Got the recorder set for all the episodes. This will be a don't miss. Ken Burns is a national treasure. Saw a special on how they put it together. Anxious to see it.
The Big Family Bluegrass documentary was also excellent.
The Country music documentary has been fascinating, lots of black face, goofy band names, the origins of the Grand Ole Opry, and raw talent. Who knew the radio stations were started to advertise insurance, Sears and other companies?! And damn, these early Country musicians were making bank, and helped to propel the musicianship and music. Ending with the Carter family musical dynasty and the birth of June Carter..Johnny Cash up next?
Good stuff but I thought Burns would have dug up more of the unknowns he's usually great at doing. 45 mins on Hank Williams and only two and a half on Woody Guthrie and nothing on his Dustbowl Ballads ? Really Ken ?
I dont have Amazon prime, or Netflix, I'm not on Facebook, Twitter, none of that shit. When the Yankees aren't playing, you awesome folks are my sole form of entertainment.
Closing in on the mid 60's tonight, I feel a Clarence White segment coming up. Marty Stuart - who owns and routinely plays Clarence's original hand tweeked B-Bender - has been doing a wonderful commentary, I can hardly wait for some of his story's about Clarence and that guitar.
Burns calls this a Country Music doc when really its been more on the whole melting pot of American acoustic music. Plenty of info on gospel, blues, jazz, backwoods, bluegrass you name it. Didn't expect to hear Muddy or Ray Charles mentioned on a Country show. Good stufffff
I finally had a chance to check out an episode of this series. Episode 7, 1973 to 83. It's a mighty fine TV show. I am looking forward to catching up on the previous episodes whenever.
I just saw a post about Doug Sahm's 1972 Thanksgiving Jam at the fine Aquarium Drunkard blog. As you may well know, Jerry, Phil, and (possibly) Billy all performed that night, and the recording has made the rounds for ages. I haven't listened to it in ages myself, but I remember it sounding much like you'd expect: a bunch of talented dudes drinking beer and jamming on a bunch of old country, r&b, and rock standards -- very much in the vein of Sahm's great Doug Sahm and Band album. A fun evening, but not a major deal in the Grateful Dead cosmology. Leon Russell was the other major guest star alongside a host of Austin locals, including guitarist Hank Alrich as well, who was nice enough to leave this comment at AD:Doug was late to the gig. Jerry got asked if he wanted to start without Doug. Jerry said, “Let’s wait until Doug’s here, and we have a full band”.
I loaned Leon my Strat for the evening and he promptly stuck a cigarette under the strings at the headstock and burnt a memory mark into the guitar.
I’d been hanging backstage as part of support (“Anybody got a guitar I can use?”) when during a brief lull an AWHQ friend and cohort said, “Why don’t you go up and play your guitar? Everybody else has.” So I did, and as Leon kicked in to “A Hard Rain’s a Gonna Fall” rain began to fall on that old, big metal roof. This was before we’d gotten the underside insulated with spray-on paper foam, and the sound of the rain was the perfect touch to the intro. I tend to play more quietly than most on electric guitar, and when I was called for a solo Jerry turned down to make sure I got across. That’s the kind of jamming buddy he was.
It was an awesome night early on in what was already becoming a legendary venue. Youngsters lament some oldster’s ongoing affection for certain aspects of Austin’s heritage. Truth be told, they are clueless. Either one was there and can understand, or one was not and probably does not. Another truth is that there is nothing today in Austin’s famous music scene that compares with Armadillo World Headquarters, the venue that put the city on the international live touring map.
A lesser reported factoid is that Jerry was in the studio with Sahm almost a week later back in San Francisco. Two tracks are buried away among the host of bonus material on Rhino's Doug Sahm box set The Genuine Texas Groover, which appears to be long out of print. I don't know if this material is available elsewhere, so just in case, here's a link for the two tunes at Wally Heider's, 12/2/72. Interestingly, David Grisman is on the session as well, making this a rare pre-OAITW Garcia/Grisman sighting.
Doug Sahm, Leon Russell, Jerry Garcia and Friends Thanksgiving Jam Armadillo World Headquarters, Austin, TX
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: le hammer
Turned on the tv to check out
Turned on the tv to check out Sunday Night Football.
But the tv was already on PBS, and I haven't changed the channel.
I had no idea about this doc.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Strangha
Recording it all. It's a don
Got the recorder set for all the episodes. This will be a don't miss. Ken Burns is a national treasure. Saw a special on how they put it together. Anxious to see it.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: That’s Nancy with the laughin’ face
The Big Family Bluegrass
The Big Family Bluegrass documentary was also excellent.
The Country music documentary has been fascinating, lots of black face, goofy band names, the origins of the Grand Ole Opry, and raw talent. Who knew the radio stations were started to advertise insurance, Sears and other companies?! And damn, these early Country musicians were making bank, and helped to propel the musicianship and music. Ending with the Carter family musical dynasty and the birth of June Carter..Johnny Cash up next?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Tim
Hammer
Hammer
That is the exact thing I did
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: MarkD
Wish I had read this last
Wish I had read this last night. I missed the first one. Set to record the rest.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: le hammer
>>>>That is the exact thing I
>>>>That is the exact thing I did<<<<
I forgot the game was on after a couple minutes.
I'm surprised they never mentioned Blind Lemon Jefferson, though he played decades before 1933, when the doc (roughly) picked up the subject.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: ltk173
PBS App on AppleTV has last
PBS App on AppleTV has last night's episode on demand.
