ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS

Subject: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: Dharmabum
Date: 29 Aug 01 - 07:28 AM

I ran across this little snippet in the October issue of Acoustic Guitar magazine & checked out the fall preview on PBS.It does check out to be true.

AMERICAN ROOTS MUSIC,A four part documentary by filmmaker Jim Brown tracing the development of American music genres during the 20th century,including blues,country,gospel,bluegrass,cajun,zydeco,western swing,tejeno & native american.

According to PBS it will air on four consecutive Mondays from 8 to 9 pm,starting October 29th thru November 19th.

Occasionally,there is some TV worth watching.

DB.

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: GUEST,iamjohnne
Date: 29 Aug 01 - 11:43 AM

thanx dharmabum for the info but please, remind us a little closer to the date. I am getting a little on the old and forgetfulside and by then I wont have a clue. Besides, doesnt "fear factor" come on Monday nights.

johnne 'goin where the weather suits my clothes"

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: catspaw49
Date: 29 Aug 01 - 12:01 PM

I'll watch because I'm such a sucker for this stuff, but I imagine that it will be cursory at best. Ken Burns took boo-koo hours on jazz and the folks around here bitched it was incomplete.......True, but someting generally beats nothing for me, so I'll check it out.

Spaw

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: Dharmabum
Date: 29 Aug 01 - 12:18 PM

I'll try to remember to refresh this in October Johnne, that is, if I dont forget.

So true Spaw, but we gotta take what they give us, no matter how incomplete.

DB.

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: catspaw49
Date: 29 Aug 01 - 12:33 PM

I'm with YOU DB!!

Spaw

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 29 Aug 01 - 05:41 PM

Dharmabum, thanks for the advance notice, no doubt you will refresh this thread nearer the date.

Actually, I saw a really good documentary on Celtic music on Bravo a couple of days ago. Dougie MacLean, Natalie McMaster, the Rankin Family were heavily featured. Loreena Mackennit and Ashley McIsaac were featured too, but not enough to make it unlistenable. The video is available for sale by calling 1-888-788-8629. As you may guess I was impressed enough to buy it.

Monday nights will indeed be special this fall, with the roots music program being followed directly by Ally McBeal, starring the divine Callista Flockhart and the most talented cast of any series on TV.

Murray

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Aug 01 - 05:44 PM

Yes, and Junkyard Wars has conveniently moved to Wednesdays.

~S~

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: gnu
Date: 29 Aug 01 - 06:09 PM

I hear Discovery is starting "Junkyard Dogs" this fall. And Playboy TV is introducing "Junkyard Whores". Sorry... my keyboard breathalyzer is fouled up again.

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: Dharmabum
Date: 29 Aug 01 - 07:59 PM

JUNKYARD WARS!!WOOF,WOOF,WOOF,WOOF,!!!!!!

Junkyard Whores..........I like the sound of that. Throw in some chocolat & marshmallows & we can have Junkyard Smores on the food channel.

DB.

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Aug 01 - 10:38 PM

If Nick Spitzer, who does the American Routes (registered trademark "r" here) program on PRI is involved, it should be pretty good.

Thanks dharmabum. BTW, for anyone worried about remembering, you can put a trace on this thread and look at it on your Personal page and wonder why you traced it.:-)

kat

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Aug 01 - 12:42 AM

Local variant, "Junkyard... Whar's?"

This totally useless post brings the thread over ten posts, often said to be critical for people to think a thread is "hot" enough to open up. And is made for that reason alone.

~Susan

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: catspaw49
Date: 30 Aug 01 - 12:45 AM

Well Susan, do you think they'll mention Songcatcher on the program?

Just curious......(not really)

Spaw

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Aug 01 - 12:53 AM

No, Spaw, they will recommend that people come here to ask about it, and they will give your name as the most-interested expert who knows where ALL the information is hiding.

Since you asked. *G*

~Susan

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 30 Aug 01 - 05:30 AM

"Roots music? Ain't never heard a carrot sing!"- Dan, Mr Potatohead, Quayle -(no relation)
RtS

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: Wesley S
Date: 25 Oct 01 - 03:18 PM

I thought this might be a good time to refresh this one. Anyone know more about it??

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: Alice
Date: 25 Oct 01 - 03:37 PM

There is a cover story on the new Smithsonian magazine (just got the issue in the mail in the last couple days) about this PBS program, and the companion book.

