FanFare

Raised in rural Kentucky poverty and married at the age of 13, Loretta Lynn (Sissy Spacek) begins writing and singing her own country songs in her early 20s. With the tireless help of her husband Oliver "Doo" Lynn (Tommy Lee Jones), Loretta rises from local honky-tonks and small-time record deals to national tours and hit singles, befriending her idol Patsy Cline (Beverly D'Angelo) and becoming a country music icon despite the toll stardom takes on her family and her marriage. [more inside]
posted by DirtyOldTown on Oct 4, 2022 - 1 comment

A promising up-and-coming country duo (Abby Quinn, Alexxis Lemire) seek out the secluded mansion of their idol Harper Dutch (Katey Sagal) a former country music star and Nashville royalty turned recluse. What starts out as a friendly visit devolves into a twisted series of horrors forcing the friends to confront the lengths they will go to realize their dreams. [more inside]
posted by DirtyOldTown on Aug 29, 2022 - 4 comments

In this acclaimed Robert Altman drama, the lives of numerous people in the Tennessee capital intersect in unpredictable ways. Delbert Reese (Ned Beatty) is a lawyer and political organizer who is having difficulties in his marriage to Linnea (Lily Tomlin), a gospel vocalist. Other performers heavily featured in this renowned ensemble production include patriotic singer Haven Hamilton (Henry Gibson), country singers Barbara Jean (Ronee Blakley) and Connie White (Karen Black), who are rivals in the city's thriving music scene. [more inside]
posted by DirtyOldTown on Jun 23, 2022 - 4 comments

"Radiolab creator and host Jad Abumrad spent the last two years following around music legend Dolly Parton, and we're here to say you should tune in! In this episode of Radiolab, we showcase the first of Jad's special series, Dolly Parton's America. In this intensely divided moment, one of the few things everyone still seems to agree on is Dolly Parton—but why? That simple question leads to a deeply personal, historical, and musical rethinking of one of America's great icons." Note: this episode contains an interview with Metafilter's own Paul Slade.
posted by mandolin conspiracy on Oct 20, 2019 - 1 comment

PBS: Explore the history of country music – from its roots in ballads, hymns and the blues to its mainstream popularity – and meet the unforgettable characters and storytellers who made it “America’s Music.” Directed by Ken Burns. [more inside]
posted by 1970s Antihero on Sep 18, 2019 - 20 comments

Anyone watching the new Ken Burns doc Country Music? Thoughts? [more inside]
posted by Thorzdad on Sep 18, 2019 - 1 comment

A music biopic recounting the life story of the "hillbilly Shakespeare," singer and songwriter Hank Williams, a Southern icon with a voice of pure searing pain... [more inside]
posted by DirtyOldTown on Sep 17, 2019 - 5 comments