TelevisionAcademy.com 91
Thetwopolesareasbasicassinandsalvation,Godandthedevil,
and,asthefilmmakerssay,“SaturdaynightandSundaymorning.”
B
URNS,THEDIRECTORANDAPRODUCEROFTHESERIES,SAYS
THATAFRIENDINDALLAS,BEARINGTHECOWBOY-ESQUENAME
OFCAPPY McGARR,GAVE HIMTHE IDEA.“Country musicis
quintessentiallyAmericantopic,andthat’sallthatwedo.Wepickstorie
aboutAmericanhistory.Actually,asI gotintothis,I wassurprisedthat
didn’tdoit earlier.”
DaytonDuncan,whowrotetheseriesandalsoproducedwithBurn
andJulieDunfey,recalls,“CappyaskedKen,‘Haveyoueverthoughtabou
doing a series on country music?’ And Ken said, ‘Well, I did one on jazz
SATURDAY
NIGHT
SUNDAY
MORNING
The newest Ken Burns opus, Country Music,
explores the duality of a very American genre —
from the rockin’ sounds of the roadhouse to the
righteous tones of church and home.
BY WILL FRIEDWALD
COURTESY OF CARTER FAMILY MUSEUM
The original Carter Family, circa 1930:
A.P., Sara and Maybelle (with guitar)