Country Music Documentaries
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- StarsTaj MahalRobert RedfordJack WhiteAt the height of the Roaring Twenties, music scouts set out across America to capture the breadth of American music and discovered the artists that would shape our world.
- 1987– 52mNot Rated7.1 (39)TV EpisodeDirectorKathy ConkwrightStarsJoan BaezMary BufwackJune Carter CashThe life and times of The Carter Family, one of the earliest and most-influential group in American country and roots music.
- DirectorBarbara HallStarsWillie NelsonDolly PartonCharley PrideThe complicated history of the American South and its music through the life of country star Charley Pride. Raised in segregated Mississippi, his journey shows the ways that artistic expression can triumph over prejudice and injustice.
- 1985– 1h 28mTV-147.2 (179)TV EpisodeDirectorMorgan NevilleStarsRoy AcuffTony BennettTommy BishopThe authoritative documentary on Country Music's most influential figure.
- DirectorJim BrownStarsJohnny CashWaylon JenningsKris KristoffersonAn oral history of the Mount Rushmore of Country Music.
- 1985– 1h 53mNot Rated7.8 (111)TV EpisodeDirectorVikram JayantiStarsLoretta LynnBill AndersonMichael AptedSinger-songwriter Loretta Lynn balances family and a music career that has spanned 50 years.
- 1985– 1h 22mTV-146.1 (109)TV EpisodeDirectorGandulf HennigStarsDave AlvinJohn Carter CashRobert DuvallA candid documentary about the country music legend, who is often called "the poet of the common man," that tells it like it is. The film features interviews with comrades and fellow musicians.
- 1985– 1h 24mTV-147.7 (82)TV EpisodeDirectorSteven CantorStarsWillie NelsonHe's been instrumental in shaping both country and pop music, yet his appeal crosses all social and economic lines. Sometimes he's called an outlaw, though it is Willie Nelson who brings us together.
- DirectorChet HaganStarsRoy AcuffBill AndersonEddy Arnold
- DirectorMorgan NevilleStarsJohnny CashJessi ColterRodney CrowellBiographical documentary of the musical group The Highwaymen, which was comprised of Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and Waylon Jennings.
- DirectorJim BrownStarsKris KristoffersonArlo GuthrieMerle Haggard
- DirectorMargaret BrownStarsJoe ElyGuy ClarkWillie NelsonBe Here to Love Me - Chronicles the fascinating and often turbulent life of musician Townes van Zandt.
- DirectorSteve GebhardtStarsBill MonroeRoy AcuffKenny BakerFeatures performances by Bill Monroe & the Blue Grass Boys, Lester Flatt, Emmylou Harris, Paul McCartney, the Osborne Brothers, Dolly Parton, Ricky Skaggs, Marty Stuart, John Hartford and a once-in-a-lifetime Blue Grass Boys reunion. Rare 1990s performances from Monroe's final years including many of the greatest songssuch as "Uncle Pen" and "Muleskinner Blues."
- DirectorWilliam J. SaundersStarsWillie NelsonMerle HaggardRay PriceBilly Mize's contributions to Country music shaped the industry. His charm and golden voice are legendary among the insiders. A performer on the brink of fame, his is a spectacular tale about identity and sacrifice amidst a Country music revolution.
- DirectorDel JackStarsPeter GravesGene AutryPat Buttram
- 1987– TV-144.8 (92)TV Episode
- 1987– TV-143.3 (91)TV EpisodeStarsPhil Crowley
- StarsBob BrownPatrick CarrJune Carter CashFrom Hulu description: "Johnny Cash was one of the greatest figures in American music history. From his early roackabilly days at Sun Records, to his legendary prison concerts, he was an icon of unmatched talent and influence." (Hulu)
- 1987– TV-146.4 (96)TV EpisodeStarsLoretta LynnOwen BradleyKix BrooksBorn to a poor family in Kentucky and a married mother of three by the time she was 19, Loretta Lynn becomes one of the famous country music performers.
