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GRITTY DIRT BAND PLAYING
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WOMAN: WHEN I FIRST
MOVED TO NASHVILLE, I WAS 19.
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00:00:40,557 --> 00:00:45,007
I WAS TOO YOUNG TO WAIT TABLES,
SO I GOT A JOB AS A TOUR GUIDE
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00:00:45,045 --> 00:00:47,525
AT THE COUNTRY MUSIC
HALL OF FAME.
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00:00:47,564 --> 00:00:51,914
AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE SUCH
A BLESSING BECAUSE I GOT--
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00:00:51,948 --> 00:00:53,918
I GOT TO LISTEN
TO SO MUCH MUSIC.
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00:00:53,950 --> 00:00:55,190
ALL DAY, EVERY DAY,
I GOT TO--
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00:00:55,227 --> 00:00:58,507
IT WAS MY JOB TO LEARN
THE HISTORY OF COUNTRY MUSIC.
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00:00:58,541 --> 00:01:03,061
WE HAD THIS PAINTING IN
THE MUSEUM CALLED "THE SOURCES
10
00:01:03,097 --> 00:01:07,067
OF COUNTRY MUSIC," THE LAST
PAINTING OF THOMAS HART BENTON.
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00:01:07,101 --> 00:01:08,651
I HAD TO TELL
PEOPLE ABOUT IT.
12
00:01:08,689 --> 00:01:10,449
I HUNG OUT WITH
THIS PAINTING A LOT.
13
00:01:10,484 --> 00:01:12,524
LOOKING AT THIS PAINTING
IS LIKE LOOKING AT AN OLD
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00:01:12,555 --> 00:01:13,965
FRIEND FOR ME.
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00:01:14,004 --> 00:01:18,704
SO IT SHOWS THE BARN DANCES,
IT SHOWS THE RAILROAD,
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00:01:18,733 --> 00:01:24,773
RIVERBOATS, THE GOSPEL CHOIRS,
THE LAP DULCIMERS,
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00:01:24,808 --> 00:01:27,258
AND THE FIDDLES.
18
00:01:27,294 --> 00:01:32,024
AND IT SHOWS THE COWBOYS AND
THE BANJO COMING FROM AFRICA
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AND THE SLAVES, AND HOW
ALL OF THIS CAME TOGETHER.
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00:01:36,510 --> 00:01:40,200
IT'’S JUST A BEAUTIFUL THING
TO LOOK AT BECAUSE IT'’S THE--
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00:01:40,238 --> 00:01:42,518
IT'’S THE CLOSEST THING,
VISUALLY, REALLY, TO WHAT
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00:01:42,550 --> 00:01:44,760
COUNTRY MUSIC SOUNDS LIKE.
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00:01:44,794 --> 00:01:48,734
IT'’S SO COLORFUL. THERE'S
SO MUCH ENERGY IN IT.
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NARRATOR: COUNTRY MUSIC
ROSE FROM THE BOTTOM UP,
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00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:04,370
FROM THE SONGS AMERICANS SANG
TO THEMSELVES IN FARM FIELDS
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00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:08,130
AND RAILROAD YARDS TO EASE
THEM THROUGH THEIR LABORS
27
00:02:08,162 --> 00:02:11,892
AND SONGS THEY SANG TO
EACH OTHER ON THE PORCHES
28
00:02:11,924 --> 00:02:14,624
AND IN THE PARLORS OF
THEIR HOMES WHEN THE DAY'’S
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00:02:14,651 --> 00:02:17,481
WORK WAS DONE.
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00:02:17,516 --> 00:02:19,996
IT CAME FROM THE FIDDLE TUNES
THEY DANCED TO
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00:02:20,036 --> 00:02:22,936
ON SATURDAY NIGHTS
TO LET OFF STEAM
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00:02:22,970 --> 00:02:28,180
AND FROM THE HYMNS THEY CHANTED
IN CHURCH ON SUNDAY MORNINGS.
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00:02:28,217 --> 00:02:32,497
IT FILTERED OUT OF SECLUDED
HOLLOWS DEEP IN THE MOUNTAINS
34
00:02:32,531 --> 00:02:37,471
AND FROM SMOKY SALOONS ON THE
EDGE OF TOWN, FROM THE BARRIOS
35
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ALONG THE SOUTHERN BORDER,
AND FROM THE WIDE-OPEN SPACES
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OF THE WESTERN RANGE.
37
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NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND:
♪ OH, I'’M THINKIN' TONIGHT
OF MY BLUE EYES... ♪
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NARRATOR: MOST OF ALL,
ITS ROOTS SPRANG FROM
THE NEED OF AMERICANS,
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ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO FELT
LEFT OUT AND LOOKED DOWN UPON,
40
00:02:56,417 --> 00:02:58,657
TO TELL THEIR STORIES.
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00:02:58,695 --> 00:03:01,035
NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND:
♪ ..THINKIN'’ TONIGHT
OF HIM, ONLY... ♪
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00:03:01,077 --> 00:03:03,177
WOMAN: THERE'’S SOMETHING
ABOUT THE LYRICS, TO ME,
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THAT JUST SEPARATE IT
FROM EVERYTHING ELSE...
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00:03:05,046 --> 00:03:07,216
NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND:
♪ ...EVER THINKS OF ME
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00:03:07,256 --> 00:03:10,016
SONGS THAT YOU GO, "THAT
HAPPENED TO ME YESTERDAY,"
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00:03:10,051 --> 00:03:11,361
OR, "THAT HAPPENED
TO ME LAST WEEK,"
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00:03:11,398 --> 00:03:14,228
OR "I'’M GOING THROUGH THAT
HEARTBREAK RIGHT NOW," YOU KNOW.
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00:03:14,263 --> 00:03:17,023
WELL, TO ME,
IT'’S SOUL MUSIC.
49
00:03:17,058 --> 00:03:21,128
IT'’S PROBABLY
THE WHITE MAN'’S SOUL MUSIC.
50
00:03:21,166 --> 00:03:25,066
AND IT COMES
FROM THE HEART.
51
00:03:25,101 --> 00:03:28,381
MAN: I BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN GO
LOOK AND FIND A COUNTRY SONG
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00:03:28,415 --> 00:03:31,725
TO FIT ANY MOOD YOU'’RE IN,
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00:03:31,763 --> 00:03:36,183
ANY SONG THAT WILL
HELP YOU FEEL BETTER.
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00:03:36,216 --> 00:03:39,006
SOMETIME IT MIGHT MAKE YOU
CRY, BUT YOU'’LL FEEL BETTER,
55
00:03:39,046 --> 00:03:40,496
YOU CAN FIND THAT SONG.
56
00:03:40,530 --> 00:03:42,530
THAT'’S WHAT I BELIEVE.
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00:03:42,567 --> 00:03:45,017
LOVIN'’, CHEATIN', HURTIN'’,
FIGHTIN'’, DRINKIN',
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PICKUP TRUCKS,
AND MOTHER.
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00:03:48,055 --> 00:03:50,845
YOU ALSO HAVE TO
HAND IN THERE A FEW
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00:03:50,885 --> 00:03:55,195
DEATH, MURDER, MAYHEM,
SUICIDE, YOU KNOW, SONGS,
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00:03:55,235 --> 00:03:57,025
YOU KNOW, THAT ARE REAL.
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00:03:57,064 --> 00:04:00,524
DOLLY PARTON: I THINK IT'’S
JUST SIMPLE WAYS OF TELLING
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00:04:00,550 --> 00:04:06,140
STORIES, EXPERIENCING
AND EXPRESSING FEELINGS.
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00:04:06,176 --> 00:04:09,486
YOU CAN DANCE TO IT,
YOU CAN CRY TO IT,
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00:04:09,525 --> 00:04:11,175
YOU CAN MAKE LOVE
TO IT,
66
00:04:11,216 --> 00:04:14,356
YOU CAN PLAY IT AT A FUNERAL,
YOU CAN--
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00:04:14,392 --> 00:04:16,672
IT'’S JUST REALLY
HAS SOMETHING
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00:04:16,704 --> 00:04:19,294
IN IT FOR EVERYBODY,
AND PEOPLE RELATE TO IT.
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00:04:19,328 --> 00:04:21,358
NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND:
♪ OH, I'’M THINKIN' ABOUT... ♪
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00:04:21,399 --> 00:04:24,509
MAN: IT'’S ABOUT THOSE
THINGS THAT WE BELIEVE IN
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00:04:24,540 --> 00:04:31,030
BUT WE CAN'’T SEE, LIKE
DREAMS AND SONGS AND SOULS.
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00:04:31,063 --> 00:04:34,523
THEY'’RE HANGING AROUND HERE, AND
DIFFERENT SONGWRITERS REACH UP
73
00:04:34,550 --> 00:04:36,070
AND GET THEM.
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00:04:36,103 --> 00:04:39,563
COUNTRY MUSIC COMES
FROM RIGHT IN HERE,
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00:04:39,589 --> 00:04:43,109
THIS HEART AND SOUL
THAT WE ALL HAVE.
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00:04:43,144 --> 00:04:47,984
IT'’S GREAT MUSIC THAT
REALLY HITS US, BECAUSE
WE'’RE ALL HUMAN.
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00:04:51,049 --> 00:04:54,089
NARRATOR: "COUNTRY MUSIC,"
THE SONGWRITER HARLAN HOWARD
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00:04:54,121 --> 00:04:58,571
SAID, IS "THREE CHORDS
AND THE TRUTH."
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00:04:58,608 --> 00:05:04,678
MAN: TRUTH TELLING,
WHICH COUNTRY MUSIC
AT ITS BEST IS...
80
00:05:04,718 --> 00:05:08,718
TRUTH TELLING,
EVEN WHEN IT'’S A BIG FAT LIE.
81
00:05:08,756 --> 00:05:12,996
IT'’S WHAT AMERICAN FOLK MUSIC
HAS COME TO BE CALLED
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00:05:13,036 --> 00:05:17,006
WHEN IT FOLLOWED
THE PATH OF THE FIDDLE
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00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:18,900
AND THE BANJO.
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00:05:18,939 --> 00:05:22,489
ALL OF AMERICAN MUSIC
COMES FROM THE SAME PLACE.
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00:05:22,529 --> 00:05:25,009
IT'’S JUST SORT OF
WHERE IT ENDS UP,
86
00:05:25,048 --> 00:05:28,048
AND COUNTRY MUSIC IS ONE
OF THE DESTINATIONS.
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00:05:43,722 --> 00:05:46,002
♪ OOOOOOOHH
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YEAH!
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00:05:53,456 --> 00:05:54,836
AH!
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00:06:02,051 --> 00:06:03,981
♪ WHOOOOOOO
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00:06:11,232 --> 00:06:13,172
YEAH!
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00:06:19,862 --> 00:06:22,172
COUNTRY.
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NARRATOR: BY THE EARLY 1920s,
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00:06:39,329 --> 00:06:42,709
A GEORGIA FACTORY WORKER
NAMED JOHN CARSON HAD
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00:06:42,747 --> 00:06:46,917
BEEN PLAYING THE FIDDLE FOR
NEARLY 40 YEARS, EVER SINCE HIS
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00:06:46,958 --> 00:06:50,508
GRANDFATHER FIRST GAVE
HIM ONE AT AGE 10.
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00:06:50,548 --> 00:06:53,968
ALTHOUGH MUSIC WAS HIS
PASSION, HE HAD TO SUPPORT HIS
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00:06:53,999 --> 00:06:58,349
GROWING FAMILY WORKING IN
ONE OF ATLANTA'’S TEXTILE MILLS,
99
00:06:58,383 --> 00:07:01,703
MAKING $10 A WEEK
FOR 60 HOURS OF LABOR.
100
00:07:03,664 --> 00:07:07,464
BUT ON SATURDAY NIGHTS, IN THE
CROWDED FACTORY NEIGHBORHOODS,
101
00:07:07,496 --> 00:07:11,216
CARSON AND HIS FRIENDS STARTED
TO MAKE A LITTLE EXTRA MONEY
102
00:07:11,258 --> 00:07:14,848
PLAYING AT SQUARE DANCES FOR
FAMILIES WHO HAD MIGRATED FROM
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00:07:14,882 --> 00:07:17,822
THEIR FARMS TO ATLANTA,
NOW ONE OF THE SOUTH'’S
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00:07:17,851 --> 00:07:19,371
BIGGEST CITIES.
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"FIDDLIN'’ JOHN" CARSON:
♪ NOW, I AIN'’T GOT NO MONEY ♪
106
00:07:21,475 --> 00:07:23,615
♪ GOT NOWHERE TO STAY...
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00:07:23,650 --> 00:07:27,210
NARRATOR: "FIDDLIN'’ JOHN" CARSON
SOON BEGAN APPEARING WHEREVER
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00:07:27,239 --> 00:07:31,829
AN AUDIENCE COULD BE
FOUND--STORE OPENINGS
AND FARM AUCTIONS,
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00:07:31,865 --> 00:07:34,485
CONFEDERATE
VETERANS'’ REUNIONS,
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00:07:34,523 --> 00:07:38,603
AND POLITICAL EVENTS RANGING
FROM KU KLUX KLAN GATHERINGS
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00:07:38,630 --> 00:07:43,360
TO A RALLY IN SUPPORT OF
A COMMUNIST ORGANIZER.
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00:07:43,393 --> 00:07:47,293
AT THE GEORGIA OLD-TIME
FIDDLERS'’ CONVENTION, CARSON
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00:07:47,328 --> 00:07:49,568
FOUND HIS BIGGEST AUDIENCES.
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00:07:51,540 --> 00:07:55,480
EACH YEAR, SEVERAL THOUSAND
PEOPLE CAME TO HEAR MUSIC THAT
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00:07:55,509 --> 00:07:59,029
REMINDED THEM OF SIMPLER
TIMES AND THE RURAL HOMES
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00:07:59,064 --> 00:08:02,004
OF THEIR PAST.
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00:08:02,033 --> 00:08:04,863
MAN: GOING TO A DANCE WAS
SORT OF LIKE GOING BACK HOME
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00:08:04,898 --> 00:08:07,688
TO MAMA'’S OR TO
GRANDMA'’S FOR THANKSGIVING.
119
00:08:10,559 --> 00:08:14,629
COUNTRY MUSIC IS FULL OF SONGS
ABOUT LITTLE OLD LOG CABINS
120
00:08:14,666 --> 00:08:17,186
THAT PEOPLE HAVE NEVER LIVED IN,
THE OLD COUNTRY CHURCH
121
00:08:17,220 --> 00:08:18,840
THAT PEOPLE HAVE
NEVER ATTENDED.
122
00:08:18,877 --> 00:08:23,537
BUT IT SPOKE FOR A LOT PEOPLE
WHO WERE BEING FORGOTTEN
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00:08:23,572 --> 00:08:26,022
OR FELT THEY WERE
BEING FORGOTTEN.
124
00:08:26,057 --> 00:08:29,747
COUNTRY MUSIC'’S STAPLE,
ABOVE ALL, IS NOSTALGIA.
125
00:08:29,785 --> 00:08:33,505
JUST A HARKENING BACK TO THE
OLDER WAY OF LIFE, EITHER REAL
126
00:08:33,547 --> 00:08:35,827
OR IMAGINED.
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MAN: WELL, ALL RIGHT!
128
00:08:39,553 --> 00:08:44,013
NARRATOR: IN 1922, CARSON'’S
AUDIENCE EXPANDED AGAIN
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00:08:44,040 --> 00:08:47,010
THANKS TO A NEW TECHNOLOGY.
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00:08:47,043 --> 00:08:50,563
THE "ATLANTA JOURNAL" BEGAN
OPERATING THE SOUTH'’S FIRST
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RADIO STATION, WHOSE
CALL LETTERS WSB STOOD
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00:08:55,742 --> 00:08:57,712
FOR "WELCOME SOUTH, BROTHER."
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00:08:57,744 --> 00:08:59,784
CARSON: ♪ ...IS THE MAN
THAT FEEDS '’EM ALL ♪
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00:08:59,815 --> 00:09:04,125
MAN: ANYONE WHO COULD SING,
WHISTLE, RECITE, PLAY ANY KIND
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00:09:04,164 --> 00:09:07,824
OF INSTRUMENT, OR MERELY
BREATHE HEAVILY WAS PUSHED
136
00:09:07,857 --> 00:09:10,407
IN FRONT OF
THE WSB MICROPHONE.
137
00:09:10,446 --> 00:09:14,826
NONE OF THE TALENT WAS PAID,
BUT THAT MADE NO DIFFERENCE.
138
00:09:14,864 --> 00:09:19,594
THEY TROUPED TO WSB TO
PERFORM, AND AUNT MINNIE
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00:09:19,628 --> 00:09:21,528
STAYED HOME TO LISTEN.
140
00:09:21,561 --> 00:09:25,121
NARRATOR: THE RADIO EXPOSURE
BROUGHT CARSON INVITATIONS TO
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00:09:25,150 --> 00:09:27,120
PLAY AT PAID PERFORMANCES
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00:09:27,152 --> 00:09:29,292
IN COUNTRY
SCHOOLHOUSES
143
00:09:29,327 --> 00:09:30,777
AND SMALL-TOWN
THEATERS
144
00:09:30,811 --> 00:09:32,851
THROUGHOUT
THE REGION.
145
00:09:32,882 --> 00:09:37,132
MAN: UNTIL I BEGAN
TO PLAY OVER WSB,
146
00:09:37,162 --> 00:09:41,242
JUST A FEW PEOPLE IN
AND AROUND ATLANTA KNEW ME.
147
00:09:41,270 --> 00:09:44,960
BUT NOW MY WIFE THINKS SHE'’S
A WIDOW MOST OF THE TIME
148
00:09:44,998 --> 00:09:48,998
BECAUSE I STAY AWAY FROM HOME
SO MUCH PLAYING AROUND OVER
149
00:09:49,036 --> 00:09:51,796
THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY.
150
00:09:51,832 --> 00:09:55,282
RADIO MADE ME.
151
00:09:55,318 --> 00:09:57,288
NARRATOR:
BUT AN OLDER TECHNOLOGY
152
00:09:57,320 --> 00:10:00,050
WOULD NOW BRING CARSON
AND HIS KIND OF MUSIC
153
00:10:00,082 --> 00:10:03,122
TO EVEN MORE PEOPLE.
154
00:10:03,154 --> 00:10:06,924
EVER SINCE THOMAS EDISON'’S
INVENTION OF THE PHONOGRAPH,
155
00:10:06,951 --> 00:10:11,021
AMERICANS HAD BEEN BUYING
THE MACHINES FOR THEIR HOMES.
156
00:10:11,058 --> 00:10:14,578
MOST OF THE MUSIC AVAILABLE
TO THEM WAS BY "HIGH-BROW"
157
00:10:14,614 --> 00:10:18,004
ARTISTS LIKE
OPERA TENOR ENRICO CARUSO.
158
00:10:19,688 --> 00:10:23,998
THEN, IN THE SUMMER OF 1923,
A YOUNG MAN FROM MISSOURI
159
00:10:24,037 --> 00:10:28,107
NAMED RALPH PEER
WOULD CHANGE ALL THAT.
160
00:10:28,144 --> 00:10:32,054
MAN: YOU COULDN'’T POSSIBLY BE
A SUCCESS--AT LEAST, IT WOULD
161
00:10:32,079 --> 00:10:37,429
BE UNUSUAL TO BE A SUCCESS--IF
YOU KNEW TOO MUCH ABOUT MUSIC.
162
00:10:37,464 --> 00:10:41,024
YOU HAVE TO BE A BUSINESSMAN
AND A PROPHET, AND YOU ALSO
163
00:10:41,054 --> 00:10:42,994
HAVE TO BE
SOMEWHAT OF A GAMBLER.
