the great talents of our time.....

The wife and I are really enjoying it. I love old country music, and I’m learning a lot about the people and their motivations.

I found it very informative and entertaining but I must admit that I find today's CM to be nothing more than a cheap imitation and not worth listening to.

Today’s country music isn’t from the heart or life experiences. The old stuff was.

Hard to find what I consider country music any more. I have really enjoy Ken Burns series so far.

Nashville country has been commercialized and has sucked for a long time. There is still authentic and good country music to be found. A lot of it from Texas.

I was surprised at the struggle and amount of time it took Garth Brooks to get started. You just cannot beat some of the old country entertainers with their music. It is really like stepping back in time.

He’s correct, I go to concerts almost every weekend. There is plenty of great country music but, most of it ain’t coming out of Nashville.

I enjoyed the show, just missed two episodes.

I'll third that motion! many very good TX country/"red dirt" artists out there to see. NO skinny jeans allowed

I got in on it late and only caught about an hour and a half. It really took me back and I loved it!

Another fact that becomes obvious while watching the series is that while some might see these country artists as being backward, the vast majority are extremely insightful and intelligent.

I have been especially impressed with the comments and insight demonstrated by Dwight Yoakam.

Looking forward to seeing it....grew up listening to all that stuff....but the day "country" music entertainers started rapping it became dead to me....haven't listened in 10 years unless it was folks I grew up listening to....

Modern "country" Jes isn't.....

^^^^^ This!

Not really a Ken Burns fan but he did a fine job with Country Music. Modern music of all kinds is pretty much junk. Maybe there is some out there but I don't care to search through the junk to find it.

IMO, the series is much like fine Kentucky whiskey. It's best when sipped a little bit at a time.

God bless Dwight Yoakum.

I saw two episodes and plan to watch it all. Drugs and alcohol were a big player in what I saw. Same can be said with all music that shaped many of our favorite groups back then. The song writers were right along side the guys back then. I went and saw Larry Gaitlin a few years ago in a church setting. Man they were messed up and didn't hold back with what they did. Garth and George came out on the other side of all that. Willie stuck with the green weed... Good idea or he would be dead like most.

My business college law professor talked about Merle every class. Pretty sure he represented him a few times...

Ken Burns always seems to deliver. His series on the Civil War and The West were amazing. I can't wait to plug into this new series.

Burns noted in a recent interview how it took eight years to produce the series. Anyone notice the artists who are interviewed in the series who have since passed? Merle Haggard passed away in 2016.

Open a dictionary to "Cool". There's D-wights picture. Marty Stuarts too.

He said in an interview that of the 80 or so that they interviewed, 20 are gone....among them Roy Clark and Mel Tillis.

My takeaway was that of how much money & my life was wasted partying, having a good time during the 70's and 80's. Probably wouldn't change any of it, just saying.

My take is that all the “that ain’t country” threads are ridiculous.

It made obvious that country music has and will continue to add new sounds
and grow. It is not a rigid genre and that is what makes it great.

The popular crap today ain’t Country. Period. That’s why the documentary stopped in the mid-90s, so they could avoid controversy because everyone on that show (with the possible exception of Darius Rucker) would have said so.

Flexible? Yes.

Hard rock licks and rap being Country? Nope.

I think that country music is, for me, what I personally think is country music. Probably most of ya’ll are the same. A lot of the folks that Burns included in the program, such as Glenn Campbell, were never (to me) country at all.

I think most of what we hear is best categorized as Popular or Pop Music these days. I’m not totally sure that much of anything out of Nashville is real country music. We just pick out the songs that we like, as we always did. The radio continues to play what they are told to play, just like it has always been. They just aren’t playing what we want, if it still even exists. And that’s why I’ve enjoyed what Burns has put together. All that’s good, but my wife now wants to run off with a young Merle Haggard.

One thing Burns minimized was what they used to call George Jones. He’d get drunk and not show up, and for a time he was referred to as “No Show Jones”.

All that was covered pretty extensively in two separate segments. Including the name and the reason for it. Along with footage of him getting arrested for drunk driving.

The type of country music that most of us enjoy
is being called Americana. I’m fine with that.

Enjoyed the ones I have watched so far, need to catch up on the DVR

I'm only about half in but everything I've seen has been excellent.

I know people that hate country music and even they are watching.

Great documentary. I learned a lot of things I didn't know and was reminded of a lot of things I'd forgotten. I found it very interesting and entertaining and hated when it ended.

Well...there ya go. Hell, even I like Merle.

The series is filled with accounts where those who eventually made it big, never found it beyond them to take low-paying jobs just to get by.

Fantastic. Wife and I really, really enjoyed it. I grew up on it, dancing to it from Wichita Falls, Windthorst, Gruene and most points in between. On our trips to Kentucky I always want to spend a night in Nashville and party like teenagers, posting up at the bar just inside the door at Tootsies. We also take a trip once a year to the Hill country and spend the day at Lukenbach listening to whoever is there, never been let down.

Country Music is full of heart and soul, just like this series was. My wife wants "Will the Circle be Unbroken" sang at her funeral.

Great as always. Ken Burns is no non-sense. I'm a big Waylon and Townes fan. Heart and Soul is right. Good Hearted Woman is our song (unfortunately). Married 21 Years though.

I may be preaching to the choir but if you have not seen these, you should.

"National Parks, Americas Best Idea"
"Baseball"
"The Dust Bowl"
"Vietnam"

I don’t know how you did a 10 hour documentary on country music and spend two minutes on George Strait. Just watching the documentary you’d think Marty Stewart invented country music. He also spent way too much time on Johnny Cash and the Carters, leaving out many important musicians. Other than that I thought it was good.

Because he’s an entertainer not a song writer, musician, trailblazer or even an artist.

He sings the songs somebody else writes.

Marty Stuart was the best interview on the show,
which is probably why he was so prominent.
I never got the feeling he was being credited
for any more than that and being a child prodigy.

I've enjoyed it so far and I appreciate Ken Burns but I'm pretty sure he would cry uncontrollably over a spilled latte.

Have a greater appreciation for Hank Williams, the Carter Family, Jimmie Dickens, Jimmy Rodgers and all the other older artists back then. Of all of them, I find myself looking up and listening to more of the Carters now. I prefer the bluegrass sound anyways and the respect that Skaggs and Stewart have for their elders is profound, as it should be.

Civil War as well

The West
Prohibition
Jazz
WW2 8 episodes
The Roosevelts
Mayo Clinic
Baseball
Congress
and there are many more. Some Great work.

If you missed any of the CM series you can view them on PBS.