- StarsBill AndersonOwen BradleySteve BuckinghamOne-hour special for A&E Biography on the women in country music that changed the way business was done in Music City. Guests include: Willie Nelson, Tanya Tucker, Shania Twain, Kris Kristofferson, Lorianne Crook, Joe Galante, Jessi Colter, Rodney Crowell and others.
- StarsLorianne CrookKris KristoffersonWillie NelsonA one hour special for A&E Biography on the men in country music that changed the way business was done in Music City. Guests include: Willie Nelson, Tanya Tucker, Shania Twain, Kris Kristofferson, Lorianne Crook, Joe Galante, Jessi Colter and Rodney Crowell.
- StarsBill AndersonRoy ClarkPatsy ClinePatsy Cline died in a plane crash on March 5, 1963. Now, her musical legacy lives on in Remembering Patsy. This heartfelt celebration features 17 great Patsy Cline songs, and 10 rare television appearances, recently discovered and never before seen on video. You'll meet Patsy through her intimate home movies, her personal letters, as read by Arista recording artist Michele Wright, and the fond reminiscences of Patsy's husband, Charlie Dick, and Willie Nelson, Loretta Lynn, George Jones, Mel Tillis, Roy Clark, Eddy Arnold, Bill Anderson and Jan Howard. A new generation of stars including Trisha Yearwood, k.d. lang, Ronna Reeves, Lisa Stewart, and Marsha Thorntorn, add insight into Patsy's influence and proof positive that Patsy Cline does live on in her music.
- StarsRandy Travis
- DirectorBarbara HallStarsReba McEntireKix BrooksPeter CooperAn authorized documentary on the most successful female recording artist in country with record sales in all genres second only to Barbra Streisand who has expanded her career to movies, the Broadway stage and television starring in her long running series "Reba" all the while building a successful entertainment business empire. Featuring candid interviews and commentary from Reba, Brooks & Dunn, Dolly Parton, Linda Davis, family and friends along with performances, photos and music.
- StarsRussell Buchanan
- StarsRob WordRoy Rogers, along with his wife Dale Evans, and horse Trigger become icons of the western genre.
- StarsEmmylou HarrisKris KristoffersonWillie NelsonHere's Willie Nelson's official, authorized biography! "Willie Nelson: My Life" is the close-up portrait of America's favorite singer/songwriter, from the days he sold one of his early hits, Family Bible, for $50 to buy milk for his children through his long struggle to superstardom. Included are frank and sometimes humorous interviews with Willie and his friends Ray Charles (who duets with Wilie on the song "Seven Spanish Angels"), Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Emmylou Harris, Sydney Pollack, Gary Busey, Mel Tillis, Ray Price, Jerry Jeff Walker and others.
- DirectorKevin TriplettStarsBlaze FoleyJoe James SawyerLarry MonroeA documentary on the everyday man behind the legend, Blaze Foley. Born in a tree house, killed in a friend's living room and 86'ed from his own funeral, is now a bona fide country music legend whose songs are covered by Merle Haggard, John Prine, Willie Nelson and Lyle Lovett.
- DirectorJohn WilliamsStarsBob HarrisCelene AubryDierks Bentley'Whispering' Bob Harris journeys to America's country music capital to reveal why Nashville became Music City USA. From the beginnings of the Grand Ole Opry on commercial radio, through the threatening onset.
- StarsJames GarnerBob SchiefferEmmylou HarrisA 13-part Country Music Odessey hosted by actor James Garner, who will examine the songs, artists and stories of country music over the last 100 years.
- DirectorBlake JuddKeith NeltnerStarsEmmylou HarrisGeorge JonesAlison KraussFifty years later, and he's still rattlin' the Devil's cage. Charlie Louvin can walk through a crowded mall and not attract attention. But it shouldn't be that way; the humble 83-year-old musician in the cowboy hat and jeans is a true American hero. To start, 50 years ago he and his brother recorded "Satan is Real," an album that shook up the music business. And the life he lived thereafter was pretty radical, too, from his military service to his country to his 61-year marriage to his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Grand Ole Opry. On Friday, December 3, 2010 at the fooBAR in Nashville, we caught Charlie Louvin on stage, making music for his fans, celebrating the anniversary of that famous album. And we filmed the night for history's sake. This is the tribute he so richly deserves.