164
00:10:44,609 --> 00:10:48,409
NARRATOR: BY AGE 31,
RALPH PEER HAD RISEN THROUGH
165
00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:52,130
THE RANKS OF THE NEW GENERAL
PHONOGRAPH COMPANY, WHICH HAD
166
00:10:52,168 --> 00:10:55,238
CARVED OUT A NICHE
WITH RECORDS AIMED AT AMERICA'’S
167
00:10:55,275 --> 00:10:57,545
IMMIGRANT POPULATIONS.
168
00:10:57,587 --> 00:11:03,627
ITALIAN, GERMAN, RUSSIAN,
SCANDINAVIAN, POLISH, GREEK,
169
00:11:03,663 --> 00:11:09,533
TURKISH, YIDDISH,
SLOVAKIAN, LITHUANIAN,
AND CHINESE HOUSEHOLDS
170
00:11:09,565 --> 00:11:13,975
ALL COULD BUY MUSIC RECORDED
IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGES.
171
00:11:15,571 --> 00:11:18,891
IN 1920,
PEER HAD DISCOVERED ANOTHER
172
00:11:18,919 --> 00:11:21,199
UNTAPPED NICHE IN THE MARKET.
173
00:11:21,232 --> 00:11:22,992
WOMAN: ♪ I CAN'’T
SLEEP AT NIGHT... ♪
174
00:11:23,027 --> 00:11:26,927
NARRATOR:
WITH THE COMPANY'’S OKEH LABEL,
HE RECORDED VAUDEVILLE SINGER
175
00:11:26,962 --> 00:11:30,832
MAMIE SMITH'’S "CRAZY BLUES,"
THE FIRST RECORDING
176
00:11:30,862 --> 00:11:34,522
AIMED AT A BLACK AUDIENCE.
177
00:11:34,555 --> 00:11:40,145
IT SOLD 75,000 COPIES
IN ITS FIRST MONTH.
178
00:11:40,182 --> 00:11:44,012
SEEKING MORE BLACK MUSICIANS
FOR WHAT THE LABEL NOW CALLED
179
00:11:44,048 --> 00:11:49,018
ITS "RACE" RECORDS, IN JUNE
OF 1923, PEER BROUGHT OKEH'’S
180
00:11:49,053 --> 00:11:51,683
ENGINEERS TO ATLANTA.
181
00:11:51,711 --> 00:11:56,091
BUT AFTER RECORDING TWO FEMALE
BLUES SINGERS AND A QUARTET
182
00:11:56,129 --> 00:11:59,889
FROM MOREHOUSE COLLEGE, HE WAS
INTRODUCED TO RADIO STATION
183
00:11:59,926 --> 00:12:05,476
WSB'’S NEW CELEBRITY,
"FIDDLIN'’ JOHN" CARSON.
184
00:12:05,517 --> 00:12:09,277
PEER WAS RELUCTANT TO RECORD
CARSON AT FIRST, UNCERTAIN
185
00:12:09,314 --> 00:12:12,424
A MARKET EVEN EXISTED
FOR OLD-TIME MUSIC.
186
00:12:12,455 --> 00:12:17,555
A YEAR EARLIER, TEXAS FIDDLER
ECK ROBERTSON HAD RECORDED TWO
187
00:12:17,598 --> 00:12:21,398
SONGS FOR THE POWERFUL
VICTOR TALKING MACHINE COMPANY,
188
00:12:21,430 --> 00:12:25,230
BUT THEY HAD NOT SOLD WELL.
189
00:12:25,261 --> 00:12:30,061
RALPH PEER DECIDED TO TAKE
A CHANCE ON "FIDDLIN'’ JOHN."
190
00:12:30,094 --> 00:12:34,314
HE RECORDED CARSON PLAYING AN
OLD MINSTREL SONG, "THE LITTLE
191
00:12:34,339 --> 00:12:39,969
OLD LOG CABIN IN THE LANE,"
ROMANTICIZING SLAVE LIFE.
192
00:12:42,451 --> 00:12:44,971
SECOR: "FIDDLIN'’ JOHN" CARSON
COMES UP TO THE MICROPHONE,
193
00:12:45,005 --> 00:12:47,835
AND HE GRABS HIS FIDDLE,
AND HE BUSTS RIGHT INTO
194
00:12:47,870 --> 00:12:50,770
A TUNE THAT HE'’S
KNOWN ALL HIS LIFE.
195
00:12:50,804 --> 00:12:53,464
♪ OH, I'’M GETTING
OLD AND FEEBLE ♪
196
00:12:53,496 --> 00:12:56,016
♪ AND I CANNOT WORK NO MORE
197
00:12:56,051 --> 00:13:00,501
♪ MY RUSTY BLADED HOE
I'’VE LAID TO REST ♪
198
00:13:00,538 --> 00:13:05,788
♪ OH, MASTER AND THE MISTRESS
ARE LAYING SIDE BY SIDE ♪
199
00:13:05,819 --> 00:13:10,689
♪ THEIR SPIRITS NOW ARE
ROAMING IN THE WEST ♪
200
00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:12,830
CARSON: ♪ ...HAVE CHANGED
ABOUT THE PLACE NOW ♪
201
00:13:12,861 --> 00:13:15,521
♪ AND IN DARKNESS
THEY HAVE GONE ♪
202
00:13:15,553 --> 00:13:18,903
♪ TO ANOTHER YEAR AND
SINGING IN THE CANE... ♪
203
00:13:18,936 --> 00:13:22,076
NARRATOR: IN ATLANTA, THE
RECORDS SOLD LIKE HOT CAKES.
204
00:13:22,111 --> 00:13:25,111
CARSON: ♪ ...LEFT HERE IS THAT
GOOD OL'’ DOG OF MINE ♪
205
00:13:25,149 --> 00:13:29,019
♪ AND THE LITTLE OLD
LOG CABIN IN THE LANE ♪
206
00:13:29,049 --> 00:13:32,599
NARRATOR: PEER REALIZED
THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER
SEGMENT OF AMERICA,
207
00:13:32,639 --> 00:13:35,439
PREDOMINANTLY WHITE,
WORKING-CLASS SOUTHERNERS,
208
00:13:35,469 --> 00:13:39,399
EAGER TO BUY RECORDINGS OF MUSIC
THEY WERE FAMILIAR WITH.
209
00:13:39,439 --> 00:13:41,539
CARSON: ♪ BUT THERE'’S
ANGELS WATCHING... ♪
210
00:13:41,579 --> 00:13:45,509
NARRATOR: RALPH PEER
BEGAN LOOKING FOR OTHER
ARTISTS LIKE "FIDDLIN'’ JOHN"
211
00:13:45,548 --> 00:13:49,238
AND SOON PROCLAIMED IN
AN ADVERTISEMENT THAT OKEH HAD
212
00:13:49,276 --> 00:13:53,866
"UNCOVERED A BRAND-NEW FIELD
FOR RECORD SALES" AND OFFERED
213
00:13:53,902 --> 00:13:57,602
"OLD TIME PIECES" THAT WERE
SETTING OFF, HE SAID,
214
00:13:57,629 --> 00:13:59,869
A CRAZE FOR THIS
"HILL COUNTRY MUSIC."
215
00:13:59,908 --> 00:14:02,318
CARSON: ♪ ...CABIN IN THE LANE
216
00:14:04,740 --> 00:14:07,540
MAN: "THE PHONOGRAPH COMPANIES
HAVE OPENED A NEW MARKET,
217
00:14:07,570 --> 00:14:10,570
"ONE THAT THEY HAD NOT
DREAMED EXISTED:
218
00:14:10,608 --> 00:14:13,818
"A WIDE MARKET AMONG
THE FOLK OF THE MOUNTAINS,
219
00:14:13,853 --> 00:14:17,513
"OF THE MINING DISTRICTS
AND THE TIMBERLANDS.
220
00:14:17,546 --> 00:14:22,926
"PLAIN FOLK TO WHOM THE STORY IS
THE IMPORTANT PART OF ANY SONG,
221
00:14:22,965 --> 00:14:25,205
"WHO LIKE THE
ACCOMPANIMENT SIMPLE
222
00:14:25,243 --> 00:14:28,043
AND THE WORDS UNDERSTANDABLE."
223
00:14:28,074 --> 00:14:29,974
"COLLIER'’S" MAGAZINE.
224
00:14:31,732 --> 00:14:33,532
WOMAN: COUNTRY MUSIC
225
00:14:33,562 --> 00:14:36,672
IS THE MUSIC OF THE WORKING
CLASS, IS THE MUSIC OF PEOPLE
226
00:14:36,703 --> 00:14:39,023
WHO DON'’T HAVE A LOT OF POWER.
227
00:14:39,050 --> 00:14:41,500
WE LIKE TO TALK ABOUT
THE FOUNDING FATHERS A LOT,
228
00:14:41,535 --> 00:14:45,155
BUT THE PEOPLE WHO BUILT THIS
COUNTRY, THAT'’S THE PEOPLE
229
00:14:45,194 --> 00:14:46,784
WHERE COUNTRY
AND BLUES COME FROM,
230
00:14:46,816 --> 00:14:48,226
YOU KNOW, ARE THOSE PEOPLE.
231
00:14:48,266 --> 00:14:49,606
AND YOU DON'’T HAVE
AMERICA WITHOUT THEM.
232
00:14:49,647 --> 00:14:54,097
BRADLEY KINCAID: ♪ IN
SCARLET TOWN WHERE I WAS BORN ♪
233
00:14:54,134 --> 00:14:57,664
♪ THERE WAS
A FAIR MAID DWELLIN'’ ♪
234
00:14:57,689 --> 00:15:01,829
♪ MADE EVERY YOUTH
CRY WELL AWAY ♪
235
00:15:01,866 --> 00:15:05,526
♪ HER NAME WAS
BARBAR'’Y ALLEN... ♪
236
00:15:05,559 --> 00:15:07,009
NARRATOR: RALPH PEER
237
00:15:07,044 --> 00:15:09,944
MAY HAVE DISCOVERED A NEW
FIELD FOR RECORD SALES
238
00:15:09,978 --> 00:15:13,568
IN THE 1920s, BUT THE MUSIC
ITSELF WAS ANYTHING BUT NEW.
239
00:15:13,602 --> 00:15:16,712
KINCAID: ♪ SWEET WILLIAM ON
HIS DEATHBED LAY... ♪
240
00:15:16,743 --> 00:15:20,683
NARRATOR: IT SPRANG FROM MANY
SOURCES, SOME OF THEM OLDER THAN
241
00:15:20,712 --> 00:15:22,992
THE NATION ITSELF.
242
00:15:23,025 --> 00:15:25,785
THE FIRST COLONISTS BROUGHT
WITH THEM BALLADS FROM
243
00:15:25,821 --> 00:15:29,241
THE BRITISH ISLES THAT WERE
ALREADY CENTURIES OLD--
244
00:15:29,273 --> 00:15:33,973
SONGS THAT TOLD STORIES,
OFTEN OF LOST LOVES, MURDERS,
245
00:15:34,002 --> 00:15:36,182
OR TRAGIC EVENTS.
246
00:15:36,211 --> 00:15:40,351
SOME WERE PASSED ALONG IN THE
NEW WORLD RELATIVELY UNCHANGED
247
00:15:40,387 --> 00:15:43,937
FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION.
248
00:15:43,977 --> 00:15:48,087
"BARBARA ALLEN," THE PLAINTIVE
STORY OF AN UNREQUITED LOVE,
249
00:15:48,119 --> 00:15:50,329
A BROKEN HEART, AND TWO DEATHS,
250
00:15:50,363 --> 00:15:54,333
DATED ALL THE WAY BACK
TO THE 1600s.
251
00:15:54,367 --> 00:15:58,507
IT WAS NEARLY 300 YEARS OLD
WHEN BRADLEY KINCAID, WHO HAD
252
00:15:58,543 --> 00:16:02,003
LEARNED IT FROM HIS UNCLE
IN KENTUCKY, FIRST SANG IT
253
00:16:02,030 --> 00:16:04,000
ON THE RADIO.
254
00:16:04,032 --> 00:16:07,732
PARTON: ♪ PRETTY FAIR MISS
OUT IN THE GARDEN ♪
255
00:16:07,759 --> 00:16:08,999
♪ WHEN A SOLDIER BOY...
256
00:16:09,037 --> 00:16:11,897
I GREW UP IN THE GREAT SMOKY
MOUNTAINS OF EAST TENNESSEE.
257
00:16:11,936 --> 00:16:13,656
MY MOTHER WAS A GREAT SINGER!
258
00:16:13,696 --> 00:16:16,696
SHE HAD ONE OF THOSE
OLD MOUNTAIN VOICES.
259
00:16:16,734 --> 00:16:19,844
SHE USED TO SING ALL THOSE
SONGS FROM THE OLD WORLD--
260
00:16:19,875 --> 00:16:23,735
"BARBARA ALLEN," "BENEATH
THE WEEPING WILLOW TREE."
261
00:16:23,775 --> 00:16:26,155
SHE SAID THAT'’S HOW PEOPLE
USED TO CARRY THE NEWS,
262
00:16:26,192 --> 00:16:30,022
WHEN THEY BROUGHT THOSE OLD
SONGS OVER FROM THE OLD WORLD--
263
00:16:30,058 --> 00:16:33,818
THOSE OLD IRISH, ENGLISH,
SCOTTISH, WELSH BALLADS.
264
00:16:33,854 --> 00:16:37,004
SHE TOLD A GREAT STORY,
AND IT WAS ALL BELIEVABLE.
265
00:16:37,030 --> 00:16:40,340
SO JUST WATCHING MAMA WAS LIKE
WATCHING TV, HEARING HER SING
266
00:16:40,378 --> 00:16:42,038
AND TELL ALL THESE STORIES.
267
00:16:42,070 --> 00:16:45,520
♪ ... FOR SEVEN LONG YEARS
HE'’S BEEN IN THE WAR ♪
268
00:16:45,556 --> 00:16:49,936
♪ NO MAN ON EARTH
I NEVER SHALL MARRY ♪
269
00:16:49,974 --> 00:16:53,364
♪ IF HE SHOULD STAY THERE
SEVEN YEARS MORE ♪
270
00:16:53,391 --> 00:16:54,631
I GOT TO FINISH IT.
271
00:16:54,668 --> 00:16:58,778
♪ HE TOOK HIS HANDS BOTH
OUT OF HIS POCKET ♪
272
00:16:58,810 --> 00:17:02,950
♪ HIS FINGERS WERE BOTH
NEAT AND SMALL ♪
273
00:17:02,987 --> 00:17:06,987
♪ AND ON HIS HAND WAS
THE RING SHE GAVE HIM ♪
274
00:17:07,026 --> 00:17:12,266
♪ STRAIGHT WAY BEFORE
HIM SHE DID FALL ♪
275
00:17:13,860 --> 00:17:15,520
NARRATOR: FOR GENERATIONS,
276
00:17:15,551 --> 00:17:19,691
AMERICANS HAD ALSO BEEN ADAPTING
MELODIES FROM THE OLD WORLD
277
00:17:19,728 --> 00:17:23,178
BY ATTACHING NEW LYRICS
TO MATCH THEIR EXPERIENCES
278
00:17:23,214 --> 00:17:25,534
IN THE NEW WORLD.
279
00:17:25,561 --> 00:17:28,531
"BURY ME NOT ON THE LONE
PRAIRIE" CAME FROM AN OLD
280
00:17:28,564 --> 00:17:32,094
SAILOR'’S SONG,
"THE OCEAN BURIAL."
281
00:17:32,120 --> 00:17:35,500
"THE STREETS OF LAREDO" TOOK
ITS TUNE FROM AN IRISH BALLAD
282
00:17:35,537 --> 00:17:39,987
WRITTEN AROUND 1700,
"THE BARD OF ARMAGH."
283
00:17:40,024 --> 00:17:42,204
BRADLEY: WE TOOK THAT
MELODY, AND WE WROTE
284
00:17:42,233 --> 00:17:45,723
ABOUT GUN FIGHTERS
GETTIN'’ KILLED.
285
00:17:45,754 --> 00:17:48,524
WE DIDN'’T INVENT
COUNTRY MUSIC,
286
00:17:48,550 --> 00:17:50,350
AND I DON'’T WANNA
SAY WE STOLE IT.
287
00:17:50,379 --> 00:17:51,969
THAT'’S A PRETTY STRONG WORD.
288
00:17:52,001 --> 00:17:54,941
BUT I WILL SAY THAT WE
ADAPTED IT FROM THE ENGLISH,
289
00:17:54,970 --> 00:17:57,520
THE IRISH,
AND THE SCOTTISH PEOPLE.
290
00:17:57,559 --> 00:18:02,499
TENNESSEE MOUNTAINEERS:
♪ STANDING ON THE PROMISES
OF CHRIST MY KING ♪
291
00:18:02,529 --> 00:18:04,599
♪ THROUGH ETERNAL AGES...
292
00:18:04,635 --> 00:18:09,015
NARRATOR: NOWHERE WAS MUSIC
MORE ESSENTIAL THAN IN CHURCH.
293
00:18:09,053 --> 00:18:12,403
THE HYMNS PEOPLE SANG ON
SUNDAY MORNINGS WARNED THEM
294
00:18:12,436 --> 00:18:16,436
OF GOD'’S ETERNAL JUDGMENT,
BUT ALSO OFFERED THE PROMISE
295
00:18:16,474 --> 00:18:19,964
OF SALVATION, EVEN TO
THE SINNERS WHO HAD BEEN OUT
296
00:18:19,995 --> 00:18:22,645
CAROUSING SATURDAY NIGHT.
297
00:18:22,687 --> 00:18:24,447
MAN: THE BEST CHRISTIAN
IN THE WORLD IS THE ONE WHO
298
00:18:24,482 --> 00:18:27,452
REALIZES THAT HE NEEDS TO BE.
299
00:18:27,485 --> 00:18:29,755
YOU KNOW, YOU'’VE GOT TO
EXPERIENCE SATURDAY NIGHT
300
00:18:29,798 --> 00:18:32,208
SOMETIMES TO KNOW WHAT
SUNDAY MORNING'’S ALL ABOUT.
301
00:18:33,871 --> 00:18:35,491
MAN: HUMAN BEINGS,
WHAT DO WE THINK ABOUT?
302
00:18:35,528 --> 00:18:37,838
WE GOT VERY BASIC THINGS.
303
00:18:37,875 --> 00:18:40,875
WE THINK ABOUT OUR SEXUAL
RELATIONSHIP, THAT WE NEED TO
304
00:18:40,912 --> 00:18:43,852
PROPAGATE OUR SPECIES THAT
MAKES OUR LIFE SWEET AND ALSO
305
00:18:43,881 --> 00:18:48,851
BITTER, AND OUR RELATIONSHIP
TO WHATEVER OUR LORD IS.
306
00:18:48,886 --> 00:18:51,506
SO, WE PUT THOSE TWO
THINGS RIGHT TOGETHER.
307
00:18:51,544 --> 00:18:54,344
THE SATURDAY NIGHT FUNCTION
308
00:18:54,374 --> 00:18:57,104
AND THE SUNDAY MORNING
PURIFICATION.
309
00:18:57,136 --> 00:18:59,346
AND YOU GOT TO GET PURIFIED
ON SUNDAY SO YOU CAN DO
310
00:18:59,379 --> 00:19:01,589
THE SAME THING AGAIN
NEXT SATURDAY.
311
00:19:01,623 --> 00:19:03,523
COME ON, NOW.
312
00:19:05,213 --> 00:19:08,533
MAN: WELL, I WENT TO
THE OLD "PRIMITIVE" BAPTIST,
313
00:19:08,561 --> 00:19:13,841
WHERE THEY ALL GET UP TOGETHER
AND SING THE SAME PART,
314
00:19:13,876 --> 00:19:16,016
NO MUSIC, OR NOTHING.