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: Fortunato
Date: 26 Oct 01 - 02:18 PM

The NPR radio series of Roots Music is excellent. I guess I'll have to see if my 1936 Crosley Television still works. Thanks Wesley for refreshing, how y'all down in Dallas. Yer pal, Jed and us had some fun last weekend.

chance

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: Wesley S
Date: 26 Oct 01 - 02:41 PM

Chance - Everything in Ft Worth is great. The little one is growing like a weed and our group gets to play out often. We just got back from New York City where I got to play around at Mandolin Bros for about 4 hours. We're { Bretta and I } are headed to Key West next week for our 5th anniversary. Life is Grand. I hope you're well also. Come back to Texas soon.

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: Fortunato
Date: 26 Oct 01 - 02:48 PM

That's good to hear, Wesley, give my best to Bretta and a kiss for the little one. I hope you see the "Green Flash" in Key West. I'll be down to see y'all one of these days. Chance

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: Dharmabum
Date: 27 Oct 01 - 11:07 PM

Went to refresh this & see someone beat me to it ,thank you.

Go to www.pbs.org/american roots music for more info.

DB.

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: Dharmabum
Date: 27 Oct 01 - 11:12 PM

BTW. It will air at 10pm. channel 13 Mondays here in the northeast.

DB.

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: JudyR
Date: 28 Oct 01 - 10:57 PM

My newspaper TV section says the executive producer is JIm Brown, an Emmy Award winner who also was responsible for "The Hank Williams Tradition," and "Woody Guthrie : Hard Travelin'" among other things.

It is narrated by Kris Kristofferson and includes clips from 170 different places, including collectors and museums and filmed in places like eastern Tennessee to southwest Louisiana. Interviews/performances from Bonnie Raitt, Keith Richards, Robbie Robertson, and clips about Muddy Waters, Bill Monroe, Ricky Skaggs, B.B. King, Bob Dylan, Bessie Smith, Rosetta Tharpe, Woody Guthrie, Hank Williams and more.

The emphasis is more on the way the music melted in the pot, it says, rather than sticking to the Scots-Irish and old timey ballads (something I must say I still love the best). But I think I need this refresher course.

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 29 Oct 01 - 04:07 AM

The November Smithsonian magazine has a cover picture of Chuck Berry, with title "The Roots of American Music."

Article is titled "Roots of Rhythm," is quite brief, with barely a page of main text, but there are some good pictures:

B.B. King's "first publicity photo" at age 24

Ma Rainey and Thomas Dorsey

Willie Dixon, Memphis Slim, and Big Joe Williams

A young Bessie Smith

A "portrait" snapshot of Woody Guthrie

Young Hank Williams

A Weavers reunion shot with Pete Seeger, Lee Hays, Ronnie Gilbert and Fred Hellerman shows them at their 1979 with a large 1959 publicity picture visible for comparison.

Baby-faced(?) young, and sorta chubby Bill Monroe

Janis Joplin

Bob Dylan

A group shot of Jerrry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley, and Johnny Cash (from 1956)

And Dolly Parton.


Looks like a good range of coverage.

John

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: CarolC
Date: 29 Oct 01 - 10:20 PM

I'm watching it right now, and I'm finding it to be very interesting.

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: CarolC
Date: 29 Oct 01 - 11:00 PM

I recommend it. It's a great way for someone like me to see and hear a lot of the people I read about here in the Mudcat but have not been exposed to previously, like Robert Johnson. And it's interesting to see how the different earlier forms of music have combined to make some of the different musical genres that we are familiar with today. I'm looking forward seeing to part two.

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: Clifton53
Date: 29 Oct 01 - 11:16 PM

Just caught the first installment and I thought it was very well done, covered a great deal in a short time, and the clips of Son House and Jimmy Rodgers were a joy to watch. Of course any one subject, or performer could be gone into in greater detail, but I didn't expect it to delve too deeply in an hour's time.

I mostly found myself watching fret hands as usual, and trying to identify the instruments being played, and was very glad to see Jimmy Rodgers cheat on the F, as we all do now and again eh?

The companion book I saw in a bookstore for 50 American clams. Ouch!!!

Clifton

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: Clifton53
Date: 29 Oct 01 - 11:17 PM

Just caught the first installment and I thought it was very well done, covered a great deal in a short time, and the clips of Son House and Jimmy Rodgers were a joy to watch. Of course any one subject, or performer could be gone into in greater detail, but I didn't expect it to delve too deeply in an hour's time.

I mostly found myself watching fret hands as usual, and trying to identify the instruments being played, and was very glad to see Jimmy Rodgers cheat on the F, as we all do now and again eh?

The companion book I saw in a bookstore for 50 American clams. Ouch!!!

Clifton

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: Dharmabum
Date: 30 Oct 01 - 09:09 AM

Taped it last night,I'm watching it now.