Not sure how long before it goes to viewing only by the "membership"
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: treat island
So good. My oh my.
So good. My oh my.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Rasputin O'Leary
Great stuff, thanks for the
Per Ken, really great stuff, thanks for the heads up, wish I knew before part 1 aired.
Note to family - Please give more prior notice before cool events. Remember some of us are old and feeble, so a 1 to 2 week notice is preferable.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Dan
16 hours in total over two
16 hours in total over two weeks. The perfect distraction from football.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: treat island
I wonder where my Hank
I wonder where my Hank Williams record is? I'm loving this.
Apparently you can watch all of it if you have Amazon Prime.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Rasputin O'Leary
Good stuff but I thought
Good stuff but I thought Burns would have dug up more of the unknowns he's usually great at doing. 45 mins on Hank Williams and only two and a half on Woody Guthrie and nothing on his Dustbowl Ballads ? Really Ken ?
I dont have Amazon prime, or Netflix, I'm not on Facebook, Twitter, none of that shit. When the Yankees aren't playing, you awesome folks are my sole form of entertainment.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: krab
Saw episode 1 yesterday, gave
Saw episode 1 yesterday, gave a lot of time to Jimmie Rodgers.
Louis Armstrong sat in on Blue Yodel #9. Duet with Johnny Cash and Louis.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6F7pIF4zOU
Blue Yodel #9 from Garcia Acoustic Band 10/17/87
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eg5ZnC_vXYM
Comcast has the series right on their front page of On Demand, no search needed.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Rasputin O'Leary
Closing in on the mid 60's
Closing in on the mid 60's tonight, I feel a Clarence White segment coming up. Marty Stuart - who owns and routinely plays Clarence's original hand tweeked B-Bender - has been doing a wonderful commentary, I can hardly wait for some of his story's about Clarence and that guitar.
Burns calls this a Country Music doc when really its been more on the whole melting pot of American acoustic music. Plenty of info on gospel, blues, jazz, backwoods, bluegrass you name it. Didn't expect to hear Muddy or Ray Charles mentioned on a Country show. Good stufffff
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Deadly
Trigger is aging as the
Trigger is aging as the series continues.
Glad Willie rescued it from the burning house.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Deadly
Marty Stuart footage and
Marty Stuart footage and commentary is great!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: jazfish
I finally had a chance to
I finally had a chance to check out an episode of this series. Episode 7, 1973 to 83. It's a mighty fine TV show. I am looking forward to catching up on the previous episodes whenever.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: jazfish
I am wondering if any one
I am wondering if any one here has a story or comment about The Armadillo World Headquarters.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: krab
^^^^^
^^^^^
I just saw a post about Doug Sahm's 1972 Thanksgiving Jam at the fine Aquarium Drunkard blog. As you may well know, Jerry, Phil, and (possibly) Billy all performed that night, and the recording has made the rounds for ages. I haven't listened to it in ages myself, but I remember it sounding much like you'd expect: a bunch of talented dudes drinking beer and jamming on a bunch of old country, r&b, and rock standards -- very much in the vein of Sahm's great Doug Sahm and Band album. A fun evening, but not a major deal in the Grateful Dead cosmology. Leon Russell was the other major guest star alongside a host of Austin locals, including guitarist Hank Alrich as well, who was nice enough to leave this comment at AD:Doug was late to the gig. Jerry got asked if he wanted to start without Doug. Jerry said, “Let’s wait until Doug’s here, and we have a full band”.
I loaned Leon my Strat for the evening and he promptly stuck a cigarette under the strings at the headstock and burnt a memory mark into the guitar.
I’d been hanging backstage as part of support (“Anybody got a guitar I can use?”) when during a brief lull an AWHQ friend and cohort said, “Why don’t you go up and play your guitar? Everybody else has.” So I did, and as Leon kicked in to “A Hard Rain’s a Gonna Fall” rain began to fall on that old, big metal roof. This was before we’d gotten the underside insulated with spray-on paper foam, and the sound of the rain was the perfect touch to the intro. I tend to play more quietly than most on electric guitar, and when I was called for a solo Jerry turned down to make sure I got across. That’s the kind of jamming buddy he was.
It was an awesome night early on in what was already becoming a legendary venue. Youngsters lament some oldster’s ongoing affection for certain aspects of Austin’s heritage. Truth be told, they are clueless. Either one was there and can understand, or one was not and probably does not. Another truth is that there is nothing today in Austin’s famous music scene that compares with Armadillo World Headquarters, the venue that put the city on the international live touring map.
A lesser reported factoid is that Jerry was in the studio with Sahm almost a week later back in San Francisco. Two tracks are buried away among the host of bonus material on Rhino's Doug Sahm box set The Genuine Texas Groover, which appears to be long out of print. I don't know if this material is available elsewhere, so just in case, here's a link for the two tunes at Wally Heider's, 12/2/72. Interestingly, David Grisman is on the session as well, making this a rare pre-OAITW Garcia/Grisman sighting.
Doug Sahm, Leon Russell, Jerry Garcia and Friends Thanksgiving Jam Armadillo World Headquarters, Austin, TX
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Van_3-Sn-n0
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: jazfish
I am familiar with the jam
I am familiar with the jam and thanks for the backstory. Fantastic.
I lived in South Austin short of four years and a decade later. What a legacy.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: jazfish
Correction, decade after the
Correction, decade after the closing.