315
00:19:16,051 --> 00:19:17,851
EVERYBODY SUNG LEAD.
316
00:19:19,227 --> 00:19:23,747
THAT'’S THE WAY IT WAS
IN THE OLD BAPTIST SOUND.
317
00:19:23,783 --> 00:19:27,413
SOMEONE WOULD LEAD THE SONG,
AND GIVE IT OUT.
318
00:19:27,442 --> 00:19:33,902
YOU CALL IT "LINING." YOU SAY,
"TARRY WITH ME, OH, MY SAVIOR."
319
00:19:33,931 --> 00:19:35,281
THEN YOU'’D...
320
00:19:35,312 --> 00:19:42,352
♪ TARRY WITH ME,
OH, MY SAVIOR ♪
321
00:19:42,388 --> 00:19:44,488
AND THEY'’D KNOW WHAT TO DO.
322
00:19:44,528 --> 00:19:46,978
SINGING "WILL THE CIRCLE
323
00:19:53,053 --> 00:19:56,683
NARRATOR: MOST PEOPLE COULDN'’T
READ MUSIC, SO SINGING SCHOOLS
324
00:19:56,712 --> 00:20:00,032
WERE ORGANIZED TO TEACH THEM
A BASIC SYSTEM CALLED
325
00:20:00,060 --> 00:20:01,680
SHAPE NOTES.
326
00:20:01,717 --> 00:20:05,757
SONGBOOK PUBLISHERS DISPATCHED
TRAVELING QUARTETS TO
327
00:20:05,790 --> 00:20:10,140
DEMONSTRATE HOW TO ADD HARMONY
TO THE SONGS, AND THEN SELL
328
00:20:10,174 --> 00:20:12,044
THEIR PRODUCTS.
329
00:20:12,072 --> 00:20:15,012
PEOPLE CONGREGATED
AT SINGING CONVENTIONS
330
00:20:15,041 --> 00:20:19,011
AND GOSPEL TENT REVIVALS,
WHERE THEY SANG OLD SPIRITUALS
331
00:20:19,045 --> 00:20:21,185
BORN IN BLACK CHURCHES
332
00:20:21,220 --> 00:20:26,160
OR POPULAR HYMNS LIKE
"WILL THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN?"
333
00:20:26,190 --> 00:20:29,880
AND A CHEERY GOSPEL TUNE,
"KEEP ON THE SUNNY SIDE,"
334
00:20:29,918 --> 00:20:33,578
INSPIRED BY THE WRITER'’S
INVALID COUSIN WHO ASKED THAT
335
00:20:33,611 --> 00:20:36,961
HIS WHEELCHAIR ALWAYS BE
PUSHED "ON THE SUNNY SIDE"
336
00:20:36,994 --> 00:20:39,824
OF THE STREET.
337
00:20:39,859 --> 00:20:44,279
SOMETIMES, REVIVAL ORGANIZERS
SIMPLY SET RELIGIOUS LYRICS TO
338
00:20:44,312 --> 00:20:47,762
POPULAR MELODIES
EVERYONE ALREADY KNEW.
339
00:20:47,798 --> 00:20:51,008
"WHY," THE SAYING WENT,
"SHOULD THE DEVIL HAVE ALL
340
00:20:51,042 --> 00:20:52,492
THE GOOD TUNES?"
341
00:20:52,527 --> 00:20:56,217
FAIRFAX STREET CHOIR:
♪ ...THE SKY
342
00:20:56,255 --> 00:21:00,185
♪ ONE GLAD MORNING,
WHEN THIS DAY IS OVER ♪
343
00:21:00,224 --> 00:21:03,884
♪ I'’LL FLY AWAY ♪
344
00:21:03,917 --> 00:21:07,677
♪ TO A HOME THAT'’S,
DAH, DAH, DAH, DAH ♪
345
00:21:07,714 --> 00:21:10,344
♪ I'’LL FLY AWAY ♪
346
00:21:10,372 --> 00:21:11,512
THEN YOU GO...
347
00:21:11,546 --> 00:21:15,306
♪ I'’LL FLY AWAY, OH, GLORY ♪
348
00:21:15,343 --> 00:21:19,143
♪ I'’LL FLY AWAY
IN THE MORNING ♪
349
00:21:19,174 --> 00:21:22,974
♪ WHEN I DIE,
HALLELUJAH, BY AND BY ♪
350
00:21:23,005 --> 00:21:25,965
♪ I'’LL FLY AWAY ♪
351
00:21:26,008 --> 00:21:29,318
THAT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD.
352
00:21:29,357 --> 00:21:32,837
YOU CAN HAVE A HIP HURTING,
YOU CAN HAVE ARTHRITIS,
353
00:21:32,877 --> 00:21:34,497
YOU CAN HAVE
ANYTHING WRONG WITH YOU,
354
00:21:34,534 --> 00:21:36,614
BUT, AGAIN, IF YOU
CAN SING THAT SONG,
355
00:21:36,640 --> 00:21:38,640
YOU'’RE GONNA FEEL BETTER.
356
00:21:42,922 --> 00:21:45,512
JAZZ EMPHASIZES THIS,
AND BLUES EMPHASIZES THIS,
357
00:21:45,545 --> 00:21:47,165
AND COUNTRY EMPHASIZES
THIS, YOU KNOW,
358
00:21:47,202 --> 00:21:52,482
BUT WHERE THEY ALL START IS IN
THIS BEAUTIFUL SORT OF BOILING
359
00:21:52,518 --> 00:21:55,238
AMERICAN MUSIC POT.
360
00:22:12,227 --> 00:22:15,327
NARRATOR: THE INSTRUMENTS
PEOPLE PLAYED CAME FROM EVERY
361
00:22:15,368 --> 00:22:17,298
CORNER OF THE GLOBE.
362
00:22:17,336 --> 00:22:21,056
FIDDLES WERE THE MOST COMMON,
HAVING BEEN BROUGHT TO AMERICA
363
00:22:21,098 --> 00:22:24,098
BY SUCCESSIVE
WAVES OF IMMIGRANTS.
364
00:22:24,135 --> 00:22:27,685
THE FIRST KNOWN FIDDLE CONTEST
IN NORTH AMERICA WAS
365
00:22:27,725 --> 00:22:33,315
ADVERTISED IN VIRGINIA
IN 1736, 40 YEARS BEFORE
366
00:22:33,352 --> 00:22:36,012
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.
367
00:22:36,044 --> 00:22:40,014
MAN: THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN A FIDDLE AND A VIOLIN.
368
00:22:40,048 --> 00:22:42,498
I WENT TO SEE ITZHAK PERLMAN
AT THE OPRY HOUSE
369
00:22:42,533 --> 00:22:44,093
IN NASHVILLE.
370
00:22:44,121 --> 00:22:47,331
AND SOMEBODY TOOK ME
BACKSTAGE BEFORE THE SHOW.
371
00:22:47,366 --> 00:22:49,506
AND I SAID, "HI, MR. PERLMAN.
I'’M CHARLIE DANIELS.
372
00:22:49,540 --> 00:22:51,020
I AM A FIDDLE PLAYER."
373
00:22:51,059 --> 00:22:53,509
HE SAID, "WE ARE ALL
FIDDLE PLAYERS."
374
00:22:53,544 --> 00:22:56,384
SO, IF ITZHAK PERLMAN IS
A FIDDLE PLAYER, I'’M PROUD TO BE
375
00:22:56,409 --> 00:22:57,929
ASSOCIATED WITH THE FIDDLE.
376
00:23:04,383 --> 00:23:08,183
♪ MY OLD MISSUS AND MY MASTER
WAS SLEEPIN'’ SIDE BY SIDE ♪
377
00:23:08,214 --> 00:23:11,114
♪ IN THAT LITTLE LOG CABIN
DOWN THE LANE... ♪
378
00:23:20,468 --> 00:23:22,298
NARRATOR: THE BANJO,
379
00:23:22,331 --> 00:23:26,441
SECOND ONLY TO THE FIDDLE
EARLY ON, CAME TO AMERICA AS
380
00:23:26,474 --> 00:23:31,484
A GOURD WITH A FRETLESS NECK,
BROUGHT BY SLAVES FROM AFRICA.
381
00:23:31,513 --> 00:23:34,343
IT'’S A DRUM.
YOU KNOW, IT'’S...
382
00:23:34,378 --> 00:23:36,658
THIS THING
CAME FROM AFRICA.
383
00:23:36,691 --> 00:23:40,001
THIS THING IS PART OF
A LONG TRADITION.
384
00:23:40,039 --> 00:23:43,969
THEY'’VE GOT HIEROGLYPHICS OF
THESE AT THE PYRAMIDS IN GIZA.
385
00:23:48,703 --> 00:23:51,333
GIDDENS: IT'’S AMERICA...
386
00:23:51,360 --> 00:23:53,330
BUT IT'’S GOT AFRICA IN IT.
387
00:23:56,538 --> 00:23:58,508
NARRATOR: THE BANJO
EVENTUALLY BECAME
388
00:23:58,540 --> 00:24:01,650
THE INSTRUMENT OF CHOICE FOR
MANY MUSICIANS
389
00:24:01,681 --> 00:24:04,201
IN THE 19th CENTURY.
390
00:24:04,235 --> 00:24:06,375
MAN: THERE'’S SOMETHING
MYSTERIOUS ABOUT THE SOUND
391
00:24:06,410 --> 00:24:09,830
OF A 5-STRING BANJO
OR EVEN A 4-STRING BANJO.
392
00:24:09,862 --> 00:24:14,252
IT DOESN'’T MAKE YOU SAD.
IT MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER.
393
00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:18,490
THE BANJO IS A SOUND
THAT CAPTURES PEOPLE.
394
00:24:18,526 --> 00:24:23,426
IT'’S HARD TO IGNORE
BECAUSE IT'’S SO PERCUSSIVE.
395
00:24:23,462 --> 00:24:27,362
NARRATOR: BY THE 1920s,
CHARLIE POOLE, A TEXTILE
396
00:24:27,396 --> 00:24:30,116
WORKER FROM EDEN,
NORTH CAROLINA, HAD BECOME
397
00:24:30,158 --> 00:24:33,298
THE BEST-KNOWN BANJO PLAYER
IN THE NATION.
398
00:24:33,333 --> 00:24:37,583
HE HAD BROKEN SEVERAL FINGERS
PLAYING BASEBALL, RESULTING
399
00:24:37,614 --> 00:24:41,004
IN A PERMANENTLY CURLED
RIGHT HAND THAT FORCED HIM TO
400
00:24:41,031 --> 00:24:45,171
DEVELOP A UNIQUE,
3-FINGERED STYLE,
401
00:24:45,207 --> 00:24:48,657
BUT MOST MUSICIANS STILL
PREFERRED THE "CLAWHAMMER"
402
00:24:48,694 --> 00:24:52,534
OR "FRAILING" METHOD.
403
00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:56,390
SECOR: SO I PLAY IT IN
THE CLAWHAMMER STYLE.
404
00:24:56,425 --> 00:24:59,735
SO WHEN THE MINSTREL
CAME TO TOWN, HE WOULD...
405
00:25:23,694 --> 00:25:26,354
IT'’S THAT KIND OF
ROLLICKING, FAST-PACED,
406
00:25:26,386 --> 00:25:30,216
YOU KNOW, TRAIN WHISTLE
KIND OF STUFF.
407
00:25:30,252 --> 00:25:33,672
NARRATOR: IN THE MID-1800s,
408
00:25:33,704 --> 00:25:38,364
ANOTHER INSTRUMENT
HAD GAINED POPULARITY.
409
00:25:38,398 --> 00:25:42,258
CHRISTIAN FREDERICK MARTIN
IMMIGRATED TO NEW YORK FROM
410
00:25:42,299 --> 00:25:46,889
GERMANY AND STARTED PRODUCING
SMALL GUT-STRING GUITARS,
411
00:25:46,924 --> 00:25:49,344
WHOSE LIGHT SOUND
MADE THEM APPROPRIATE
412
00:25:49,375 --> 00:25:52,515
FOR THE INSTRUMENT'’S
MAIN MARKET AT THE TIME:
413
00:25:52,551 --> 00:25:55,591
POLITE PARLOR MUSIC.
414
00:25:55,623 --> 00:26:00,593
THEN BLACK, HAWAIIAN, AND LATINO
MUSICIANS ADAPTED IT TO
415
00:26:00,628 --> 00:26:04,558
MORE DIVERSE STYLES, AND WHEN
MARTIN'’S GRANDSON DESIGNED
416
00:26:04,597 --> 00:26:07,457
A NEW MODEL IN
THE EARLY 20th CENTURY,
417
00:26:07,496 --> 00:26:12,116
WITH A LARGER BODY AND STRONGER
NECK TO PERMIT STEEL STRINGS,
418
00:26:12,156 --> 00:26:16,536
THE GUITAR BEGAN TO RIVAL
THE FIDDLE AND BANJO IN ITS USE.
419
00:26:31,382 --> 00:26:35,592
ORVILLE GIBSON OF KALAMAZOO,
MICHIGAN, MADE GUITARS, TOO,
420
00:26:35,628 --> 00:26:38,528
AND INNOVATED WITH THE DESIGN
OF ANOTHER INSTRUMENT
421
00:26:38,562 --> 00:26:41,772
FROM EUROPE: THE MANDOLIN.
422
00:26:41,807 --> 00:26:44,017
ONE OF THE THINGS
ABOUT GUITARS, MANDOLINS,
423
00:26:44,050 --> 00:26:48,330
AND BANJOS THAT MADE THEM
POPULAR IS YOU COULD
424
00:26:48,365 --> 00:26:49,815
HEAR THEM.
425
00:26:49,849 --> 00:26:53,089
YOU COULD HEAR
A FIDDLE FROM FAR AWAY.
426
00:26:53,128 --> 00:26:57,168
YOU COULD HEAR THE CHORDS
OF THE GUITAR AND YOU
COULD HEAR THE BANJO.
427
00:26:57,201 --> 00:27:00,341
ANOTHER THING IS
YOU COULD CARRY THEM WITH YOU.
428
00:27:00,377 --> 00:27:01,717
YOU COULD PUT IT
OVER YOUR BACK.
429
00:27:01,758 --> 00:27:03,478
YOU COULD TIE IT TO YOUR HORSE.
430
00:27:03,518 --> 00:27:05,448
YOU COULD BRING IT ALONG,
431
00:27:05,485 --> 00:27:07,415
AND YOU COULD
TAKE IT ANYWHERE.
432
00:27:07,453 --> 00:27:12,533
THE PIANO, NOT SO MUCH.
433
00:27:14,115 --> 00:27:17,665
NARRATOR: NOT ALL OF THE MUSIC
PEOPLE CONSIDERED "OLD-TIME"
434
00:27:17,705 --> 00:27:21,495
WAS ACTUALLY ROOTED IN
THE DEEP PAST, NOR DID IT SPRING
435
00:27:21,536 --> 00:27:24,466
EXCLUSIVELY FROM
THE RURAL SOUTH.
436
00:27:24,504 --> 00:27:29,104
LONG BEFORE PHONOGRAPHS
AND RADIO, TRAVELING SHOWS HAD
437
00:27:29,130 --> 00:27:31,960
CRISSCROSSED THE COUNTRY,
FEATURING MUSIC BY
438
00:27:31,995 --> 00:27:35,545
PROFESSIONAL SONGWRITERS
FROM THE CITIES.
439
00:27:35,584 --> 00:27:39,174
BEGINNING IN THE 1840s,
STEPHEN FOSTER CREATED
440
00:27:39,209 --> 00:27:42,969
A STRING OF HEARTFELT SONGS,
LIKE "BEAUTIFUL DREAMER"
441
00:27:43,006 --> 00:27:44,626
AND "HARD TIMES,"
442
00:27:44,663 --> 00:27:46,113
THAT ENDED UP
443
00:27:46,147 --> 00:27:47,697
IN THE PARLORS OF HOMES
444
00:27:47,735 --> 00:27:49,385
ACROSS THE NATION.
445
00:27:49,426 --> 00:27:52,836
THOUGH HE WAS A NORTHERNER WHO
TRAVELED ONLY ONCE BELOW
446
00:27:52,878 --> 00:27:57,398
THE MASON-DIXON LINE, FOSTER
ALSO CONTRIBUTED TUNES THAT WERE
447
00:27:57,434 --> 00:28:01,684
SPREAD BY ITINERANT MINSTREL
SHOWS--WHITE PROFESSIONAL
448
00:28:01,714 --> 00:28:05,344
MUSICIANS DRESSED IN
BLACKFACE, WHO DANCED
449
00:28:05,373 --> 00:28:08,623
AND PERFORMED SONGS THAT
AUDIENCES BELIEVED
450
00:28:08,652 --> 00:28:12,692
IMITATED AFRICAN-AMERICAN
MUSIC AND SENTIMENTALIZED LIFE
451
00:28:12,725 --> 00:28:14,305
IN THE ANTEBELLUM SOUTH...
452
00:28:14,347 --> 00:28:16,657
JOHN PRINE: ♪ OH, THE SUN
SHINES BRIGHT... ♪
453
00:28:16,695 --> 00:28:20,175
NARRATOR: "CAMPTOWN RACES,"
"MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME,"
454
00:28:20,215 --> 00:28:21,695
"OLD FOLKS AT HOME."
455
00:28:21,734 --> 00:28:25,634
PRINE: ♪ '’TIS SUMMER,
THE OLD FOLKS ARE GAY... ♪
456
00:28:25,669 --> 00:28:27,569
SECOR: IT'’S A LOT OF NOSTALGIA.
457
00:28:27,602 --> 00:28:30,712
IN MINSTRELSY, THEY SELL THIS
VERSION OF THE AMERICAN SOUTH
458
00:28:30,743 --> 00:28:34,133
LIKE "DARKIES
PRAISING THEIR MASTERS."
459
00:28:34,160 --> 00:28:39,230
OLD UNCLE TOM, WHO WISHES HE
WAS BACK HOME IN THE OLD SOUTH.
460
00:28:39,269 --> 00:28:41,749
GIDDENS: THAT'’S ALWAYS BEEN
SO INTERESTING TO ME,
461
00:28:41,789 --> 00:28:44,689
THE FASCINATION THAT
WHITE CULTURES HERE HAVE HAD
462
00:28:44,723 --> 00:28:46,833
WITH BLACK CULTURE.
463
00:28:46,863 --> 00:28:50,003
ON THE ONE HAND, IT'’S LIKE
THE LANGUAGE THAT IS USED
464
00:28:50,038 --> 00:28:52,078
IS SO NEGATIVE.
465
00:28:52,109 --> 00:28:54,699
ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE IS
JUST, LIKE, "BUT THE MUSIC!
466
00:28:54,733 --> 00:28:56,363
"BUT THE DANCE!
467
00:28:56,389 --> 00:28:57,809
IT'’S SO COOL."
468
00:28:57,839 --> 00:29:01,019
PRINE: ♪ ON MY OLD
KENTUCKY HOME... ♪
469
00:29:01,049 --> 00:29:03,469
NARRATOR: THE ONLY SOURCE
OF INCOME FOR A PROFESSIONAL
470
00:29:03,500 --> 00:29:07,160
SONGWRITER LIKE FOSTER WAS
THE ROYALTIES FROM SALES
471
00:29:07,193 --> 00:29:08,953
OF SHEET MUSIC.