I've never seen the clips of Son House before,very interesting. I look forward to the rest of the series.

DB.

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: Barbara Shaw
Date: 30 Oct 01 - 12:08 PM

I thought this show was GREAT! It was wonderful to actually see and hear some of the legends I've long admired and never seen. This is the kind of program that inspires me to believe in PBS. I sat there greedily absorbing every minute of it, and can't wait for the next three installments. What a fabulous heritage of music we have, and how nice to see it presented as the treasure it is.

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 31 Oct 01 - 01:36 AM


For an update on what's to come, you can look at Roots Music. A clicky on this page gets a synopsis of what's to be in each of the four episodes.

Clifton53 - apparently that 50$US is ballpark. At PBS.org you can click on "buy the DVD" and find:

American Roots Music: 4PK (Video) $51.95
American Roots Music 4PK CD $49.50
American Roots Music (Harcover Book) $49.50
American Roots Music (CD) $16.98

The DVD lists as "Backordered." I didn't look for details on the otheres.

Next week - something about "rising commercialization" and "influence of the labor movement" among others.

Waiting for Monday

John

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: GUEST,Nancy King at work
Date: 31 Oct 01 - 08:34 PM

It's true the book is expensive, but it is very nice. We just got it here in our library. If it's not in your library, suggest they purchase it!

Cheers, Nancy

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: GUEST,BigDaddy
Date: 31 Oct 01 - 08:46 PM

I watched it and taped it and watched it two more times. I'm sure everyone will wish more time was spent on their own favorite music(s). I'll watch the rest, but would like to see at least one such show devoted to each of the musical elements shown too briefly in this effort. I'd also like to be able to see/hear complete performances without voiceover or other interruptions. Some of this material is near-impossible for most of us to ever view in its entirety.

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: JudyR
Date: 31 Oct 01 - 10:32 PM

That was one comment our local TV pop music critic had about it. He said that where you might have wished that Burns had quickened the pace at several points during "Jazz," "you may find yourself wanting Brown to slow things down so you can spend more time with some of the chapters..."

I was a little frustrated too at times. Isn't it fun to be able to watch something great like that though, and come here and compare notes almost immediately?

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: simon-pierre
Date: 03 Nov 01 - 09:31 PM

Darn! I asked to my mother to record it last monday, and we were wondering what was the channel for PBS. After an hour or so of full research, we finally recorded... a boxing match! Well, maybe box is somewhere link to folk tradition (from very far...), but that was not exactly what I wanted. I checked again today, and definitly, I live in the only city in North America where PBS is not aired! I really can't beleive it. They have PBS everywhere else in Québec, I'm sure even the hunter in his log cabin of the far North have it (they all have cable, we know that!).

So, keep the reviews coming, you'll tell me how it ends...

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: GUEST,BigDaddy
Date: 04 Nov 01 - 12:40 AM

simon-pierre, are video tapes up there in VHS format? If so, perhaps some kind soul with the technology could make copies for you...

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 04 Nov 01 - 06:34 PM


Reminder: It's a 4-part, and the next broadcast is tomorrow. Monday night.

Enjoying.

John

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: Dharmabum
Date: 05 Nov 01 - 05:27 PM

Yep,tonight at 10 here in the east.

DB.

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: BanjoRay
Date: 05 Nov 01 - 05:39 PM

Why do they always use the stupid term "Roots Music"? It implies that the music led to the wonderful chart music of today that we all love to listen to (yechhh!)instead of being great stuff in it's own right, with it's own completeness. It's not roots, its different plants.

Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: GUEST,Dale
Date: 05 Nov 01 - 06:10 PM

Don't forget that it is on TUESDAY nights by way of Dish/DirecTV satellite. PBS on Dish shows it about three times overnight, and I would imagine that DirecTV is the same.

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 05 Nov 01 - 11:19 PM

Just finished watching the second segment--early country, bluegrass, early blues. Excellent stuff! My only disappointment was that Willie didn't do any singing, although he did make commentary on Bob Wills, Bill Monroe, et al. Ol' Bill is probably spinning like mad--according to the program, "bluegrass began when Monroe added Flatt & Scruggs to his band." I had the notion that Bill thought it started a little before that--??

And can someone educate me please? One of the commentators tonight was Phil Kingsbury--I have the definite feeling I should know who he is, but I'm drawing a blank. CRS? Probably...

Lin

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: JudyR
Date: 05 Nov 01 - 11:49 PM

Thanks for the heads-up about the program. Hasn't started here on the west coast yet.