- StarsChet AtkinsDolly PartonA documentary that celebrates the life and career of musician and record executive Chet Atkins with guest stars including Dolly Parton, Mark Knopfler, George Benson, Steve Howe, Vince Gill, Randy Bachman, Les Paul, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson.
- StarsLynn AndersonAnastasia BrownBilly CampbellTraces the 40 greatest women of country music. Artists on this list include Linda Ronstadt, Shania Twain, Reba McEntire, Patsy Cline, and Dolly Parton.
- DirectorSteven KochonesStarsBill AndersonGarth BrooksRosanne CashA visual odyssey through the history of country music as told by legendary artists and the elite photographers who captured the evolving image of the country singer, from rhinestone cowboy to pot-smoking outlaw to stadium-filling megastar.
- StarsPeter CoyoteMarty StuartVince GillThe story of the creation of modern Country music.
- DirectorJenny AshStarsDolly PartonKate RobbinsJewels Long BeachProfile of Dolly Parton, country music high priestess and formidable businesswoman, who clawed her way up from a dirt-poor childhood in rural Tennessee to international super-stardom.
- DirectorAndy KingStarsJohn ByrneDolly PartonWhitney Houston
- DirectorPaul BernaysStarsEmmylou HarrisTracey MacLeodBob SaporitiProfile of veteran country singer Emmylou Harris, witnessing the heady success of her career while also discussing her late flowering of intensely personal and groundbreaking music, dealing with loss and the passing years. Contributors include Elvis Costello, Keith Richards, Ryan Adams, Beth Orton, Willie Nelson and Linda Ronstadt.
- StarsConnie BrittonAmanda MartinezBrian MansfieldDirt roads. Pickup trucks. Hip-hop? As the borders around country music shift, who decides what defines the popular genre, and who gets to be a star?
- DirectorBarbara J. HallStarsBill AndersonBarbi BentonGarth BrooksFollows the life and work of Sarah Cannon, a serious, educated woman who once dreamed of becoming a Shakespearean actress but found fame playing a simple country girl.
- DirectorWalter C. MillerStarsRoy AcuffChet AtkinsGene AutryA three-hour program chronicling the history of country music up to 1978, hosted by Dolly Parton, Glen Campbell, and Roy Clark and featuring performances by many iconic and contemporary stars of the genre, including Roy Acuff, Kitty Wells, Bill Monroe, Ernest Tubb, Crystal Gayle, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, and Johnny Cash.
- DirectorZach MerckStarsJessi AlexanderBill AndersonChet AtkinsFor over 130 years, Nashville has evolved into the world's Music City. From the 1800's when the Fisk Jubilee Singers travelled the continents, to Hank Williams, to Johnny Cash, to The Black Keys. This is a special place with a story to tell. A story that started years ago, but gets better every day. A story you may not know, but you'll want to hear.
- DirectorBruce BryantStarsVince BellGuy ClarkSlaid CleavesA devoted community of artists, volunteers and patrons transform a politically subversive little neighborhood coffee house and restaurant into a unique American music institution.
- DirectorMark HallStarsGeorge JonesJohnny K. KovalRoy AcuffThey call him "Possum." They also call him "Country Music's Living Legend." His devotion to pure, down-home country music has been unwavering through the years and has allowed him a claim to the title of the greatest vocal interpreter that the world of country music has ever known.
- DirectorThom ZimnyStarsRobert DuvallDwight YoakamJohnny CashJohnny Cash stands among the giants of 20th century American life, but his story remains tangled in mystery and myth. This documentary brings Cash the man out from behind the legend.
- DirectorJames KeachStarsGlen CampbellKim CampbellRonald PetersenAs he struggles with Alzheimer's disease, country-music legend Glen Campbell embarks on his farewell tour in the U.S., Australia, and Europe.