472
00:29:08,988 --> 00:29:12,338
HIS SONGS WERE IMMENSELY
POPULAR, BUT BECAUSE OF LAX
473
00:29:12,371 --> 00:29:17,621
COPYRIGHT LAWS, WHEN HE
DIED IN NEW YORK CITY'’S
BELLEVUE HOSPITAL
474
00:29:17,652 --> 00:29:23,492
IN 1864 AT AGE 37,
FOSTER WAS VIRTUALLY PENNILESS.
475
00:29:25,211 --> 00:29:28,731
MANY OTHER SONGS CONSIDERED
QUINTESSENTIALLY SOUTHERN
476
00:29:28,767 --> 00:29:33,427
AND RURAL, IN FACT, CAME
FROM NORTHERN, URBAN SOURCES.
477
00:29:33,461 --> 00:29:36,191
"CARRY ME BACK TO
OLD VIRGINNY," WAS WRITTEN
478
00:29:36,222 --> 00:29:38,192
BY JAMES A. BLAND,
479
00:29:38,224 --> 00:29:40,544
A COLLEGE-EDUCATED
AFRICAN-AMERICAN
480
00:29:40,571 --> 00:29:42,991
BORN IN FLUSHING, NEW YORK.
481
00:29:43,022 --> 00:29:44,512
"DIXIE," PLAYED AT
482
00:29:44,541 --> 00:29:46,161
THE INAUGURATION
483
00:29:46,198 --> 00:29:48,988
OF JEFFERSON DAVIS
IN ALABAMA, WAS CREDITED TO
484
00:29:49,028 --> 00:29:53,858
DANIEL DECATUR EMMETT OF OHIO.
485
00:29:53,895 --> 00:29:55,305
MAN: ♪ I'’M IN LOVE... ♪
486
00:29:55,345 --> 00:29:56,825
NARRATOR: BY THE 1920s,
487
00:29:56,864 --> 00:30:01,524
AS MINSTREL SHOWS
WERE FADING, RALPH PEER
RECORDED EMMETT MILLER,
488
00:30:01,558 --> 00:30:05,668
STILL APPEARING IN BLACKFACE,
SINGING "LOVESICK BLUES,"
489
00:30:05,700 --> 00:30:08,360
TO WHICH HE ADDED
A DISTINCTIVE YODELING BREAK.
490
00:30:08,392 --> 00:30:13,022
MILLER: ♪ ...GOT A FEELING
CALLED THE BLUE-HOO-HOO-HOOS ♪
491
00:30:13,052 --> 00:30:15,192
♪ AS MY MAMA SAID GOOD-BYE...
492
00:30:15,227 --> 00:30:18,817
NARRATOR: LIKE SO MUCH
OTHER MUSIC OF THE TIME,
IT DREW DEEPLY FROM
493
00:30:18,851 --> 00:30:23,201
SO-CALLED "RACE" MUSIC, EVEN
IF THAT MUSIC WAS PERFORMED
494
00:30:23,235 --> 00:30:27,545
ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY BY WHITES,
MOST OF THEM SOUTHERNERS.
495
00:30:27,584 --> 00:30:29,174
MILLER: ♪ THAT LAST
LONG DAY WE... ♪
496
00:30:29,206 --> 00:30:33,346
THE SOUTH ITSELF IS A PLACE OF
BLACK AND WHITE SOUTHERNERS.
497
00:30:33,383 --> 00:30:36,013
I MEAN, IT'’S--THERE'S
NO "WHITE" SOUTH.
498
00:30:36,041 --> 00:30:37,701
IT'’S NOT SCANDINAVIAN.
499
00:30:37,732 --> 00:30:39,532
IT IS A PLACE WHERE BLACK
AND WHITE PEOPLE LIVE,
500
00:30:39,561 --> 00:30:41,701
CHEEK BY JOWL,
AS WE SAY.
501
00:30:41,736 --> 00:30:43,736
AND THE INFLUENCES GO
BACK AND FORWARD.
502
00:30:43,772 --> 00:30:46,022
MARSALIS: YOU HAVE
THE CULTURES COMING TOGETHER.
503
00:30:46,051 --> 00:30:47,711
AND WHENEVER YOU HAVE THESE
504
00:30:47,742 --> 00:30:49,682
CONTRADICTIONS
TOGETHER IN THE SOUTH,
505
00:30:49,709 --> 00:30:53,159
YOU HAVE A LOT OF THE OPPOSITES
THAT CREATE A RICHNESS.
506
00:30:53,196 --> 00:30:55,676
SECOR: I THINK THAT FRICTION
IS A GOOD WAY
507
00:30:55,715 --> 00:30:57,505
TO LOOK AT THE MUSIC.
508
00:30:57,545 --> 00:31:03,995
BECAUSE OF THIS RUB BETWEEN
WHITE AND BLACK, COUNTRY MUSIC
509
00:31:04,034 --> 00:31:07,384
COMES FROM THE SOUTH
BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE
510
00:31:07,417 --> 00:31:09,277
SLAVERY HAPPENED.
511
00:31:09,315 --> 00:31:11,725
MILLER: ♪ NOW IT'’S AWFUL
WHEN YOU'’RE... ♪
512
00:31:11,766 --> 00:31:14,036
GIDDENS: THE RUB
IS PEOPLE MIXING.
513
00:31:14,079 --> 00:31:17,359
IT STARTS GOING BACK AND FORTH,
AND IT BECOMES THIS BEAUTIFUL
514
00:31:17,392 --> 00:31:19,712
MIX OF CULTURES.
515
00:31:19,739 --> 00:31:23,049
THEY MET AND MINGLED,
AND BECAME THIS EDGE,
516
00:31:23,088 --> 00:31:26,918
BUT THE HEART SPOKE
MUSICALLY TO EACH OTHER.
517
00:31:26,954 --> 00:31:30,444
AND THEN SOMEBODY
FROM UP HERE SAYS,
518
00:31:30,474 --> 00:31:32,584
"OH, WE CAN'’T HAVE THAT.
519
00:31:32,614 --> 00:31:35,514
YOU GUYS CAN'’T BE
DOING STUFF TOGETHER."
520
00:31:35,548 --> 00:31:37,518
THAT'’S WHAT THE RUB IS.
521
00:31:39,069 --> 00:31:40,799
NARRATOR: BY THE 1920s,
522
00:31:40,829 --> 00:31:44,009
SLAVERY HAD BEEN ABOLISHED
FOR MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY,
523
00:31:44,040 --> 00:31:47,350
BUT SEGREGATION WAS STILL
RIGIDLY ENFORCED
524
00:31:47,388 --> 00:31:49,528
IN EVERY ASPECT OF LIFE,
525
00:31:49,562 --> 00:31:54,532
EXCEPT IN THE MUSIC THAT
KEPT CROSSING THE RACIAL DIVIDE.
526
00:31:54,567 --> 00:31:56,807
CANNON:
♪ ...DOWN INDEED-E...
527
00:31:56,845 --> 00:31:59,875
SECOR: THROUGH THE AGES,
BLACKS IMITATING WHITES
528
00:31:59,918 --> 00:32:03,338
IMITATING BLACKS
IMITATING WHITES.
529
00:32:03,369 --> 00:32:06,959
YOU HAVE THE BANJO,
WHICH COMES FROM AFRICA.
530
00:32:06,994 --> 00:32:08,694
AND YOU HAVE THE FIDDLE,
531
00:32:08,719 --> 00:32:12,999
WHICH COMES FROM THE
BRITISH ISLES AND FROM EUROPE.
532
00:32:13,034 --> 00:32:16,694
AND WHEN THEY MEET,
THEY MEET IN THE AMERICAN SOUTH.
533
00:32:16,727 --> 00:32:20,347
AND THAT'’S THE BIG BANG.
534
00:32:20,386 --> 00:32:23,796
MALONE: AFRICAN-AMERICAN STYLE
WAS EMBEDDED IN COUNTRY MUSIC
535
00:32:23,838 --> 00:32:27,048
FROM THE VERY BEGINNING
OF ITS COMMERCIAL HISTORY.
536
00:32:27,083 --> 00:32:29,953
YOU CAN'’T CONCEIVE
OF THIS MUSIC EXISTING
537
00:32:29,982 --> 00:32:32,502
WITHOUT THIS
AFRICAN-AMERICAN INFUSION.
538
00:32:32,536 --> 00:32:35,506
BUT AS THE MUSIC DEVELOPED
PROFESSIONALLY,
539
00:32:35,539 --> 00:32:38,399
TOO OFTEN, AFRICAN-AMERICANS
WERE FORGOTTEN.
540
00:32:38,439 --> 00:32:41,299
COUNTRY MUSIC
WASN'’T CALLED THAT YET,
541
00:32:41,338 --> 00:32:42,998
BUT IT WAS MUSIC
OF THE COUNTRY.
542
00:32:43,030 --> 00:32:47,520
IT WAS A COMBINATION OF THE
IRISH, THE RECENTLY FREED SLAVES
543
00:32:47,551 --> 00:32:52,001
BRINGING THE BANJO INTO
THE WORLD, THE SPANISH EFFECTS
544
00:32:52,039 --> 00:32:56,349
OF THE VAQUEROS
DOWN IN TEXAS, THE GERMANS
545
00:32:56,388 --> 00:32:59,008
BRINGING OVER
THE OOMPAH OF POLKA MUSIC
546
00:32:59,046 --> 00:33:01,456
ALL CONVERGING.
547
00:33:08,055 --> 00:33:10,635
NARRATOR: SPROUTING
FROM SO MANY ROOTS--
548
00:33:10,678 --> 00:33:14,678
OLD BALLADS AND HYMNS,
TIN PAN ALLEY COMPOSITIONS,
549
00:33:14,716 --> 00:33:17,646
MINSTREL SHOWS,
AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN BLUES--
550
00:33:17,685 --> 00:33:21,025
THE MUSIC RALPH PEER
AND HIS COMPETITORS HAD BEGUN
551
00:33:21,068 --> 00:33:24,998
RECORDING IN THE 1920s
WAS HARD TO CATEGORIZE
552
00:33:25,037 --> 00:33:27,107
OR PRECISELY DEFINE,
553
00:33:27,143 --> 00:33:30,463
BUT FOR MARKETING REASONS,
THE COMPANIES NEEDED
554
00:33:30,491 --> 00:33:32,701
A NAME FOR IT.
555
00:33:32,734 --> 00:33:36,364
IN 1925,
RALPH PEER RECORDED A SPIRITED
556
00:33:36,393 --> 00:33:41,333
STRING BAND FRONTED
BY AL HOPKINS IN NEW YORK CITY.
557
00:33:41,364 --> 00:33:44,574
AS THEY WERE LEAVING, HE
ASKED WHAT NAME HE SHOULD USE
558
00:33:44,608 --> 00:33:46,608
FOR THEM IN HIS ADVERTISING.
559
00:33:46,645 --> 00:33:49,575
HOPKINS ANSWERED,
"CALL US ANYTHING.
560
00:33:49,613 --> 00:33:52,033
WE'’RE NOTHING BUT A BUNCH
OF HILLBILLIES
561
00:33:52,064 --> 00:33:54,624
FROM NORTH CAROLINA
AND VIRGINIA."
562
00:33:54,653 --> 00:33:57,213
PEER HAD THE NAME HE NEEDED.
563
00:33:57,242 --> 00:34:02,012
SOON, MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPERS
WERE REFERRING TO THE ENTIRE
564
00:34:02,040 --> 00:34:05,150
STYLE AS "HILL-BILLY MUSIC."
565
00:34:05,181 --> 00:34:09,051
NOT EVERY ARTIST APPRECIATED
THE TERM OR THE WAY THEY WERE
566
00:34:09,081 --> 00:34:13,501
OFTEN PORTRAYED AS QUAINT
AND QUIRKY BACKWOODS HAYSEEDS.
567
00:34:13,534 --> 00:34:17,164
THE EDITOR OF "VARIETY" MAGAZINE
DESCRIBED HILLBILLIES AS
568
00:34:17,193 --> 00:34:20,163
"ILLITERATE AND IGNORANT,"
POOR WHITE TRASH
569
00:34:20,196 --> 00:34:22,916
WITH THE INTELLIGENCE
OF MORONS."
570
00:34:22,957 --> 00:34:27,267
"HILLBILLY WAS NOT A FUNNY
WORD," ONE MUSICIAN SAID.
571
00:34:27,306 --> 00:34:30,516
"IT WAS A FIGHTING WORD."
572
00:34:30,551 --> 00:34:32,481
PARTON: IT DOESN'’T
OFFEND US HILLBILLIES.
573
00:34:32,518 --> 00:34:34,208
IT'’S OUR MUSIC.
574
00:34:34,244 --> 00:34:37,524
BUT IF YOU'’RE AN OUTSIDER
AND YOU'’RE SAYING
IT'’S "HILLBILLY MUSIC,"
575
00:34:37,558 --> 00:34:40,038
'’CAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW
ANY BETTER, IT'’S ALMOST LIKE
576
00:34:40,078 --> 00:34:42,528
A RACIST REMARK.
577
00:34:42,563 --> 00:34:44,433
IF WE'’RE HILLBILLIES,
WE'’RE PROUD OF THAT.
578
00:34:44,461 --> 00:34:46,501
BUT YOU'’RE NOT ALLOWED TO SAY
IT IF YOU DON'’T REALLY KNOW
579
00:34:46,532 --> 00:34:47,842
WHAT YOU'’RE TALKING ABOUT
OR MEAN IT.
580
00:34:47,878 --> 00:34:50,848
NARRATOR: BUT AS LONG AS
IT HELPED SELL RECORDS,
581
00:34:50,881 --> 00:34:53,021
MANY PERFORMERS
WERE FINE WITH IT,
582
00:34:53,056 --> 00:34:55,646
INCLUDING
"FIDDLIN'’ JOHN" CARSON,
583
00:34:55,679 --> 00:34:58,029
WHO HAD ALREADY
ADOPTED THE PERSONA
584
00:34:58,061 --> 00:35:01,511
OF A COUNTRY BUMPKIN FROM
NORTH GEORGIA RATHER THAN
585
00:35:01,547 --> 00:35:04,717
THE FORMER ATLANTA
MILL WORKER HE REALLY WAS.
586
00:35:09,176 --> 00:35:11,586
MAN, ON RADIO: ...WOULD TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THIS OFFER...
587
00:35:11,626 --> 00:35:14,596
NARRATOR:
RADIO WAS EXPLODING.
588
00:35:14,629 --> 00:35:18,119
THERE WERE NOW HUNDREDS OF
STATIONS IN EVERY CORNER
589
00:35:18,150 --> 00:35:21,950
OF THE COUNTRY, AND TO ATTRACT
MORE LISTENERS, THEY ALL
590
00:35:21,981 --> 00:35:24,671
BORROWED FROM ONE OF
THE OLDEST TRADITIONS
591
00:35:24,708 --> 00:35:29,538
OF MIXING MUSIC AND COMMERCE,
THE TRAVELING MEDICINE SHOW.
592
00:35:31,198 --> 00:35:34,678
SECOR: IN A MEDICINE SHOW,
YOU COME INTO TOWN, YOU SET UP
593
00:35:34,718 --> 00:35:38,518
IN THE TOWN SQUARE,
AND YOU HAWK AN ELIXIR.
594
00:35:38,550 --> 00:35:40,690
YOU'’VE GOT THIS REMEDY.
595
00:35:40,724 --> 00:35:45,184
AND YOU PASS OUT HANDBILLS,
AND YOU TAKE
596
00:35:45,212 --> 00:35:48,532
PERSONAL TESTIMONIALS
FROM PAID DUDES OUT THERE
597
00:35:48,560 --> 00:35:50,180
IN THE AUDIENCE.
598
00:35:50,217 --> 00:35:53,667
AND THEY TELL YOU ABOUT
HOW WONDERFUL THEY FEEL,
599
00:35:53,703 --> 00:35:57,983
HOW THEIR DROPSY WENT AWAY
AND HOW THEIR SORES
600
00:35:58,017 --> 00:36:00,777
AND FESTERING WOUNDS
HAVE HEALED BECAUSE OF THIS
601
00:36:00,813 --> 00:36:02,753
CORN WHISKY, THIS SNAKE OIL.
602
00:36:02,781 --> 00:36:05,161
SO, YOU'’VE GOT YOUR PRODUCT,
603
00:36:05,197 --> 00:36:07,887
AND MUSIC IS ONLY THERE
TO PUSH YOUR PRODUCT.
604
00:36:07,924 --> 00:36:10,934
MUSIC IS JUST LIKE
THE SOAPBOX YOU STAND ON.
605
00:36:10,961 --> 00:36:13,171
IT'’S ALL ABOUT THE MESSAGE,
606
00:36:13,205 --> 00:36:16,825
AND RADIO AMPLIFIED THAT.
607
00:36:16,864 --> 00:36:20,704
THE RADIO
CHANGED EVERYTHING.
608
00:36:20,730 --> 00:36:23,490
NARRATOR:
IN TINY MILFORD, KANSAS,
609
00:36:23,526 --> 00:36:27,286
DR. JOHN R. BRINKLEY
HAD SET UP A CLINIC
610
00:36:27,323 --> 00:36:32,333
THAT PROMISED TO RESTORE
MEN'’S SEXUAL POTENCY
BY A SPECIAL TECHNIQUE--
611
00:36:32,362 --> 00:36:36,022
IMPLANTING BILLY GOAT
TESTICLES INTO THEM.
612
00:36:36,055 --> 00:36:39,505
TO PROMOTE HIS BUSINESS,
BRINKLEY STARTED RADIO STATION
613
00:36:39,542 --> 00:36:43,202
KFKB--WHOSE CALL
LETTERS STOOD FOR
614
00:36:43,235 --> 00:36:45,645
"KANSAS FIRST,
KANSAS BEST"--
615
00:36:45,686 --> 00:36:49,516
AND FILLED MOST OF THE BROADCAST
DAY INVITING LISTENERS
616
00:36:49,552 --> 00:36:53,042
TO HIS CLINIC
AND ASSURING THEM THAT "A MAN
617
00:36:53,072 --> 00:36:54,732
IS AS OLD AS HIS GLANDS."
618
00:36:54,764 --> 00:36:57,594
BRINKLEY, ON RADIO: THIS IS
A WELCOME OPPORTUNITY
619
00:36:57,629 --> 00:36:59,909
AND ONE THAT YOU SHOULD
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
620
00:36:59,941 --> 00:37:02,501
WHILE IT IS POSSIBLE
FOR YOU TO DO SO...
621
00:37:02,530 --> 00:37:06,050
NARRATOR: HE FILLED
THE REST OF THE SCHEDULE
WITH CROP REPORTS,
622
00:37:06,085 --> 00:37:10,495
WEATHER FORECASTS, AND LIVE
MUSIC BY "UNCLE" BOB LARKAN,
623
00:37:10,538 --> 00:37:13,748
THE ARKANSAS STATE
CHAMPION FIDDLER.
624
00:37:13,783 --> 00:37:18,583
SHENANDOAH, IOWA, HAD TWO
RADIO STATIONS, OWNED BY
625
00:37:18,615 --> 00:37:20,755
COMPETING SEED STORES.
626
00:37:20,790 --> 00:37:24,590
THEY STAGED FIDDLE CONTESTS
AND LIVE MUSIC FROM GROUPS
627
00:37:24,621 --> 00:37:28,901
NAMED THE "CORNFIELD CANARIES"
AND THE "SEEDHOUSE GIRLS,"
628
00:37:28,936 --> 00:37:32,316
IN BETWEEN PITCHES
FOR THEIR PRODUCTS.
629
00:37:32,353 --> 00:37:34,183
SALES SKYROCKETED.