Our bluegrass experts could tell you a little bit more on this -- I've been away from the music for quite a few years -- but I don't think Monroe himself would have argued with the common knowledge that, with the inclusion of Flatt & Scruggs to hs band, the bluegrass movement began. Standard bluegrass bands have banjos, so the Scruggs three-fingered banjo playing was, I'm sure, a key element. I have read Monroe had been developing the high tenor singing and driving mandolin playing prior to that, but the band was still thought of (and thought of itself) as a string band.

Paul Kingsbury is an author of several well-known country histories, and is a director at the Country Music Foundation and an editor at the foundation's Journal of Country Music. It will be interesting to see what he says, since he's currently at the core of that huge controversy at the Journal -- where 30-year editors and historians were summarily fired and a new direction announced (this must have been discussed here -- I'm new here). Anyway, the "new direction" amounts to a total "Garth-ization" of the respected journal, and if there are "villains," Kingsbury would have to be one.

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: SINSULL
Date: 05 Nov 01 - 11:57 PM

I forgot all about this and wandered in while channel surfing. My only complaint is that each segment is too short. Hank Williams sang two songs and died and suddenly Elvis Presley was up there. I could have watched Earl Scruggs forever - why do they always focus on his face when his fingers are doing all the work?
M.

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: DonMeixner
Date: 06 Nov 01 - 12:00 AM

Call it what you will, I enjoyed it immensely. imenselly, immensily, a whole bunch.

Don

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 06 Nov 01 - 12:14 AM

JudyR--Many thanks! I KNEW I should have remembered that name--and now I know why I didn't like 'im.

I thought Sam Phillips was very interesting--talk about being in the right place at the right time with the right ideas--sheesh.

Sinsull--I think they don't want to make every banjo player in the world turn pea-green, so that's why they don't show Scruggs' hands very much! LOL!

Don, I'm with you. Good stuff.

Lin

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: Dharmabum
Date: 06 Nov 01 - 07:53 AM

I didn't know those old film clips of Leadbelly even existed!
This is an exellent series. I only wish there were more of it. It seems to give just enough to wet your appetite,then move on to the next artist.

DB.

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: Barbara Shaw
Date: 06 Nov 01 - 08:34 AM

How I wish this was a regular weekly series, every week of the year! They could focus on three or four "roots" musicians every week and give us more depth into each one. This has to be getting a great reception wherever it's shown because it's so GOOD. Maybe the programmers of network television will listen to what the audience wants? Using archival footage has got to be less expensive than producing those inane sitcoms, and talk about reality television!!

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: GUEST,Coretta
Date: 06 Nov 01 - 09:16 AM

Flood your local stations and PBS with your glowing reviews! If enough of us do that, we might even get to see more programming like this.

The series starts here (Midwest) this week. I'm wondering how it will compare to the River of Sound series?

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: Tedham Porterhouse
Date: 06 Nov 01 - 10:52 AM

Lin In Kansas,

Bill Monroe started playing professionally in the 1930s with as a brother duet with Charlie Monroe. After they split up, he formed a band and eventually called it The Blue Grass Boys because they were from Kentucky, the bluegrass state. When Earl Scruggs brought his distinctive banjo sound into the band, the sound that would evenually be known as bluegrass was created.

When Flatt & Scruugs left Monroe's band and started their own group, in effect the second significant bluegrass band, Monroe did his best to sabotage their careers until he realized that they were part of a new genre of music that he had, in effect, created.

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 06 Nov 01 - 12:58 PM

Hi Tedham--

Yeah, ol' Bill was a pretty vindictive sort, huh? Didn't he refuse to let Scruggs ever play at his Bean Blossom Festival? Seems like I heard that somewhere...

Sorta like the Hatfields and McCoys, eh? But they music they ALL created is still going strong!

Lin

Subject: RE: ROOTS MUSIC ON PBS
From: JudyR
Date: 06 Nov 01 - 06:32 PM

What a treat! I was mesmerized by my first viewing of Sonny Boy Willliamson, and hearing and seeing James Cotton up close -- I too, never saw footage of Leadbelly in prison clothes (but did not know if others had or not). Other things I knew, but had long forgotten. I loved, loved, loved seeing Doc Watson again and wow-- that early footage of a young Merle Travis -- and did not realize how much his picking has influenced all us finger pickers! Have always loved Mike Seeger (wonder if he's going to talk about Elizabeth Cotton?)

Yeah, Lin, that Sam Phillips is some character, isn't he? I hear he's every bit the charmer (and a ladie's man, too), but he's got that southern mix of charm, craftiness and heart. Just wish I liked Elvis better. I must be showing my "wimpy" folkie sensibilities here -- never was a big fan.