- DirectorSteve FreerStarsThe Campbell ClanGerard CampbellGlen CampbellProfile of singer-guitarist Glen Campbell, a story of success, disgrace and redemption.
- DirectorMichael MerrimanStarsDan RatherTo know Johnny Cash, his true heart for God, revealed never in before-aired film clips and treasured performances. His remarkable life, Johnny Cash remained a seeker of truth and faith, and this is the amazing store of that spiritual odyssey.
- DirectorWes PryorStarsMark ChesnuttElvis CostelloCharlie Dick
- DirectorJeremy MarreStarsRichie AlbrightJason AldeanGrant Alden
- DirectorJames SzalapskiStarsPeggy BrooksGuy ClarkDavid Allan CoeThe best music and the best whiskey come from the same part of the country.
- DirectorWayne PriceStarsBobby Bare Jr.Guy ClarkDavid Allan CoeAn intimate portrait of the next generation of Nashville outlaws whose lives and music were influenced by the likes of Guy Clark, Steve Young, and Townes Van Zant.
- DirectorSam Wainwright DouglasBrenda MitchellStarsAlvin CrowJesse DaytonJames HandHonky Tonk Heaven brings the world famous Austin, Texas dance hall, the Broken Spoke, to life on screen and gives us a nostalgic glimpse inside a world of cowboy boots, live country music, two-step dancing and cold longneck beers.
- DirectorBarbara Hall
- DirectorWolfgang BüldChristin KellingOlaf KraemerStarsDave AlvinBill MonroeWillie NelsonThe Search for Hank Williams Sr. A documentary featuring Willie Nelson, Townes van Zandt, Bill Monroe, M.C Jarrett narrated by Dave Alvin.
- StarsEmmylou HarrisWillie NelsonRandy TravisHank Williams is the undisputed "King of Country Music." Singer...Songwriter...Legend...Hank Williams started a tradition which is still being followed today. This program traces Hank Williams' incredible life story through rare film clips, and revealing interviews with his friends and fellow performers such as Roy Acuff, Minnie Pearl and Chet Atkins. Included are performances of many of Hank's greatest songs by today's top country music recording artists who also tell how Hank Williams inspired their career. Without a doubt, there never was, or ever will be, another country star of such magnitude and influence as Hank Williams. Featuring Hank Williams, Jr., Willie Nelson, Randy Travis, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, Emmylou Harris, Ricky Skaggs, Dwight Yoakum and many others!
- DirectorGary TellalianStarsBarbara MandrellPatty DukeJaime Dudney
- DirectorMeryl Gitter MichonStarsLinda EmondAshley JuddNaomi Judd
- DirectorWill RaéeStarsLinda DavisReba McEntire
- StarsTanya Tucker
- DirectorZac AdamsStarsZac AdamsLaurel AielloTommy BarnesA Documentary that delves into the most interesting and intriguing stories that have happened throughout the history of country music. It walks you through the mysterious final days of Hank Williams life. Including the legend behind the writing of the "Tennessee Waltz" then brings us up to date with the way things are today in Country music. The show is hosted and narrated by Charlie Chase, and features interviews with country music historians Ralph Emery, Hairl Hensley, Rob Simbeck, and Eddie Stubbs.
- DirectorDerik MurrayJordan TappisStarsKris KristoffersonWillie NelsonJohnny CashDocumentary that explains about the life of one of Country Music's most famous musicians, Johnny Cash.
- DirectorAl GreenfieldStarsJohnny CashGlen CampbellJack ClementJohnny Cash is one of the most imposing and influential figures in the history of music. Emotional and real, his deep baritone voice and percussive guitar style created a bridge among various genres of music and earned him induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
- DirectorChris RodleyStarsJune Carter CashJohnny CashJack ClementDocumentary profiling the life of the legendary country music star Johnny Cash, who died in 2003, featuring contributions from his family and fellow musicians.