630
00:37:34,217 --> 00:37:39,497
AND BEFORE LONG, SHENANDOAH,
POPULATION 5,000, WAS FLOODED
631
00:37:39,533 --> 00:37:42,473
WITH VISITORS FROM ALL OVER
THE MIDWEST WHO WANTED TO
632
00:37:42,501 --> 00:37:45,501
WATCH THE BROADCASTS
IN PERSON, PROMPTING
633
00:37:45,539 --> 00:37:50,199
BOTH COMPANIES TO BUILD ORNATE
AUDITORIUMS, ARCADE SHOPS,
634
00:37:50,233 --> 00:37:53,723
A MINIATURE GOLF COURSE,
AND TOURIST CABINS TO
635
00:37:53,754 --> 00:37:55,964
ACCOMMODATE THE CROWDS.
636
00:37:55,997 --> 00:37:58,477
NARRATOR: BUT THEY WERE
SOON ECLIPSED BY
637
00:37:58,517 --> 00:38:00,417
SEARS, ROEBUCK IN CHICAGO,
638
00:38:00,450 --> 00:38:03,660
WHICH LAUNCHED STATION WLS,
639
00:38:03,695 --> 00:38:06,315
FOR THE "WORLD'’S LARGEST STORE."
640
00:38:06,353 --> 00:38:10,673
ON SATURDAY NIGHT,
APRIL 19, 1924,
641
00:38:10,702 --> 00:38:15,432
WLS PREMIERED A NEW SHOW,
"THE NATIONAL BARN DANCE."
642
00:38:15,465 --> 00:38:17,495
IT WAS MODELED AFTER
A SQUARE DANCE PROGRAM
643
00:38:17,536 --> 00:38:20,506
ALREADY POPULAR IN FORT WORTH,
644
00:38:20,539 --> 00:38:23,089
BUT THE CHICAGO SHOW
QUICKLY BECAME
645
00:38:23,128 --> 00:38:27,618
THE BIGGEST OF ITS KIND
IN THE NATION.
646
00:38:27,650 --> 00:38:29,340
NARRATOR: MEANWHILE,
IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE,
647
00:38:29,376 --> 00:38:33,136
THE SUCCESS OF STATIONS
LIKE CHICAGO'’S WLS
648
00:38:33,172 --> 00:38:36,492
AND ATLANTA'’S WSB CAUGHT
649
00:38:36,521 --> 00:38:39,801
THE ATTENTION OF EDWIN CRAIG,
THE SON OF THE FOUNDER
650
00:38:39,834 --> 00:38:43,114
OF NATIONAL LIFE
AND ACCIDENT INSURANCE COMPANY.
651
00:38:43,148 --> 00:38:45,358
A RADIO STATION, HE BELIEVED,
652
00:38:45,392 --> 00:38:48,052
MIGHT PROVE AN EFFECTIVE WAY
653
00:38:48,084 --> 00:38:50,364
TO HELP THE COMPANY'’S
2,500 SALESMEN,
654
00:38:50,397 --> 00:38:52,707
WHO SOLD LOW-COST
655
00:38:52,744 --> 00:38:55,644
SICKNESS AND BURIAL
POLICIES DOOR-TO-DOOR
656
00:38:55,678 --> 00:38:57,368
TO WORKING-CLASS FAMILIES
657
00:38:57,404 --> 00:38:59,754
IN MORE THAN 20 STATES.
658
00:38:59,785 --> 00:39:03,615
EDWIN CRAIG'’S FATHER
WAS AGAINST IT.
659
00:39:03,651 --> 00:39:05,451
WOMAN: MY GRANDFATHER
THOUGHT IT WAS
660
00:39:05,481 --> 00:39:07,521
A WASTE OF MONEY AND TIME.
661
00:39:07,552 --> 00:39:11,382
"WE ARE IN THE INSURANCE
BUSINESS, AND THAT'’S
WHAT WE SHOULD DO."
662
00:39:11,418 --> 00:39:14,838
BUT EDWIN SAID, "OH, DAD,
LET ME SHOW YOU
663
00:39:14,869 --> 00:39:17,669
THAT THIS CAN
SELL INSURANCE."
664
00:39:17,700 --> 00:39:21,150
THE WHOLE IDEA WAS
TO SELL INSURANCE.
665
00:39:21,186 --> 00:39:24,466
NARRATOR: WITH HIS FATHER'’S
RELUCTANT PERMISSION, CRAIG
666
00:39:24,500 --> 00:39:27,430
SET UP A STUDIO ON
THE 5th FLOOR OF THE COMPANY'’S
667
00:39:27,468 --> 00:39:29,508
DOWNTOWN OFFICE BUILDING,
668
00:39:29,539 --> 00:39:33,199
WITH THICK CARPETS AND PLEATED
DRAPES HUNG FROM THE CEILING
669
00:39:33,232 --> 00:39:35,412
TO IMPROVE THE ACOUSTICS.
670
00:39:35,442 --> 00:39:40,072
THEY BEGAN BROADCASTING ON
OCTOBER 5, 1925,
671
00:39:40,101 --> 00:39:43,381
WITH THE CALL LETTERS WSM.
672
00:39:43,415 --> 00:39:46,035
ROBINSON:
"WE SHIELD MILLIONS."
673
00:39:46,073 --> 00:39:49,493
AND THAT BECAME
THE LOGO OF THE STATION.
674
00:39:49,525 --> 00:39:54,595
AND IT WAS BUILT AROUND
A SHIELD, "WE SHIELD MILLIONS."
675
00:39:56,221 --> 00:39:59,501
NARRATOR: CRAIG RECRUITED
THE PERSONABLE GEORGE D. HAY
676
00:39:59,535 --> 00:40:05,015
FROM WLS AND MADE HIM
WSM'’S PROGRAM DIRECTOR.
677
00:40:05,057 --> 00:40:08,847
THOUGH ONLY 30 YEARS OLD,
HAY CALLED HIMSELF "THE SOLEMN
678
00:40:08,889 --> 00:40:13,509
OLD JUDGE," AND OFTEN
PUNCTUATED HIS BROADCASTS BY
679
00:40:13,549 --> 00:40:16,029
BLOWING ON
A WOODEN RIVERBOAT WHISTLE.
680
00:40:17,518 --> 00:40:22,178
NARRATOR: ON NOVEMBER 28, 1925,
GEORGE HAY INVITED
681
00:40:22,212 --> 00:40:25,662
AN ELDERLY MUSICIAN NAMED
UNCLE JIMMY THOMPSON,
682
00:40:25,699 --> 00:40:29,049
A FIDDLER SINCE BEFORE
THE CIVIL WAR, TO PERFORM
683
00:40:29,081 --> 00:40:31,221
ON THE AIR.
684
00:40:31,256 --> 00:40:35,186
HE CALLED HIS INSTRUMENT "OLD
BETSY," WHICH HE SAID HAD BEEN
685
00:40:35,225 --> 00:40:39,465
PASSED DOWN FROM HIS ANCESTORS
IN SCOTLAND, AND THAT NIGHT
686
00:40:39,506 --> 00:40:43,506
PLAYED FOR A SOLID HOUR.
687
00:40:43,544 --> 00:40:46,034
THE RESPONSE PERSUADED HAY
TO SCHEDULE
688
00:40:46,064 --> 00:40:49,864
A REGULAR SATURDAY NIGHT
BARN DANCE ON WSM,
689
00:40:49,895 --> 00:40:54,865
USING LOCAL TALENT
WILLING TO WORK FOR FREE.
690
00:40:54,900 --> 00:40:57,110
DR. HUMPHREY BATE,
691
00:40:57,144 --> 00:41:00,184
A VANDERBILT-TRAINED PHYSICIAN
FROM A PROMINENT
692
00:41:00,216 --> 00:41:03,146
TENNESSEE FAMILY WITH
A PASSION FOR OLD-TIME MUSIC,
693
00:41:03,184 --> 00:41:05,984
BROUGHT HIS STRING BAND
TO THE SHOW.
694
00:41:06,015 --> 00:41:08,495
HAY LIKED THEIR MUSIC,
BUT INSISTED THEY NEEDED
695
00:41:08,535 --> 00:41:10,805
A NEW NAME.
696
00:41:10,847 --> 00:41:15,507
DR. BATE'’S ORCHESTRA SOON
BECAME THE POSSUM HUNTERS.
697
00:41:15,542 --> 00:41:19,582
HAY WOULD DO THE SAME WITH
OTHER BANDS, INSISTING THEY
698
00:41:19,615 --> 00:41:22,855
TAKE ON HILLBILLY PERSONAS,
EVEN IF THEY WERE
699
00:41:22,894 --> 00:41:24,974
URBAN SOPHISTICATES.
700
00:41:24,999 --> 00:41:30,349
THE BIGGEST STAR OF WSM'’S NEW
BARN DANCE WAS DAVID MACON,
701
00:41:30,384 --> 00:41:33,354
WHO HAD ONCE MADE HIS LIVING
DRIVING MULE WAGONS
702
00:41:33,387 --> 00:41:37,177
NEAR MURFREESBORO, PLAYING
HIS BANJO AS HE TRAVELED,
703
00:41:37,218 --> 00:41:40,388
AND SINGING, IT WAS SAID,
"IN A VOICE YOU COULD
704
00:41:40,428 --> 00:41:43,018
HEAR A MILE UP THE ROAD."
705
00:41:43,052 --> 00:41:46,022
HAY: AND NOW FRIENDS,
WE PRESENT UNCLE DAVE MACON,
706
00:41:46,055 --> 00:41:49,675
THE DIXIE DEWDROP--WITH
HIS PLUG HAT, GOLD TEETH,
707
00:41:49,714 --> 00:41:53,684
CHIN WHISKERS, GATES-AJAR
COLLAR, AND THAT MILLION-DOLLAR
708
00:41:53,718 --> 00:41:56,268
TENNESSEE SMILE,
AND HIS SON DORRIS.
709
00:41:56,306 --> 00:41:57,826
LET HER GO, UNCLE DAVE!
710
00:41:57,860 --> 00:42:00,830
NARRATOR: KNOWN AS "UNCLE DAVE"
MACON, HE ENTERTAINED
711
00:42:00,863 --> 00:42:04,563
AUDIENCES WITH HIS VERSATILE
BANJO PICKING, HIS MIXTURE
712
00:42:04,591 --> 00:42:08,111
OF OLD-TIME AND TIN PAN
ALLEY SONGS, AND HIS
713
00:42:08,146 --> 00:42:10,216
BOISTEROUS ANTICS.
714
00:42:10,251 --> 00:42:12,701
♪ ME AND MY BUDDIES
STARTED OUT THE OTHER DAY ♪
715
00:42:12,737 --> 00:42:15,387
♪ STUDYIN'’ A PLAN
HOW TO GET AWAY ♪
716
00:42:15,429 --> 00:42:18,049
♪ LIGHT COME ON,
AND THEY CAUGHT US IN THE DARK ♪
717
00:42:18,087 --> 00:42:20,537
♪ WAITIN'’ FOR THE
CHESTERFIELD TRAIN TO START ♪
718
00:42:20,572 --> 00:42:21,852
♪ CONDUCTOR WAS
A-STANDIN'’ RIGHT... ♪
719
00:42:21,884 --> 00:42:25,724
MALONE: UNCLE DAVE MACON
HAD A VERVE AND A VITALITY
720
00:42:25,750 --> 00:42:30,720
AND AN ENERGY THAT SCARCELY
ANY YOUNGER PERFORMER POSSESSED.
721
00:42:30,755 --> 00:42:33,515
IT WAS A REAL TREAT NOT ONLY
TO HEAR HIM SING AND PLAY
722
00:42:33,551 --> 00:42:36,001
THE BANJO, BUT TO WATCH HIM.
723
00:42:36,036 --> 00:42:40,036
HE PLAYED, HE TWIRLED
THE BANJO, HE STOMPED HIS FEET,
724
00:42:40,074 --> 00:42:43,014
HE WHOOPED AND YELLED,
AND HE WAS A STOREHOUSE
725
00:42:43,043 --> 00:42:44,533
OF STORIES.
726
00:42:44,562 --> 00:42:49,052
MACON: ♪ TAKE A-ME BACK
TO THAT OLD CAROLINA HOME ♪
727
00:42:49,083 --> 00:42:52,673
NARRATOR: MACON WAS PROUD
TO BE CALLED A HILLBILLY.
728
00:42:52,708 --> 00:42:57,608
IN 1924, HE HAD BEEN THE FIRST
TO USE THE TERM IN A RECORDING.
729
00:42:57,644 --> 00:43:00,544
HE BILLED HIMSELF
AS "THE STRUTTINEST STRUTTER
730
00:43:00,578 --> 00:43:02,648
THAT EVER STRUTTED A STRUT."
731
00:43:02,683 --> 00:43:03,963
MACON: ♪ ...OLD CAROLINA HOME,
OH, YEAH! ♪
732
00:43:03,995 --> 00:43:06,995
SECOR: HE WAS JUST
SUCH A DOWN-HOME,
733
00:43:07,032 --> 00:43:08,522
FOLKSY ENTERTAINER.
734
00:43:08,551 --> 00:43:11,421
MACON: ♪ TAKE A-ME BACK,
TAKE A-ME BACK TO THAT OLD... ♪
735
00:43:11,450 --> 00:43:13,250
SECOR: AND HE SANG SONGS
LARGELY BORROWED
736
00:43:13,280 --> 00:43:15,180
FROM THE BLACK TRADITION
737
00:43:15,213 --> 00:43:17,703
AND DIDN'’T DO
ANYTHING TO HIDE IT, EITHER.
738
00:43:17,733 --> 00:43:20,013
♪ WHOA, YES,
TAKE A-ME BACK ♪
739
00:43:20,045 --> 00:43:21,355
♪ TAKE A-ME BACK
740
00:43:21,391 --> 00:43:27,021
♪ TAKE A-ME BACK TO MY
OLD CAROLINA HOME ♪
741
00:43:30,711 --> 00:43:33,401
DeFORD BAILEY:
♪ YOU KNOW, I GOT THE BLUES...
742
00:43:33,438 --> 00:43:35,888
MAN: I DIDN'’T PLAY
WHILE I WAS WORKING,
743
00:43:35,923 --> 00:43:37,273
BUT WHENEVER
WE STOPPED TO EAT
744
00:43:37,304 --> 00:43:39,724
OR TAKE A BREAK, I'’D PULL
OUT MY HARP AND START
745
00:43:39,755 --> 00:43:42,375
BLOWING ON IT.
746
00:43:42,412 --> 00:43:45,662
ONE TIME I WAS WORKING FOR
A WHITE FELLER IN A CORNFIELD,
747
00:43:45,692 --> 00:43:49,182
AND HE TOLD ME THAT IF
I WORKED FOR HIM, I'’D HAVE TO
748
00:43:49,212 --> 00:43:51,662
LEAVE MY HARP AT HOME.
749
00:43:51,698 --> 00:43:56,358
"WELL," I TOLD HIM, "IF I DO,
I'’LL HAVE TO STAY
750
00:43:56,392 --> 00:43:58,012
AT HOME WITH IT."
751
00:43:58,049 --> 00:44:00,019
I MEANT IT, TOO.
752
00:44:00,051 --> 00:44:02,571
DeFORD BAILEY.
753
00:44:02,605 --> 00:44:04,185
NARRATOR: ANOTHER REGULAR
754
00:44:04,227 --> 00:44:08,437
ON WSM'’S "BARN DANCE"
WAS DeFORD BAILEY.
755
00:44:08,473 --> 00:44:13,313
HE WAS BORN ABOUT 40 MILES
EAST OF NASHVILLE IN 1899,
756
00:44:13,340 --> 00:44:15,830
THE GRANDSON OF A SLAVE.
757
00:44:15,860 --> 00:44:19,040
INSTEAD OF A BABY RATTLE,
BAILEY TOLD PEOPLE,
758
00:44:19,070 --> 00:44:22,280
HIS PARENTS GAVE
HIM A HARMONICA.
759
00:44:22,314 --> 00:44:26,564
AT AGE 3, HE WAS STRICKEN
WITH POLIO AND CONFINED TO HIS
760
00:44:26,594 --> 00:44:29,014
BED FOR NEARLY A YEAR.
761
00:44:29,045 --> 00:44:31,835
IT LEFT HIM WITH A SLIGHTLY
DEFORMED BACK
762
00:44:31,876 --> 00:44:34,286
AND STUNTED HIS GROWTH.
763
00:44:34,326 --> 00:44:35,706
SECOR: AND IN THAT TIME
764
00:44:35,742 --> 00:44:40,642
THAT HE WAS LAYING IN THE BED
FOR A YEAR, HE WOULD LISTEN TO
765
00:44:40,678 --> 00:44:43,028
TRAINS GO BY, AND HE
WOULD BLOW HIS HARMONICA
766
00:44:43,059 --> 00:44:44,679
JUST LIKE '’EM.
767
00:44:44,716 --> 00:44:48,996
HE LISTENED TO DOGS BAYING,
AND HE PLAYED JUST LIKE '’EM.
768
00:44:49,031 --> 00:44:51,001
HE COULD MIMIC ANYTHING.
769
00:44:51,033 --> 00:44:54,483
NARRATOR: BAILEY WAS BARELY
4'’10" TALL,
770
00:44:54,519 --> 00:44:56,619
WEIGHING LESS THAN 100 POUNDS.
771
00:44:56,659 --> 00:45:00,079
AND BY 1925, HE WAS
LIVING IN NASHVILLE, WHERE HE
772
00:45:00,111 --> 00:45:02,081
HAD HELD A SERIES OF JOBS--
773
00:45:02,113 --> 00:45:05,503
A HOUSEBOY FOR
SEVERAL WEALTHY FAMILIES,
774
00:45:05,530 --> 00:45:09,120
WORKING IN THE KITCHEN
AT THE MAXWELL HOUSE HOTEL,
775
00:45:09,154 --> 00:45:13,714
SHINING SHOES AT A LOCAL
BARBER SHOP--ALL THE TIME
776
00:45:13,745 --> 00:45:17,775
DEVELOPING HIS OWN STYLE
ON THE HARMONICA AND HOPING TO
777
00:45:17,818 --> 00:45:20,988
MAKE A LIVING WITH HIS MUSIC.
778
00:45:21,028 --> 00:45:24,828
ONE OF HIS FAVORITE TUNES
WAS THE "FOX CHASE,"
779
00:45:24,860 --> 00:45:26,380
A SONG THAT DATED BACK TO
780
00:45:26,413 --> 00:45:29,553
IRISH BAGPIPE MUSIC
AND THAT BAILEY HAD HEARD HIS
781
00:45:29,588 --> 00:45:31,518
GRANDFATHER PLAY
ON THE FIDDLE.
782
00:45:31,556 --> 00:45:34,246
BAILEY: ♪ HEY, SIC IT!
HEP, HEP... ♪
783
00:45:34,283 --> 00:45:37,533
NARRATOR: HIS VERSION
ADDED THE SHOUTS OF
THE FOX HUNTER URGING HIS
784
00:45:37,562 --> 00:45:40,362
HOUND DOGS ON,
WITHOUT SKIPPING A BEAT
785
00:45:40,392 --> 00:45:44,782
ON THE HARMONICA.
786
00:45:44,811 --> 00:45:46,191
WHEN I WAS A KID,
I LISTENED TO THE RADIO AND I--
787
00:45:46,226 --> 00:45:47,986
I REMEMBER HIM.
788
00:45:48,021 --> 00:45:51,271
BOY, HE'’D PLAY THE "FOX CHASE"
AND--AND YOU WOULD...
789
00:45:51,300 --> 00:45:54,790
YOU WERE RIGHT THERE WITH
HIM, CHASING THAT FOX. HA HA!
790
00:45:54,821 --> 00:45:57,761
MAN: DeFORD BAILEY
AND HIS FAMOUS "FOX CHASE."
