Country Music

A History

By: Dayton Duncan, Ken Burns

Narrated by: Brian Corrigan, Dayton Duncan, Ken Burns

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

YOU WILL LOVE

If you are a country music fan, this book is for you.. If you want to learn where all the great country music songs comes from, this book is for you.

Great trip through history!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was unable to watch the PBS broadcast and now I feel so much better knowing that I was able to listen here on Audible. I felt that they did a great job keeping the continuity of not only the time, but of the artists and other very important people in the process of making country music. I liked hearing the quotes from not only country music people, but from other aspects of music as well.

Growing up in the late '60s and '70s, the middle of this book meant the most to me. but I also learned a lot about early on. For example, Web Pierce was always one of my favorite singers, and I had no idea that Elvis and Johnny Cash toured together with him in the early years.

Even if country music isn't your thing, this is a very very good recount of how music affects all of us and how we affect music. Thanks for releasing this audiobook.

A must for any country music fan

This (audio) book, and the PBS documentary that goes with it, are a must for any country music fan. Top quality work!

A great History

A great history of Country Music. I finally listened to this a year after watching the PBS documentary, and the book is no less well written and inviting. While the audiobook has some lengthy chapters (one of which is almost 3 hours long), overall, it is a great listen that takes us through the simultaneously short and long history of Country Music.

Comprehensive history of a music I love

This was a fascinating look into the only music I really listen to. I did not know much of the early history but was intrigued to learn about it. So many of the greats were discussed, as well as the not so well known. I'd love for this to be expanded into the 90s and 2000s now to add to the history. Great work.

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 historical story

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

A Must Listen

If you’re a music buff or a history buff or both, you will love and benefit from this. It really gives you a new love and understanding not only of country music but American culture. It’s like a finely crafted novel! Huge thanks to the creators for putting fourth this master work that will help educate upcoming generations.

Fantastic. Simply fantastic.

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

Very well done.

The material was great. Just a very well written history of country music. It would have been amazing to actually hear the music referenced, like I imagine they had for the documentary, but this was still an outstanding audiobook. And I thought the narration was very well done. Great pacing. I’d actually look for other books the main narrator has done to see if I’m interested in the story.