# (Ken Burns) Country Music Documentary **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 16, 2019, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-country-music-documentary/840317 "2019-09-16T15:26:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-country-music-documentary/840317/181 "2019-10-02T13:42:09Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > … What, you can’t say “Richie Valens and The Big Bopper”??? A lot of stuff like this. … Yeah - WTF?! Isn’t Mexico a “country”? 😉 One of my buddies has repeatedly complained about them describing something that took place in the early 50s, and showing photos of streets with 55 Chevys. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-country-music-documentary/840317/182 "2019-10-02T15:22:31Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Mildly interesting op-ed in the paper the other day, comparing what the series described about country incorporating diverse influences - black spirituals, British Isles fiddle music, polkas - what might today be called cultural appropriation. Yeah, and things like country music (or really, just about any other art form) make me think that cultural appropriation is about the most bankrupt idea there can be besides racism. ---
**Author:** ![Periwinkle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Periwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Periwinkle)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-country-music-documentary/840317/183 "2019-10-02T18:23:28Z")
> [@installLSC](#): > > Unfortunately, I haven’t seen the series because I’ve been very busy at work. But from reviews of the series, it sounds like all country crossover artists (Eddy Arnold, Jim Reeves, Kenny Rogers,etc.) have been almost totally ignored. Is that right? And does anyone think that’s effected the series? They were mentioned but not much. I had posted earlier about another example, Glen Campbell being give short shrift. I don’t know much about the other two, but given the huge success of Glen Campbell and Kenny Rogers in the genre, yes I do think it was strange, and I wish a different prioritization had been made in some cases. Of course each individual is going to have their own opinions, but it’s interesting to see that reviews of the series are mentioning this. It was certainly noticeable to me. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2019, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-country-music-documentary/840317/184 "2019-10-13T17:21:23Z")
Any suggestions on the next Burns documentary I should watch? What topic would you like him to cover? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2019, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-country-music-documentary/840317/185 "2019-10-13T18:32:19Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > Any suggestions on the next Burns documentary I should watch? What topic would you like him to cover? Gaming. Too soon? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2019, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-country-music-documentary/840317/186 "2019-10-13T18:39:33Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > Any suggestions on the next Burns documentary I should watch? What topic would you like him to cover? I found _Prohibition_ (2011) and _The National Parks: America’s Best Idea_ (2009) to be extremely interesting, and very well-done. I also like _Baseball_ (1994), but it is _long_ (over 18 hours), and may be of less interest if you aren’t a baseball fan. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2019, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-country-music-documentary/840317/187 "2019-10-13T18:43:36Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Gaming. Too soon? Oh, I misread. I thought you were asking about a ‘new’ one. Watch the ‘Civil War’ one for sure. He did one on the Brooklyn Bridge, early on. I liked that one. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2019, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-country-music-documentary/840317/188 "2019-10-13T19:54:02Z")
Some of my favorite Ken Burns documentaries are: The Civil War Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery The Central Park Five The Vietnam War The Civil War and The Vietnam War are long. The other two are much shorter. A documentary on the history of immigration in the U.S. would be interesting, although it might be too broad in focus for Burns. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2019, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-country-music-documentary/840317/189 "2019-10-13T20:09:30Z")
Oh, I’d forgotten about Lewis and Clark. Good one. Vietnam as well. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2019, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-country-music-documentary/840317/190 "2019-10-13T20:33:26Z")
The rise & fall of Vaudeville would be a great subject. [He’s evidently already working on stand-up comedy.](https://www.neh.gov/about/awards/jefferson-lecture/ken-burns-biography) ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2019, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-country-music-documentary/840317/191 "2019-10-13T20:38:03Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > Any suggestions on the next Burns documentary I should watch? What topic would you like him to cover? I found his series on WW II particularly riveting. I think it’s called “The War”. It follows several families from before to after. Some really amazing stories and breathtaking footage and photos, most of which were new to me. ---
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2019, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-country-music-documentary/840317/192 "2019-10-13T21:30:31Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > Any suggestions on the next Burns documentary I should watch? What topic would you like him to cover? [The Mayo Clinic](https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/the-mayo-clinic/) from 2018 was good. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2019, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-country-music-documentary/840317/193 "2019-10-14T05:48:33Z")
> [@Periwinkle](#): > > They were mentioned but not much. I had posted earlier about another example, Glen Campbell being give short shrift. I don’t know much about the other two, but given the huge success of Glen Campbell and Kenny Rogers in the genre, yes I do think it was strange, and I wish a different prioritization had been made in some cases. Of course each individual is going to have their own opinions, but it’s interesting to see that reviews of the series are mentioning this. It was certainly noticeable to me. I don’t know if it’s been mentioned, but I read something about Glen Campbell’s widow refusing to cooperate (probably wanted a big payoff) and Ken Burns was forced to rely on ‘stock footage’ of him in concerts, to include him in the series at all. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2019, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-country-music-documentary/840317/194 "2019-10-14T18:32:31Z")
I enjoyed this documentary a lot. I listen to country music, and this gave me a lot more songs to listen to. I especially liked the bluegrass instrumentals. I heard some lyrics about “Tenbrooks beating Molly”, which I was pleasantly surprised to discover was about a horse race, not an abusive boyfriend. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2019, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-country-music-documentary/840317/195 "2019-10-15T19:06:17Z")
I asked for both existing documentaries and new ideas for same. What do you mean by gaming? Casinos? Gambling? Scrabble? I think Silicon Valley, the Cold War, South America, The Middle East and Modern Art would all be potentially great docs. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ken-burns-country-music-documentary/840317.md?page=9)