791
00:45:57,789 --> 00:46:00,999
NARRATOR: ALONG WITH
"UNCLE DAVE" MACON
AND THE POSSUM HUNTERS,
792
00:46:01,034 --> 00:46:04,284
DeFORD BAILEY QUICKLY
BECAME ONE OF WSM'’S
793
00:46:04,313 --> 00:46:08,143
MOST POPULAR PERFORMERS,
APPEARING ON THE SHOW
794
00:46:08,179 --> 00:46:10,529
MORE THAN ANY OTHER ACT.
795
00:46:10,560 --> 00:46:13,150
WOMAN: NEEDLESS TO SAY,
WE THOROUGHLY ENJOY
796
00:46:13,184 --> 00:46:15,294
YOUR SATURDAY NIGHT PROGRAM.
797
00:46:15,324 --> 00:46:18,404
I HAVE ONE REQUEST TO MAKE,
AND THAT IS WHEN YOUR
798
00:46:18,430 --> 00:46:21,360
HARMONICA ARTIST PUTS ON THE
"FOX HUNT," THAT WE ARE GIVEN
799
00:46:21,399 --> 00:46:23,329
SOME ADVANCE NOTICE.
800
00:46:23,366 --> 00:46:26,336
LAST NIGHT,
MY OLD BIRD DOG WAS LAYING
801
00:46:26,369 --> 00:46:28,859
IN FRONT OF THE FIREPLACE
WHEN YOUR ARTIST
802
00:46:28,889 --> 00:46:31,309
REPEATED THE WORDS,
"GET HIM! SIC HIM!"
803
00:46:31,340 --> 00:46:32,860
BAILEY: ♪ HEY, SIC IT...
804
00:46:32,893 --> 00:46:36,003
WOMAN: BEFORE ANYONE
COULD INTERFERE,
MY OLD DOG HAD TURNED OVER
805
00:46:36,034 --> 00:46:39,004
TWO FLOOR LAMPS
AND A SMOKING STAND.
806
00:46:39,037 --> 00:46:44,767
MRS. HOLLOWAY SMITH,
JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI.
807
00:46:44,802 --> 00:46:46,702
NARRATOR:
BETWEEN THE BROADCASTS,
808
00:46:46,734 --> 00:46:48,774
LIKE THE "BARN DANCE'’S"
OTHER STARS,
809
00:46:48,806 --> 00:46:53,326
BAILEY SPENT THE WEEK
TOURING IN OTHER TOWNS.
810
00:46:53,362 --> 00:46:56,022
SECOR: YOU KNOW,
YOU'’VE GOT DeFORD BAILEY
811
00:46:56,054 --> 00:46:58,684
AND "UNCLE DAVE" MACON.
812
00:46:58,712 --> 00:47:01,442
UNCLE DAVE MACON'’S FATHER
WAS A CAPTAIN
813
00:47:01,473 --> 00:47:03,443
IN THE CONFEDERATE ARMY.
814
00:47:03,475 --> 00:47:07,545
DeFORD BAILEY'’S GRANDPARENTS
WERE SLAVES.
815
00:47:07,583 --> 00:47:10,003
NOW THEY'’RE WORKING--THEY'RE
DRIVING IN A PACKARD CAR,
816
00:47:10,034 --> 00:47:11,794
CRISSCROSSING THE SOUTH.
817
00:47:11,829 --> 00:47:16,009
DeFORD CAN'’T STAY IN ANY OF
THE HOTELS "UNCLE DAVE" IS IN,
818
00:47:16,040 --> 00:47:21,360
HE CAN'’T EAT IN ANY OF THOSE
RESTAURANTS, BUT HE IS FREE
819
00:47:21,390 --> 00:47:23,600
WHEN HE'’S STANDING UP
ON THE STAGE.
820
00:47:26,567 --> 00:47:29,877
NARRATOR: MEANWHILE,
THE HILLBILLY IMAGE GEORGE HAY
821
00:47:29,916 --> 00:47:32,676
PROMOTED FOR THE SHOW HAD
BEGUN TO GRATE
822
00:47:32,711 --> 00:47:36,721
ON NASHVILLE'’S BUSINESS LEADERS
AND SOCIAL ELITE.
823
00:47:36,750 --> 00:47:40,860
EDWIN CRAIG'’S COUNTRY CLUB
FRIENDS WORRIED THAT
THE "BARN DANCE,"
824
00:47:40,892 --> 00:47:43,862
EVEN THOUGH IT WAS
BROADCAST ONLY ONCE A WEEK,
825
00:47:43,895 --> 00:47:47,065
WAS DAMAGING
THE CITY'’S REPUTATION.
826
00:47:47,105 --> 00:47:51,695
NASHVILLE WAS VIEWED AS
THE "ATHENS OF THE SOUTH."
827
00:47:51,730 --> 00:47:55,110
WE HAVE THE BIG FINE
PARTHENON, WHICH IS AN EXACT
828
00:47:55,148 --> 00:47:58,668
REPLICA OF THE PARTHENON
IN ATHENS, GREECE.
829
00:47:58,703 --> 00:48:02,673
AND WE HAVE THESE
WONDERFUL UNIVERSITIES.
830
00:48:02,707 --> 00:48:06,297
THEY THOUGHT THE HILLBILLY MUSIC
WAS TACKY AND TERRIBLE.
831
00:48:06,331 --> 00:48:09,781
THEY'’D RATHER STAY
THE "ATHENS OF THE SOUTH,"
832
00:48:09,817 --> 00:48:12,987
AND DON'’T TALK
ABOUT COUNTRY MUSIC.
833
00:48:14,546 --> 00:48:16,856
NARRATOR: TO MOLLIFY
HIS CRITICS, EDWIN CRAIG
834
00:48:16,894 --> 00:48:21,284
BEGAN BROADCASTING
A MORE REFINED SHOW FROM NBC,
835
00:48:21,312 --> 00:48:24,692
FEATURING THE NEW YORK
SYMPHONY CONDUCTED BY
836
00:48:24,729 --> 00:48:30,009
DR. WALTER DAMROSCH, JUST BEFORE
SWITCHING TO THE "BARN DANCE."
837
00:48:30,045 --> 00:48:33,945
ONE NIGHT, DAMROSCH CLOSED
HIS SHOW WITH THE ORCHESTRA
838
00:48:33,980 --> 00:48:39,500
IMITATING THE SOUND OF
A TRAIN COMING INTO A STATION.
839
00:48:39,537 --> 00:48:42,847
JUDGE HAY CAME ON THE AIR
IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARD
840
00:48:42,885 --> 00:48:47,265
AND CALLED ON DeFORD BAILEY,
WHO PERFORMED A HARMONICA PIECE
841
00:48:47,303 --> 00:48:50,513
THAT DUPLICATED THE SOUND
OF A STEAM LOCOMOTIVE
842
00:48:50,548 --> 00:48:55,168
AS IT STARTS OFF SLOWLY, PICKS
UP SPEED, AND THEN FADES AWAY
843
00:48:55,208 --> 00:48:56,998
INTO THE DISTANCE.
844
00:49:02,042 --> 00:49:04,912
"SOME PEOPLE CAN PLAY
THE TRAIN," BAILEY SAID,
845
00:49:04,942 --> 00:49:08,012
"BUT THEY CAN'’T MAKE IT
MOVE LIKE I DO."
846
00:49:29,759 --> 00:49:34,519
"WE HAD BEEN LISTENING TO MUSIC
TAKEN LARGELY FROM GRAND OPERA,"
847
00:49:34,557 --> 00:49:38,527
HAY INFORMED HIS LISTENERS
WHEN BAILEY WAS FINISHED.
848
00:49:38,561 --> 00:49:43,701
"FROM NOW ON, WE WILL
PRESENT THE GRAND OLE OPRY."
849
00:49:43,739 --> 00:49:47,089
THEN HE BLEW HIS TRADEMARK
WOODEN WHISTLE AND INSTRUCTED
850
00:49:47,122 --> 00:49:51,132
HIS ENTERTAINERS, "LET'’S KEEP
IT CLOSE TO THE GROUND, BOYS,"
851
00:49:51,160 --> 00:49:53,510
MEANING NOTHING TOO FANCY.
852
00:49:53,542 --> 00:49:55,372
MACON: ♪ BEEN LIVING
IN THE CITY ♪
853
00:49:55,406 --> 00:49:56,916
♪ BUT I LIKE
THE COUNTRY LIFE... ♪
854
00:49:56,959 --> 00:49:58,369
NARRATOR: WITHIN A FEW WEEKS,
855
00:49:58,409 --> 00:50:01,029
THE "BARN DANCE"
HAD A NEW NAME:
856
00:50:01,067 --> 00:50:03,967
THE "GRAND OLE OPRY."
857
00:50:04,001 --> 00:50:06,521
IT WOULD EVENTUALLY BECOME
THE LONGEST-RUNNING SHOW
858
00:50:06,555 --> 00:50:08,485
ON AMERICAN RADIO,
859
00:50:08,522 --> 00:50:12,532
AND IT WAS DOING EXACTLY
WHAT EDWIN CRAIG HAD INTENDED:
860
00:50:12,561 --> 00:50:15,361
REACHING A FAR-FLUNG
AUDIENCE TO HELP
861
00:50:15,391 --> 00:50:17,531
NATIONAL LIFE'’S
SALES FORCE.
862
00:50:17,566 --> 00:50:19,566
ROBINSON:
"HELLO, MS. JONES.
863
00:50:19,602 --> 00:50:22,022
"I'’M FROM THE 'GRAND OLE OPRY.'’
864
00:50:22,053 --> 00:50:24,573
"CAN I COME IN A FEW MINUTES
AND TALK TO YOU
865
00:50:24,607 --> 00:50:26,467
ABOUT SOME INSURANCE?"
866
00:50:26,506 --> 00:50:30,476
MAN: YOUR SATURDAY NIGHT
"SHINDIG" HAS GOT MY FLOORS
867
00:50:30,510 --> 00:50:33,690
DOWN TO THE SECOND PLANK,
AND I'’M AFRAID SOMEONE
868
00:50:33,720 --> 00:50:37,690
WILL DROP THROUGH ON
MY BARREL OF PRESERVES.
869
00:50:37,724 --> 00:50:41,074
WOULD YOU PLEASE SEND ONE
OF YOUR AGENTS DOWN HERE TO
870
00:50:41,107 --> 00:50:44,517
INSURE MY CARPETS, FLOORS,
SHOES, AND EVERYTHING
871
00:50:44,558 --> 00:50:46,868
IN CONNECTION WITH
THE HOUSEHOLD?
872
00:50:46,905 --> 00:50:48,355
GEORGE BRITTING.
873
00:50:48,390 --> 00:50:50,880
MACON: ♪ ...HA HA HA HA
874
00:50:59,884 --> 00:51:02,824
NARRATOR: BY 1927,
THE ROARING TWENTIES HAD
875
00:51:02,852 --> 00:51:05,132
REACHED A FULL HEAD OF STEAM.
876
00:51:05,165 --> 00:51:07,475
THE NATION'’S WEALTH
HAD MORE THAN DOUBLED,
877
00:51:07,512 --> 00:51:11,032
AND FOR THE FIRST TIME,
MORE THAN HALF OF ALL AMERICANS
878
00:51:11,068 --> 00:51:14,828
NOW LIVED IN TOWNS AND CITIES.
879
00:51:14,864 --> 00:51:16,314
PROHIBITION HAD MADE
880
00:51:16,349 --> 00:51:19,629
THE MANUFACTURE AND SALE
OF LIQUOR ILLEGAL,
881
00:51:19,662 --> 00:51:23,912
BUT PEOPLE FOUND
PLENTY OF WAYS TO DRINK.
882
00:51:23,942 --> 00:51:28,502
IT WAS CALLED "THE JAZZ AGE,"
NAMED FOR THE HOT, SYNCOPATED
883
00:51:28,533 --> 00:51:31,923
MUSIC THAT ORIGINATED
IN NEW ORLEANS AND WAS SWEEPING
884
00:51:31,950 --> 00:51:33,680
THE COUNTRY.
885
00:51:33,711 --> 00:51:38,341
FOR SOME, LIKE THE AUTOMOBILE
TYCOON HENRY FORD, THE NEW MUSIC
886
00:51:38,371 --> 00:51:40,341
REPRESENTED EVERYTHING
887
00:51:40,373 --> 00:51:44,243
THEY CONSIDERED WRONG WITH
THE COUNTRY'’S MORAL DIRECTION.
888
00:51:44,273 --> 00:51:49,353
MALONE: HENRY FORD FELT THAT
JAZZ WAS A "JEWISH CONSPIRACY
889
00:51:49,382 --> 00:51:53,322
TO AFRICANIZE
AMERICAN TASTE."
890
00:51:53,351 --> 00:51:56,531
WHAT HE HOPED TO DO WAS TO
REINTRODUCE THE OLD-TIME DANCES
891
00:51:56,561 --> 00:51:59,911
OF HIS YOUTH,
ALONG WITH THE STRING BANDS
892
00:51:59,944 --> 00:52:02,604
AND THE FIDDLING THAT HAD
ACCOMPANIED THESE DANCES.
893
00:52:02,636 --> 00:52:05,536
AND IN REVITALIZING
THE OLDER FORMS OF MUSIC,
894
00:52:05,570 --> 00:52:10,270
HE WOULD ALSO
REVITALIZE THE OLDER SOCIETY.
895
00:52:10,299 --> 00:52:13,609
NARRATOR: FORD ENCOURAGED
HIS CAR DEALERS TO SPONSOR
896
00:52:13,647 --> 00:52:17,027
TRADITIONAL FIDDLE CONTESTS
AND PUBLISHED A BOOK
897
00:52:17,064 --> 00:52:19,174
DESCRIBING OLD-TIME DANCE STEPS,
898
00:52:19,205 --> 00:52:21,755
ALL IN THE BELIEF
IT COULD SOMEHOW
899
00:52:21,793 --> 00:52:25,873
TURN PEOPLE AWAY FROM JAZZ
AND RESTORE AMERICAN CULTURE
900
00:52:25,901 --> 00:52:30,601
TO A SEEMINGLY SIMPLER,
MORE VIRTUOUS PAST.
901
00:52:30,630 --> 00:52:34,840
NO ONE HAD DONE MORE THAN
RALPH PEER TO BRING BOTH KINDS
902
00:52:34,875 --> 00:52:36,355
OF MUSIC TO THE PUBLIC.
903
00:52:36,394 --> 00:52:38,854
SINCE RECORDING
"FIDDLIN'’ JOHN" CARSON
904
00:52:38,879 --> 00:52:40,709
AND OTHER HILLBILLY ACTS,
905
00:52:40,743 --> 00:52:43,303
HE HAD ALSO BROUGHT
MORE BLACK MUSICIANS
906
00:52:43,332 --> 00:52:44,682
INTO THE STUDIO
907
00:52:44,713 --> 00:52:46,233
FOR HIS "RACE" RECORDS:
908
00:52:46,266 --> 00:52:47,886
W.C. HANDY;
909
00:52:47,923 --> 00:52:49,613
JELLY ROLL MORTON;
910
00:52:49,649 --> 00:52:52,169
GUS CANNON'’S JUG STOMPERS;
911
00:52:52,203 --> 00:52:55,383
AND KING OLIVER
AND HIS CREOLE JAZZ BAND,
912
00:52:55,413 --> 00:52:59,313
WITH A YOUNG LOUIS ARMSTRONG
ON CORNET.
913
00:53:01,557 --> 00:53:03,527
NARRATOR: TO PEER,
914
00:53:03,559 --> 00:53:06,939
HILLBILLY MUSIC AND
THE BLUES SHARED COMMON ROOTS.
915
00:53:06,976 --> 00:53:08,836
BUT AS A BUSINESSMAN,
916
00:53:08,875 --> 00:53:12,015
HE WAS LESS INTERESTED
IN MUSIC HISTORY AND THEORY
917
00:53:12,050 --> 00:53:16,640
THAN IN PROFITS,
AND BY JULY OF 1927,
918
00:53:16,676 --> 00:53:20,016
HE WAS ENJOYING
PLENTY OF THEM.
919
00:53:20,058 --> 00:53:23,748
HE HAD LEFT HIS JOB WITH OKEH
AND JOINED THE BIGGEST
920
00:53:23,786 --> 00:53:26,026
RECORDING LABEL IN THE NATION,
921
00:53:26,064 --> 00:53:28,344
THE VICTOR
TALKING MACHINE COMPANY,
922
00:53:28,377 --> 00:53:31,827
AFTER MAKING THEM
AN UNPRECEDENTED OFFER--
923
00:53:31,863 --> 00:53:36,703
HE WOULD WORK FOR NO SALARY IF
HE COULD CONTROL THE COPYRIGHTS
924
00:53:36,730 --> 00:53:41,010
OF THE SONGS AND COLLECT
THE PUBLISHING ROYALTIES.
925
00:53:41,045 --> 00:53:44,495
THEN HE OFFERED HIS
ARTISTS SOMETHING EQUALLY
926
00:53:44,531 --> 00:53:48,501
UNPRECEDENTED: RATHER THAN
BUYING THE COPYRIGHTS OUTRIGHT
927
00:53:48,535 --> 00:53:51,675
FOR A NOMINAL FEE
AND KEEPING ALL THE ROYALTIES,
928
00:53:51,711 --> 00:53:53,511
AS MOST PUBLISHERS DID,
929
00:53:53,540 --> 00:53:56,680
HE WOULD SHARE
A PORTION OF FUTURE ROYALTIES
930
00:53:56,716 --> 00:54:00,026
WITH THEM IF THEY
HAD WRITTEN THE SONG.
931
00:54:00,064 --> 00:54:04,694
HE CALLED IT A "SQUARE DEAL,"
ONE THAT HAD BEEN DENIED ARTISTS
932
00:54:04,724 --> 00:54:08,564
IN THE PAST, AND MANY
OF HIS MUSICIANS WERE LURED BY
933
00:54:08,590 --> 00:54:13,320
THE INCENTIVE TO
FOLLOW HIM TO VICTOR.
934
00:54:13,353 --> 00:54:15,673
AMONG THEM WAS
ERNEST "POP" STONEMAN,
935
00:54:15,700 --> 00:54:17,320
A CARPENTER
936
00:54:17,357 --> 00:54:20,327
FROM THE BLUE RIDGE SECTION
OF SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA,
937
00:54:20,360 --> 00:54:23,190
NEAR THE TOWN OF GALAX.
938
00:54:23,225 --> 00:54:24,675
WHEN STONEMAN HAD HEARD
939
00:54:24,709 --> 00:54:28,299
SOME OF THE EARLY
HILLBILLY RECORDINGS IN 1924,
940
00:54:28,334 --> 00:54:31,514
HE TOLD HIS WIFE
HE COULD SING BETTER THAN THAT,
941
00:54:31,544 --> 00:54:33,994
AND WENT TO
NEW YORK TO PROVE IT.
942
00:54:34,029 --> 00:54:36,269
STONEMAN: ♪ IT '’TWAS ON
MONDAY MORNING ♪
943
00:54:36,307 --> 00:54:38,927
♪ JUST '’BOUT ONE O'CLOCK ♪
944
00:54:38,965 --> 00:54:43,515
♪ THAT THE GREAT "TITANIC"
BEGAN TO REEL AND ROCK... ♪
945
00:54:43,556 --> 00:54:47,586
NARRATOR: HIS RECORDING
FOR PEER OF "THE SINKING
OF THE TITANIC"
946
00:54:47,629 --> 00:54:49,979
BECAME ONE OF THE BIGGEST
HITS OF THE DAY.
947
00:54:50,010 --> 00:54:52,290
STONEMAN:
♪ ...SHIP WENT DOWN...
