Country Music

A History

By: Dayton Duncan, Ken Burns

Narrated by: Brian Corrigan, Dayton Duncan, Ken Burns

Length: 18 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

The rich and colorful story of America's most popular music and the singers and songwriters who captivated, entertained, and consoled listeners throughout the 20th century - based on the upcoming eight-part film series to air on PBS in September 2019

This deeply researched and hugely entertaining history begins where country music itself emerged: the American South, where people sang to themselves and to their families at home and in church, and where they danced to fiddle tunes on Saturday nights. With the birth of radio in the 1920s, the songs moved from small towns, mountain hollers, and the wide-open West to become the music of an entire nation - a diverse range of sounds and styles from honky tonk to gospel to bluegrass to rockabilly, leading up through the decades to the music's massive commercial success today.

But above all, Country Music is the story of the musicians. Here is Hank Williams' tragic honky tonk life, Dolly Parton rising to fame from a dirt-poor childhood, and Loretta Lynn turning her experiences into songs that spoke to women everywhere. Here, too, are interviews with the genre's biggest stars, including the likes of Merle Haggard to Garth Brooks to Rosanne Cash. Rife with endlessly fascinating anecdotes, the stories in this sweeping yet intimate history will captivate longtime country fans and introduce new listeners to an extraordinary body of music that lies at the very center of the American experience.

©2019 Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns (P)2019 Random House Audio

Immersed in country music!

I was highly anticipating the PBS documentary. So much so that I pre-ordered the hardcover and audio versions of the book. None of them were disappointing. I'd watch an episode with the hardcover so I could follow along with pictures, then listen to the part of the book covering that episode the next day. Much easier to absorb the details that way.

As to the content of all of them, you get the most from the books. Does that mean absolutely everyone in country is covered? No, there just wouldn't be time. My husband was disappointed that it ends in 1996, but again, there are time constraints.

Another upside to this being a Ken Burns product is you get the facts, not tabloid fodder. (Maybe someone else would approach it the same way, but I'm a big fan of KB's Civil War, Roosevelt and Vietnam documentaries.)

Narration and production are all professional and polished. Well worth repeat listens!

a great listen

this was a great book! In my opionion the only thing that would make it better is if they would of put snippets of the songs in the audio.

Great Historical Documentary

Perfect Burns documentary that chronicles country music and its reflection on our shared history. Most American music is based on the influence of many peoples...country music is no different. This documentary show how country music reflected/s a way of life. Highly recommended. Watch the tv show as well. Like others, I wish they would have included more of the songs that shaped history.

Great History

This book connects all of the dots and fills in the gaps. It was really interesting to find out where it all comes from and understanding how each generation moved into the next gave me a lot more of an appreciation for what each one brought. If you are a music fan at all, even if country isn't your thing, this is a must. Its more than just country music, its a significant part of American history.

Fantastic. Simply fantastic.

Highly recommended to me and in turn, I highly recommend it to you. Blissful history, thoughtful and compelling NARRATION.

This is the WRONG narrator period , Nvm I redact

This is the WRONG narrator for this book period I can't express how much this turned me off from this book

Must listen

If you have “lived life,” or intend to, this history— the history of “us/US” — will nourish you, guide you, and possibly sustain you in a way few works can. My emotional roller coaster was in almost constant motion throughout this tome. Thank you, Dayton and Ken, for this obvious labor of love.

Stellar!

The only thing that would make this better is to hear snippets of the music throughout. Being an Audio version, this is a no brainer. I would periodically stop the book and ask Alexa to play a song that I did not know like the Blue Yodel. Overall 5 stars but had the potential to hit it out if the park.

Great historical story

I love books that tell history by telling the story. Great listen. So much feeling. Your time will be well spent listening.

Great Book

While not really a country music fan I do appreciate American history and the stories that are behind it. This book does a great job of educating the casual country listening fan

I believe I need to start listening to more country music.