- DirectorRobert ElfstromStarsJohnny CashJune Carter CashAnita CarterA fly on the wall account that follows the near legendary singer on tour in the US during the late sixties. Crammed with superb music footage the film also takes time out to relax with the man behind the most famous voice in Country music.
- DirectorRobert GordonMorgan NevilleStarsJimmy KendricksLoretta LynnJohn Carter CashThis documentary combines archival footage and interviews to examine the life of one of music's most universal legends, Johnny Cash. The film recounts the events of Cash's life, from his poor beginnings to his celebrity and his battle with drugs. It also delves into how Cash addressed the issues of his day and evolved to be both a patriot and a social activist. Many famous fans of Cash, including figures as disparate as Bob Dylan, Al Gore and Snoop Dogg, discuss his legacy and influence.
- DirectorAndy HumphriesStarsBill AndersonGene AutryBob Wills and His Texas PlayboysA celebration of the history and aesthetic of country music that tracks the evolution of the genre from the 1920s to the present, exploring country as both folk and pop music
- DirectorRyan MinchinStarsKenny RogersNemoneKeith BugosDocumentary chronicling Kenny Rogers's rise to the top and the golden era of country he ushered in.
- DirectorPaul JoyceStarsJoan BaezBob BeckhamJackson BrowneKris Kristofferson's appeal crosses generations and gender boundaries and this profile unfolds his life highlighting many of his now legendary songs many of which are performed especially for this program. This major production examines the extraordinary career and life of the actor, songwriter, performer and Country Music Hall Of Fame Inductee. The program includes interview and excerpts from Kristofferson's motion pictures.
- StarsLoretta LynnRandy TravisErnest TubbThis definitive biography of country music legend Ernest Tubb follows his extraordinary 40-year career from the early radio shows to the Hollywood movies and the Grand Ole Opry. This warm tribute program features rare film clips of Ernest Tubb's biggest hits and features appearances by the many stars whose lives Ernest touched.
- DirectorMatt RiddlehooverStarsJoaquin PhoenixReese WitherspoonKristen WiigThe story of Vivian Liberto, Johnny Cash's first wife and the mother of his four daughters.
- DirectorArthur DrookerStarsJune Carter CashCindy CashJohn Carter CashProfile of country music icon and patriarch Johnny Cash, as seen through the eyes of his family.
- StarsDottie WestSkeeter DavisKenny RogersBiographical profile of country star Dottie West (1932-1991) featuring vintage footage of the star and interviews with several of her contemporaries.
- StarsJimmie Rodgers
- StarsDuane AllenOwen BradleyWaylon JenningsHonky Tonk Girl is the lively and personal portrait of "The Coal Miner's Daughter". From impoverished Butcher Holler Loretta rose to the pinnacle of the music business singing and writing songs for women like her. The documentary follows Loretta from rural Kentucky to the clubs of the northwest, from her first appearance on The Grand Ole Opry to the 1970's Country Music Entertainer of the Decade. Through hit after hit and unprecedented super-stardom, Loretta never changed from the sweet, innocent and spunky Honky Tonk Girl of her first record.
- DirectorRandall WilsonStarsHeather AxtonHoyt AxtonShaun AxtonMae Boren Axton reigned as "QUEEN MOTHER OF COUNTRY MUSIC" and "FIRST LADY OF ROCK 'N ROLL" for four decades. She was a journalist, schoolteacher, songwriter, publicist and mentor to the greatest talents in rock, pop and country.
- DirectorGregory HallStarsMerle HaggardBarbara MandrellRobert K. OermannA one hour anthology special on the music and life of the late Marty Robbins presenting his greatest hits in full performances from appearances throughout his career hosted by Robert K. Oermann with commentary from Merle Haggard, Barbara Mandrell and Ronny Robbins.
- 2017–201828mTV-MA8.4 (75)TV EpisodeDirectorMike JudgeStarsMike JudgeRougie Ray LaMontagneFreddy FletcherThe outrageous adventures of country songwriting great Billy Joe Shaver, including the bar fight that sparked a courtroom media frenzy and inspired a hit song.