948
00:54:52,323 --> 00:54:55,843
NARRATOR: SOON, HE WAS VICTOR'’S
TOP HILLBILLY ARTIST
949
00:54:55,878 --> 00:54:59,678
AND MAKING ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY
SOME LAND AND BUILD A NEW HOME
950
00:54:59,710 --> 00:55:03,610
FOR HIS WIFE AND GROWING FAMILY,
WHICH WOULD EVENTUALLY
951
00:55:03,645 --> 00:55:05,505
NUMBER 23 CHILDREN.
952
00:55:05,543 --> 00:55:07,233
STONEMAN: ♪ WHEN THEY WERE
BUILDING THE "TITANIC"... ♪
953
00:55:07,269 --> 00:55:10,379
NARRATOR: PEER WANTED TO MAKE
MORE RECORDINGS OF STONEMAN.
954
00:55:10,410 --> 00:55:14,380
STONEMAN SUGGESTED THAT
PEER COME TO HIM, AND BRING HIS
955
00:55:14,414 --> 00:55:16,694
EQUIPMENT TO NEARBY BRISTOL,
956
00:55:16,727 --> 00:55:20,657
A CITY WHICH SAT ASTRIDE
THE VIRGINIA-TENNESSEE BORDER.
957
00:55:20,696 --> 00:55:24,356
HE PROMISED THAT THE REGION
WAS HOME TO PLENTY OF OTHER ACTS
958
00:55:24,390 --> 00:55:27,360
THAT WOULD MAKE
THE TRIP WORTHWHILE.
959
00:55:28,877 --> 00:55:30,497
SECOR: RALPH PEER
HAD BEEN CORRESPONDING
960
00:55:30,534 --> 00:55:33,364
WITH "POP" STONEMAN,
WHO SAID,
961
00:55:33,399 --> 00:55:36,679
"YOU NEED TO COME TO BRISTOL
SO THAT WE CAN CAPTURE
962
00:55:36,712 --> 00:55:39,372
SOME OF THIS
LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE,"
963
00:55:39,405 --> 00:55:42,405
THIS SOUND THAT WAS COMING OUT
OF THE HILLS
964
00:55:42,442 --> 00:55:46,032
AROUND GALAX, VIRGINIA.
965
00:55:47,723 --> 00:55:50,863
NARRATOR: PEER AND TWO ENGINEERS
ARRIVED IN BRISTOL
966
00:55:50,899 --> 00:55:55,589
IN LATE JULY 1927 AND SET UP
THEIR TEMPORARY STUDIO
967
00:55:55,628 --> 00:55:58,148
ON THE SECOND FLOOR
OF A VACANT BUILDING,
968
00:55:58,182 --> 00:56:00,182
A FORMER HAT COMPANY
969
00:56:00,218 --> 00:56:03,738
ON THE TENNESSEE SIDE
OF BRISTOL'’S MAIN STREET.
970
00:56:03,774 --> 00:56:07,884
THEY WERE USING NEW EQUIPMENT
NOW, WHICH GREATLY IMPROVED
971
00:56:07,916 --> 00:56:10,016
THE FIDELITY OF THE SOUND--
972
00:56:10,056 --> 00:56:13,336
AN ELECTRIC CARBON MICROPHONE
INSTEAD OF A HORN
973
00:56:13,370 --> 00:56:15,580
THAT PERMITTED PERFORMERS
TO SING
974
00:56:15,613 --> 00:56:19,963
WITH GREATER INTIMACY RATHER
THAN SHOUTING TO BE HEARD.
975
00:56:19,997 --> 00:56:23,407
ALL OF THE EQUIPMENT,
EXCEPT THE MICROPHONE,
976
00:56:23,449 --> 00:56:26,349
WOULD BE HIDDEN FROM THE ARTIST.
977
00:56:28,592 --> 00:56:31,182
NARRATOR:
STONEMAN AND HIS GROUP LAID DOWN
978
00:56:31,215 --> 00:56:35,005
10 TRACKS, BUT RALPH PEER
BECAME WORRIED
979
00:56:35,046 --> 00:56:38,426
THAT NOT ENOUGH OTHER
ARTISTS WERE TURNING UP.
980
00:56:38,464 --> 00:56:41,674
HE INVITED THE EDITOR
OF THE "BRISTOL NEWS BULLETIN"
981
00:56:41,708 --> 00:56:46,438
TO ATTEND THE MORNING SESSION,
HOPING FOR SOME FREE PUBLICITY.
982
00:56:46,472 --> 00:56:47,852
ERNEST STONEMAN, KAHLE BREWER,
WALTER MOONEY: ♪ IN A FAR
983
00:56:47,887 --> 00:56:49,577
♪ AND DISTANT CITY...
984
00:56:49,613 --> 00:56:51,683
MAN: INTENSELY INTERESTING
IS A VISIT
985
00:56:51,718 --> 00:56:55,308
TO THE VICTOR TALKING MACHINE
RECORDING STATION.
986
00:56:55,342 --> 00:56:58,212
THIS MORNING,
ERNEST STONEMAN AND COMPANY
987
00:56:58,242 --> 00:56:59,662
WERE THE PERFORMERS,
988
00:56:59,692 --> 00:57:02,182
AND THEY PLAYED
AND SANG INTO THE MICROPHONE
989
00:57:02,211 --> 00:57:04,491
A FAVORITE IN
GRAYSON COUNTY, VIRGINIA,
990
00:57:04,524 --> 00:57:08,394
NAMELY "I LOVE MY LULU BELLE."
991
00:57:08,425 --> 00:57:13,525
HE RECEIVED FROM THE COMPANY
OVER $3,600 LAST YEAR
992
00:57:13,568 --> 00:57:17,678
AS HIS SHARE OF THE PROCEEDS
ON HIS RECORDS.
993
00:57:17,710 --> 00:57:23,410
NARRATOR: $3,600 WAS NEARLY 4
TIMES THE AVERAGE YEARLY INCOME
994
00:57:23,440 --> 00:57:25,410
IN AMERICA.
995
00:57:25,442 --> 00:57:27,482
MAN: THIS WORKED
LIKE DYNAMITE.
996
00:57:27,513 --> 00:57:29,203
AFTER YOU READ THIS,
997
00:57:29,238 --> 00:57:31,378
IF YOU KNEW HOW TO PLAY
"C" ON THE PIANO,
998
00:57:31,413 --> 00:57:33,483
YOU WERE GONNA
BECOME A MILLIONAIRE.
999
00:57:33,519 --> 00:57:37,829
GROUPS OF SINGERS ARRIVED
BY BUS, HORSE AND BUGGY,
1000
00:57:37,868 --> 00:57:41,178
TRAIN, OR ON FOOT.
1001
00:57:41,216 --> 00:57:43,486
RALPH PEER.
1002
00:57:43,529 --> 00:57:46,359
NARRATOR: NOW GROUPS
EAGER TO BECOME STARS WERE
1003
00:57:46,393 --> 00:57:49,093
QUICKLY ADDED
TO THE RECORDING SESSION,
1004
00:57:49,120 --> 00:57:52,050
INCLUDING
THE BULL MOUNTAIN MOONSHINERS,
1005
00:57:52,089 --> 00:57:54,679
RED SNODGRASS'’ ALABAMIANS,
1006
00:57:54,712 --> 00:57:56,992
AND THE WEST VIRGINIA
COON HUNTERS.
1007
00:58:00,062 --> 00:58:03,242
BUT MUCH MORE IMPORTANT
TO RALPH PEER
1008
00:58:03,272 --> 00:58:05,762
AND TO THE FUTURE
OF COUNTRY MUSIC WOULD BE
1009
00:58:05,792 --> 00:58:09,762
THE TWO ACTS THAT SHOWED UP
IN BRISTOL THE NEXT WEEK--
1010
00:58:09,796 --> 00:58:14,006
THREE MEMBERS OF A FAMILY FROM
NEARBY MACES SPRING, VIRGINIA,
1011
00:58:14,042 --> 00:58:16,222
NAMED THE CARTERS,
1012
00:58:16,251 --> 00:58:20,191
AND A FORMER RAILROAD BRAKEMAN
FROM MERIDIAN, MISSISSIPPI,
1013
00:58:20,220 --> 00:58:23,190
JIMMIE RODGERS.
1014
00:58:23,223 --> 00:58:26,953
"SUCCESS," PEER ONCE SAID,
IS "THE ART OF BEING
1015
00:58:26,986 --> 00:58:29,196
WHERE LIGHTNING
IS GOING TO STRIKE."
1016
00:58:30,714 --> 00:58:36,034
IT WAS ABOUT TO STRIKE FOR HIM,
TWICE, AND IN THE SAME LOCATION.
1017
00:58:36,064 --> 00:58:38,384
MAN: THE ONLY THING
MISSING IN THE NEWSPAPER AD,
1018
00:58:38,411 --> 00:58:41,211
TO ME,
WAS, "BRING YOUR SONGS.
1019
00:58:41,241 --> 00:58:43,001
BRING YOUR TALENT TO
THE MICROPHONES TO AUDITION,"
1020
00:58:43,036 --> 00:58:44,376
OR WHATEVER.
1021
00:58:44,417 --> 00:58:45,827
AND THEY SHOULD HAVE ADDED,
"WE'’RE GOING
1022
00:58:45,867 --> 00:58:47,827
TO START AN INDUSTRY NOW."
1023
00:58:47,869 --> 00:58:49,839
BECAUSE THAT'’S WHAT HAPPENED.
1024
00:58:53,046 --> 00:58:56,356
ROSANNE CASH: THE CARTER
FAMILY WERE ELEMENTAL.
1025
00:58:56,394 --> 00:58:58,404
♪ SPRINGTIME
IS COMING ♪
1026
00:58:58,431 --> 00:59:00,741
♪ SWEET LONESOME
BIRD ♪
1027
00:59:00,778 --> 00:59:04,018
♪ YOUR ECHO IN THE
WOODLAND I HEAR... ♪
1028
00:59:04,057 --> 00:59:06,537
IT'’S LIKE, YOU KNOW,
IT WAS THE ATOM.
1029
00:59:06,577 --> 00:59:09,097
IT WAS THE BEGINNING
OF THE BUILDING BLOCKS
1030
00:59:09,131 --> 00:59:12,201
FOR THE REST OF US.
1031
00:59:12,238 --> 00:59:15,658
AND, UM,
THOSE FIRST RECORDINGS
1032
00:59:15,690 --> 00:59:21,730
AND THOSE SONGS, THEY WERE
CAPTURED RATHER THAN WRITTEN.
1033
00:59:21,765 --> 00:59:24,835
YOU KNOW,
THEY WERE IN THE HILLS
1034
00:59:24,871 --> 00:59:27,431
LIKE ROCK FORMATIONS.
1035
00:59:27,460 --> 00:59:32,640
SO, IN 1927,
THOSE FIRST BRISTOL RECORDINGS,
1036
00:59:32,672 --> 00:59:36,162
THESE SONGS THAT WERE PART
OF THE COLLECTIVE UNCONSCIOUS
1037
00:59:36,193 --> 00:59:40,853
WERE GATHERED TOGETHER,
DOCUMENTED FOREVER,
1038
00:59:40,887 --> 00:59:47,097
WITH THESE PLAINTIVE VOICES
AND THESE ELEMENTAL GUITARS.
1039
00:59:47,135 --> 00:59:50,545
THE BEDROCK WAS FORMED
FOR THE REST OF US.
1040
00:59:52,347 --> 00:59:56,627
NARRATOR: ALVIN PLEASANT CARTER
WAS 35 YEARS OLD
1041
00:59:56,662 --> 01:00:00,532
THAT SUMMER OF 1927,
TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET
1042
01:00:00,562 --> 01:00:03,052
IN THE SOUTHWEST CORNER
OF VIRGINIA
1043
01:00:03,082 --> 01:00:06,362
IN ONE OF THE STATE'’S
MOST IMPOVERISHED COUNTIES
1044
01:00:06,395 --> 01:00:10,365
IN AN AREA CALLED POOR VALLEY.
1045
01:00:10,399 --> 01:00:13,059
A.P. HAD BEEN BORN WITH A PALSY,
1046
01:00:13,092 --> 01:00:16,922
A SLIGHT SHAKING IN HIS HANDS,
AND SOMETIMES IN HIS VOICE,
1047
01:00:16,958 --> 01:00:19,688
THAT HIS MOTHER BLAMED
ON A LIGHTNING BOLT
1048
01:00:19,719 --> 01:00:23,789
THAT HAD STRUCK THE GROUND NEXT
TO HER JUST BEFORE HIS BIRTH.
1049
01:00:23,827 --> 01:00:26,757
ALTHOUGH HIS SCHOOLING
ENDED WHEN HE WAS 10,
1050
01:00:26,795 --> 01:00:29,065
HE HAD LEARNED TO PLAY
THE FIDDLE
1051
01:00:29,108 --> 01:00:30,898
AND READ THE SHAPE-NOTE
SONGBOOKS
1052
01:00:30,937 --> 01:00:33,177
USED IN THE LOCAL
METHODIST CHURCH,
1053
01:00:33,215 --> 01:00:37,285
IMPRESSING PEOPLE
WITH HIS RICH BASS VOICE.
1054
01:00:37,323 --> 01:00:40,843
HE TOOK A JOB SELLING
FRUIT TREE SAPLINGS,
1055
01:00:40,878 --> 01:00:44,638
RAMBLING FOR MILES ON FOOT
FROM FARM TO FARM.
1056
01:00:44,675 --> 01:00:48,745
IN 1914,
AFTER CROSSING CLINCH MOUNTAIN
1057
01:00:48,783 --> 01:00:50,543
TO FIND CUSTOMERS
1058
01:00:50,577 --> 01:00:53,927
ON THE MORE PROSPEROUS SIDE
CALLED RICH VALLEY,
1059
01:00:53,960 --> 01:00:57,310
HE HEARD A YOUNG WOMAN'’S
CLEAR AND DEEP VOICE
1060
01:00:57,343 --> 01:01:00,003
SINGING NEARBY.
1061
01:01:00,035 --> 01:01:02,345
IT CAUGHT HIS INTEREST.
1062
01:01:02,382 --> 01:01:04,012
SO DID THE SINGER HERSELF.
1063
01:01:04,039 --> 01:01:06,349
CARTER FAMILY:
♪ HIS DEAR ARMS AROUND ME
1064
01:01:06,386 --> 01:01:07,836
♪ ARE LOVINGLY CAST...
1065
01:01:07,871 --> 01:01:11,121
NARRATOR: SARA DOUGHERTY
WAS BARELY 16 AT THE TIME
1066
01:01:11,150 --> 01:01:16,190
AND STEEPED IN OLD MOUNTAIN
BALLADS AND GOSPEL HYMNS.
1067
01:01:16,224 --> 01:01:20,374
A YEAR LATER, THEY MARRIED.
1068
01:01:20,400 --> 01:01:25,850
A.P. BROUGHT HER BY WAGON TO
A TWO-ROOM CABIN IN POOR VALLEY,
1069
01:01:25,889 --> 01:01:27,819
LATER BUILDING
A MORE PROPER HOME
1070
01:01:27,856 --> 01:01:30,376
IN THE FOOTHILLS
OF CLINCH MOUNTAIN,
1071
01:01:30,410 --> 01:01:33,520
NOT FAR FROM MACES SPRING.
1072
01:01:33,551 --> 01:01:37,831
AS RESTLESS AS HE WAS
AMBITIOUS, A.P. WOULD BE GONE
1073
01:01:37,866 --> 01:01:41,276
FOR WEEKS AT A TIME
OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS,
1074
01:01:41,318 --> 01:01:46,188
SELLING HIS TREES WHILE LEAVING
SARA TO CARE FOR THEIR CHILDREN,
1075
01:01:46,219 --> 01:01:48,809
TEND THE CROPS, CHOP FIREWOOD,
1076
01:01:48,843 --> 01:01:51,163
AND HANDLE
ALL THE RESPONSIBILITIES
1077
01:01:51,190 --> 01:01:54,950
OF A MOUNTAIN HOME
WITHOUT HIS HELP.
1078
01:01:54,987 --> 01:01:58,777
WHEN HE WAS HOME,
THEY SANG AT CHURCH GATHERINGS.
1079
01:01:58,818 --> 01:02:02,998
AFTER ONE MAN GAVE
SARA $10 BECAUSE, HE SAID,
1080
01:02:03,029 --> 01:02:05,199
SHE HAD "THE PRETTIEST
VOICE I EVER HEARD,"
1081
01:02:05,238 --> 01:02:08,278
A.P. GOT THE NOTION
THEY MIGHT MAKE A LITTLE MONEY
1082
01:02:08,310 --> 01:02:10,690
WITH THEIR MUSIC.
1083
01:02:10,727 --> 01:02:15,037
IN 1926, A SCOUT FOR
THE BRUNSWICK LABEL APPEARED
1084
01:02:15,076 --> 01:02:16,696
IN THE REGION.
1085
01:02:16,733 --> 01:02:20,083
HE WAS LOOKING FOR A SINGING
FIDDLER, AND SUGGESTED PUTTING
1086
01:02:20,115 --> 01:02:23,185
SARA IN THE BACKGROUND
BECAUSE, HE SAID,
1087
01:02:23,222 --> 01:02:26,712
A WOMAN IN THE LEAD
COULD NEVER BE POPULAR.
1088
01:02:26,743 --> 01:02:29,193
A.P. WOULDN'’T AGREE.
1089
01:02:29,228 --> 01:02:32,198
INSTEAD, HE ADDED
ANOTHER WOMAN TO THE GROUP--
1090
01:02:32,231 --> 01:02:35,821
A YOUNGER COUSIN OF SARA'’S
NAMED MAYBELLE ADDINGTON,
1091
01:02:35,855 --> 01:02:38,785
A SHY TEENAGER WHO
HAD LEARNED TO PLAY THE BANJO
1092
01:02:38,824 --> 01:02:42,284
FROM HER MOTHER
AS WELL AS THE AUTOHARP.
1093
01:02:42,310 --> 01:02:47,450
THEN SHE TOOK UP
THE GUITAR AND MASTERED IT.
1094
01:02:47,487 --> 01:02:51,347
WHEN MAYBELLE MARRIED
A.P.'’s BROTHER, ECK CARTER,
1095
01:02:51,388 --> 01:02:53,868
THE COUPLE MOVED
TO A TWO-STORY HOUSE
1096
01:02:53,908 --> 01:02:58,078
LESS THAN A MILE
FROM A.P. AND SARA'’S HOME.
1097
01:02:58,119 --> 01:03:00,779
IN LATE JULY OF 1927,
1098
01:03:00,811 --> 01:03:04,711
A.P. HEARD ABOUT
RALPH PEER'’S BRISTOL SESSIONS,
1099
01:03:04,746 --> 01:03:07,296
AND ANNOUNCED THEY WERE GOING.
1100
01:03:07,335 --> 01:03:10,095
THE WOMEN
WERE RELUCTANT AT FIRST.
1101
01:03:10,131 --> 01:03:13,171
SARA WAS STILL
NURSING HER THIRD CHILD,
1102
01:03:13,203 --> 01:03:16,693
AND MAYBELLE, NOW 18,
WAS PREGNANT.
1103
01:03:16,723 --> 01:03:18,693
ECK WAS AGAINST IT, TOO,
1104
01:03:18,725 --> 01:03:22,005
SINCE HIS WIFE
WAS SO FAR ALONG.
1105
01:03:22,039 --> 01:03:23,829
BUT A.P. WAS INSISTENT,
1106
01:03:23,869 --> 01:03:26,349
PERSUADING ECK TO LEND HIM
HIS CAR
1107
01:03:26,388 --> 01:03:32,018
BY PROMISING TO WEED HIS
BROTHER'’S CORNFIELD IN EXCHANGE.
1108
01:03:32,049 --> 01:03:38,709
IT TOOK THEM ALL DAY
TO MAKE THE 26 MILES TO BRISTOL.
1109
01:03:38,745 --> 01:03:42,985
THE NEXT MORNING,
AUGUST 1, 1927,
1110
01:03:43,026 --> 01:03:45,366
THEY AUDITIONED FOR PEER.
1111
01:03:45,407 --> 01:03:49,267
"AS SOON AS I HEARD
SARA'’S VOICE," HE RECALLED,
1112
01:03:49,308 --> 01:03:51,168
"THAT WAS IT.
1113
01:03:51,206 --> 01:03:53,686
I KNEW IT WAS GOING
TO BE WONDERFUL."
1114
01:03:53,726 --> 01:03:57,106
CARTER FAMILY: ♪ ...FOR
THE ONLY ONE I LOVE... ♪
1115
01:03:57,143 --> 01:03:58,633
NARRATOR: THAT EVENING,
1116
01:03:58,662 --> 01:04:01,292
THE CARTERS RETURNED
TO RECORD FOUR SONGS,
1117
01:04:01,320 --> 01:04:04,770
BEGINNING WITH "BURY ME
UNDER THE WEEPING WILLOW,"
1118
01:04:04,806 --> 01:04:08,706
AN OLD TUNE SARA AND MAYBELLE
HAD KNOWN ALL THEIR LIVES.
1119
01:04:08,741 --> 01:04:11,021
CARTER FAMILY: ♪ OH, BURY ME
UNDER THE WEEPING WILLOW... ♪
1120
01:04:11,054 --> 01:04:13,544
ALTHOUGH A.P.
HADN'’T WRITTEN THE ORIGINAL,
1121
01:04:13,573 --> 01:04:17,343
PEER CONSIDERED HIS ARRANGEMENT
OF IT AND THE OTHERS THEY PLAYED
1122
01:04:17,370 --> 01:04:18,990
DIFFERENT ENOUGH FOR CARTER
1123
01:04:19,027 --> 01:04:20,997
TO CLAIM A COMPOSER'’S CREDIT
1124
01:04:21,029 --> 01:04:22,859
AND PERMITTING PEER
1125
01:04:22,893 --> 01:04:25,413
TO BE THE PUBLISHER.
1126
01:04:25,447 --> 01:04:28,237
♪ MY HEART IS SAD
1127
01:04:28,278 --> 01:04:31,248
♪ AND I'’M IN SORROW ♪
1128
01:04:31,281 --> 01:04:36,011
♪ FOR THE ONLY ONE I LOVE
1129
01:04:36,044 --> 01:04:38,294
♪ WHEN SHALL HE SEE ME
1130
01:04:38,322 --> 01:04:40,812
♪ OH, NO, NEVER
1131
01:04:40,842 --> 01:04:42,532
♪ TILL WE MEET
1132
01:04:42,568 --> 01:04:44,358
♪ IN HEAVEN ABOVE
1133
01:04:46,572 --> 01:04:48,092
AND SO SIMPLE, RIGHT?
1134
01:04:48,125 --> 01:04:50,225
I MEAN, IT'’S LIKE YOU'VE HEARD
THE MELODY A MILLION TIMES.
1135
01:04:50,265 --> 01:04:51,885
THAT'’S ONE OF THOSE SONGS
THAT FEELS LIKE
1136
01:04:51,922 --> 01:04:53,922
IT'’S ALWAYS EXISTED.
1137
01:04:53,959 --> 01:04:55,999
IF TAYLOR SWIFT
OR CARRIE UNDERWOOD
1138
01:04:56,030 --> 01:04:58,070
OR WHOEVER THE HOTTEST GIRL
OF THE MOMENT IS
1139
01:04:58,101 --> 01:04:59,861
WANTS TO KNOW
WHERE THEY COME FROM,
1140
01:04:59,896 --> 01:05:03,106
THEY NEED TO GO ALL THE WAY BACK
TO THE VOICE OF SARA CARTER
1141
01:05:03,140 --> 01:05:06,280
'’CAUSE SHE WAS THE FIRST ONE.
1142
01:05:06,316 --> 01:05:08,866
IT'’S SARA. THEN THERE'S
BEEN EVERYBODY ELSE.
1143
01:05:08,905 --> 01:05:10,795
IT'’S THAT SIMPLE.
1144
01:05:10,837 --> 01:05:12,937
AS FAR AS GUITAR PLAYING GOES,
1145
01:05:12,978 --> 01:05:15,358
THERE'’S MAYBELLE,
THEN THERE'’S EVERYBODY ELSE.
1146
01:05:15,394 --> 01:05:18,814
THAT'’S THE GENESIS OF IT ALL.
1147
01:05:18,845 --> 01:05:22,605
NARRATOR: THE TRIO PERFORMED TWO
TAKES OF EACH SONG THAT NIGHT,
1148
01:05:22,642 --> 01:05:26,232
SARA SINGING LEAD
AND PLAYING AUTOHARP;
1149
01:05:26,267 --> 01:05:29,717
MAYBELLE ON THE GUITAR
AND ADDING HARMONY,
1150
01:05:29,753 --> 01:05:32,313
A.P. SOMETIMES JOINING IN.
1151
01:05:34,206 --> 01:05:36,346
PEER WAS IMPRESSED.
1152
01:05:36,380 --> 01:05:39,350
HE INVITED THE CARTERS
TO COME BACK THE NEXT MORNING
1153
01:05:39,383 --> 01:05:41,283
FOR ANOTHER SESSION.
1154
01:05:41,316 --> 01:05:44,346
ONLY SARA AND MAYBELLE
SHOWED UP.
1155
01:05:44,388 --> 01:05:47,868
A.P. MAY HAVE BEEN GETTING
A CAR TIRE REPLACED.
1156
01:05:47,909 --> 01:05:49,979
IT DIDN'’T BOTHER PEER.
1157
01:05:50,015 --> 01:05:54,665
HE HAD SARA SING TWO SOLOS
WITH MAYBELLE ON THE GUITAR.
1158
01:05:54,709 --> 01:05:57,439
ONE WAS A TUNE
SARA SAID SHE DIDN'’T LIKE
1159
01:05:57,470 --> 01:05:59,510
BUT AGREED TO PERFORM:
1160
01:05:59,541 --> 01:06:01,991
"SINGLE GIRL, MARRIED GIRL,"
1161
01:06:02,027 --> 01:06:05,507
WHICH COMPARES THE CAREFREE LIFE
OF AN UNMARRIED WOMAN
1162
01:06:05,547 --> 01:06:07,857
TO THE BURDENS OF
A WIFE LEFT AT HOME
1163
01:06:07,894 --> 01:06:10,174
TO CARE FOR HER BABIES.
1164
01:06:10,207 --> 01:06:12,237
IT CUT TOO CLOSE.
1165
01:06:12,278 --> 01:06:14,318
CARTER FAMILY: ♪ SINGLE GIRL
1166
01:06:14,349 --> 01:06:15,869
♪ SINGLE GIRL
1167
01:06:15,902 --> 01:06:20,112
♪ SHE GOES TO STORE AND BUYS
1168
01:06:20,148 --> 01:06:25,528
♪ OH, SHE GOES TO STORE
AND BUYS ♪
1169
01:06:25,567 --> 01:06:29,357
♪ MARRIED GIRL, MARRIED GIRL
1170
01:06:29,399 --> 01:06:32,849
♪ SHE ROCKS THE CRADLE
AND CRIES ♪
1171
01:06:32,885 --> 01:06:37,405
♪ OH, SHE ROCKS
THE CRADLE AND CRIES... ♪
1172
01:06:37,441 --> 01:06:39,691
WELL, THE SINGLE GIRL HAS
1173
01:06:39,719 --> 01:06:41,339
THE GOOD LIFE,
1174
01:06:41,376 --> 01:06:44,236
AND THE MARRIED GIRL,
IT'’S HARD. IT'S TOUGH.
1175
01:06:44,276 --> 01:06:46,686
PERFORMED BY A MARRIED GIRL
1176
01:06:46,726 --> 01:06:50,316
WHO, I DON'’T THINK SHE
WANTED TO BE MARRIED ANYMORE.
1177
01:06:52,387 --> 01:06:54,527
NARRATOR:
WITH THE SESSIONS CONCLUDED
1178
01:06:54,562 --> 01:06:57,052
AND $300 IN THEIR POCKETS
1179
01:06:57,082 --> 01:06:59,532
AS PAYMENT FOR RECORDING
SIX SONGS,
1180
01:06:59,567 --> 01:07:02,157
THE GROUP NOW CALLED
THE CARTER FAMILY
1181
01:07:02,190 --> 01:07:05,330
HEADED BACK TO MACES SPRING.
1182
01:07:05,366 --> 01:07:08,156
"WE MADE IT HOME,"
SARA REMEMBERED,
1183
01:07:08,196 --> 01:07:10,676
"AND NEVER THOUGHT
NO MORE ABOUT IT.
1184
01:07:10,716 --> 01:07:13,546
"WE NEVER DREAMED ABOUT
THE RECORD BUSINESS TURNING OUT
1185
01:07:13,581 --> 01:07:15,171
THE WAY IT DID."
1186
01:07:15,203 --> 01:07:18,553
A.P. STARTED WORK HOEING
HIS BROTHER'’S CORNFIELD,
1187
01:07:18,586 --> 01:07:20,996
JUST AS HE'’D PROMISED.
1188
01:07:23,211 --> 01:07:25,871
NARRATOR:
MEANWHILE, BACK IN BRISTOL,
1189
01:07:25,903 --> 01:07:28,873
PEER WAS ABOUT TO RECORD
SOMEONE ELSE
1190
01:07:28,906 --> 01:07:32,356
WHO WOULD ALSO CHANGE
HILLBILLY MUSIC FOREVER.
1191
01:07:32,393 --> 01:07:35,843
JIMMIE RODGERS:
♪ ALL AROUND THE WATER TANK
1192
01:07:35,879 --> 01:07:38,679
♪ WAITING FOR A TRAIN...
1193
01:07:38,709 --> 01:07:40,499
MERLE HAGGARD: SOMEBODY
TOLD ME A STORY ONE TIME
1194
01:07:40,539 --> 01:07:44,199
ABOUT RED FOLEY
AND BOB WILLS AND ERNEST TUBB.
1195
01:07:44,232 --> 01:07:46,062
THEY GOT TOGETHER ONE TIME,
1196
01:07:46,096 --> 01:07:48,686
AND THEY WERE ALL
BIG JIMMIE RODGERS FANS,
1197
01:07:48,719 --> 01:07:53,209
AND THEY SAID,
"COULD WE AGREE
1198
01:07:53,241 --> 01:07:58,871
ON OUR FAVORITE TEN--
TOP TEN JIMMIE RODGERS SONGS?"
1199
01:07:58,902 --> 01:08:02,182
AND THEY SAID, WILLS SAID, AFTER
A LOT OF DEBATE AND TALK,
1200
01:08:02,216 --> 01:08:06,426
SAID THEY COULDN'’T GET IT
DOWN TO LESS THAN 50.
1201
01:08:06,461 --> 01:08:10,361
NARRATOR: JAMES CHARLES RODGERS
FROM MERIDIAN, MISSISSIPPI,
1202
01:08:10,396 --> 01:08:13,226
WAS STILL A MONTH SHY
OF HIS 30th BIRTHDAY
1203
01:08:13,261 --> 01:08:16,471
IN AUGUST OF 1927,
1204
01:08:16,506 --> 01:08:18,886
BUT HE HAD ALREADY PACKED
SEVERAL LIFETIMES
1205
01:08:18,922 --> 01:08:24,862
INTO THOSE YEARS, MOST OF THEM
SPENT IN CONSTANT MOTION.
1206
01:08:24,893 --> 01:08:28,523
HIS MOTHER HAD DIED
BY THE TIME HE WAS 6,
1207
01:08:28,552 --> 01:08:30,872
AND HIS FATHER,
WHO QUICKLY REMARRIED,
1208
01:08:30,899 --> 01:08:34,039
WAS OFTEN ABSENT,
WORKING AS A FOREMAN
1209
01:08:34,075 --> 01:08:37,005
FOR THE NEW ORLEANS
AND NORTHEASTERN RAILROAD.
1210
01:08:37,043 --> 01:08:40,883
LITTLE JIMMIE ENDED UP
IN THE CARE OF A SPINSTER AUNT,
1211
01:08:40,909 --> 01:08:44,089
WHO WAS CHARMED BY
HIS IRREPRESSIBLE GOOD HUMOR
1212
01:08:44,120 --> 01:08:47,260
AND INDULGED
HIS ADVENTUROUS SPIRIT.
1213
01:08:47,295 --> 01:08:49,675
HE STARTED SKIPPING
SUNDAY SCHOOL,
1214
01:08:49,711 --> 01:08:51,781
THEN SCHOOL ITSELF,
1215
01:08:51,817 --> 01:08:55,197
PREFERRING INSTEAD TO SHOOT DICE
WITH THE SHOESHINE BOYS
1216
01:08:55,234 --> 01:08:56,964
AT A LOCAL BARBERSHOP,
1217
01:08:56,994 --> 01:09:00,244
LISTEN TO TRAVELING SALESMEN
SWAP STORIES,
1218
01:09:00,274 --> 01:09:04,244
OR HAUNT MERIDIAN'’S THEATERS
THAT OFFERED SILENT MOVIES
1219
01:09:04,278 --> 01:09:06,178
BETWEEN VAUDEVILLE ACTS.
1220
01:09:06,211 --> 01:09:09,631
HE PICKED UP
THE MANDOLIN, THEN THE BANJO,
1221
01:09:09,662 --> 01:09:11,182
THEN THE GUITAR;
1222
01:09:11,216 --> 01:09:12,936
WON AN AMATEUR CONTEST SINGING
1223
01:09:12,976 --> 01:09:15,456
"BILL BAILEY, WON'’T
YOU PLEASE COME HOME?";
1224
01:09:15,496 --> 01:09:18,836
AND AT AGE 13 RAN AWAY
FOR A WHILE
1225
01:09:18,878 --> 01:09:20,468
WITH A TRAVELING MEDICINE SHOW
1226
01:09:20,501 --> 01:09:23,851
BEFORE HIS FATHER
RETRIEVED HIM IN ALABAMA
1227
01:09:23,883 --> 01:09:25,683
AND PUT HIM TO WORK
AS A WATER BOY
1228
01:09:25,713 --> 01:09:29,103
FOR THE RAILROAD'’S
MOSTLY BLACK CREWS,
1229
01:09:29,130 --> 01:09:31,860
WHO LAID AND MAINTAINED
THE TRACKS.
1230
01:09:31,891 --> 01:09:34,451
STUART:
JUST LOOK AT THE TRAIN YARDS
1231
01:09:34,480 --> 01:09:36,210
NORTH OR SOUTHBOUND.
1232
01:09:36,241 --> 01:09:38,351
YOU CAN ALMOST SEE
AND HEAR JIMMIE RODGERS
1233
01:09:38,381 --> 01:09:41,381
AND THOSE CHARACTERS THAT
HE WORKED WITH IN THOSE YARDS.
1234
01:09:41,418 --> 01:09:44,348
MEN: ♪ PRETTIEST TRAIN THAT...
1235
01:09:44,387 --> 01:09:46,287
STUART: AND YOU CAN HEAR
THE MUSIC OF MISSISSIPPI.
1236
01:09:46,320 --> 01:09:50,320
YOU CAN HEAR THE MUSIC OF
THE OLD SOUTH BEING SUNG TO HIM
1237
01:09:50,358 --> 01:09:53,708
ALMOST LIKE
THOSE FIELD CHANTS
1238
01:09:53,741 --> 01:09:58,501
OR, YOU KNOW, THE LABOR CAMPS,
OR WHEN THEY WOULD DRAG TIE.
1239
01:09:58,539 --> 01:10:03,029
YOU CAN ABSOLUTELY SEE HOW
JIMMIE RODGERS TOOK IT ALL IN.
1240
01:10:03,060 --> 01:10:07,340
RODGERS: ♪ HO HO, HEY HEY
1241
01:10:07,375 --> 01:10:11,305
♪ HEY HO HEY...
1242
01:10:11,345 --> 01:10:13,415
NARRATOR: OFF AND ON
FOR THE NEXT DECADE,
1243
01:10:13,450 --> 01:10:16,350
HE HELD A SERIES
OF RAILROAD JOBS--
1244
01:10:16,384 --> 01:10:19,664
FLAGMAN, BAGGAGE MAN,
AND THEN A BRAKEMAN ON THE RUN
1245
01:10:19,698 --> 01:10:23,178
BETWEEN MISSISSIPPI
AND NEW ORLEANS,
1246
01:10:23,219 --> 01:10:26,669
BUT IT WAS NEVER STEADY WORK.
1247
01:10:26,705 --> 01:10:32,185
HE MARRIED AT AGE 19, WAS
SEPARATED IN LESS THAN A YEAR,
1248
01:10:32,228 --> 01:10:35,678
HOBOED AROUND THE COUNTRY,
THEN CAME BACK TO MERIDIAN,
1249
01:10:35,714 --> 01:10:39,274
AND IN 1920,
AFTER HIS DIVORCE CAME THROUGH,
1250
01:10:39,304 --> 01:10:41,344
MARRIED CARRIE WILLIAMSON,
1251
01:10:41,375 --> 01:10:46,025
THE 17-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER
OF A METHODIST PREACHER.
1252
01:10:46,069 --> 01:10:50,319
9 MONTHS LATER,
SHE GAVE BIRTH TO ANITA.
1253
01:10:50,349 --> 01:10:52,659
WHEN HE WASN'’T WORKING,
1254
01:10:52,696 --> 01:10:55,346
JIMMIE LOAFED AROUND
POOLROOMS AND RAIL YARDS;
1255
01:10:55,389 --> 01:10:59,499
WHEN HE WAS WORKING, HIS
PAYCHECKS QUICKLY DISAPPEARED--
1256
01:10:59,531 --> 01:11:01,431
ON TICKETS TO SHOWS,
1257
01:11:01,464 --> 01:11:04,434
ON EVERY PHONOGRAPH RECORD
HE COULD BUY,
1258
01:11:04,467 --> 01:11:08,467
AND ON A MEN'’S PERFUME HE
HAD DISCOVERED IN NEW ORLEANS--
1259
01:11:08,505 --> 01:11:11,845
BLACK NARCISSUS,
WHOSE SCENT, HE THOUGHT,
1260
01:11:11,888 --> 01:11:16,688
MASKED THE HARSH SMELL
OF RAILROAD FUMES.
1261
01:11:16,720 --> 01:11:19,690
WOMAN, AS CARRIE RODGERS: HIS
POCKETS ALL HAD HOLES IN THEM.
1262
01:11:19,723 --> 01:11:24,043
ANY MONEY THAT WENT INTO THEM
WENT RIGHT ON OUT AGAIN.
1263
01:11:24,072 --> 01:11:28,082
HE ALWAYS DECLARED
THAT MONEY WAS NO GOOD
1264
01:11:28,111 --> 01:11:30,181
UNTIL AFTER YOU'’D SPENT IT.
1265
01:11:30,216 --> 01:11:33,006
THEN IT WAS GOOD,
FOR IT HAD FURNISHED YOU
1266
01:11:33,047 --> 01:11:37,497
AND THOSE AROUND YOU
WITH THE GOOD THINGS OF LIFE.
1267
01:11:37,534 --> 01:11:41,444
NARRATOR: "IT WAS CHICKEN
ONE DAY, FEATHERS THE NEXT,"
1268
01:11:41,469 --> 01:11:44,679
CARRIE REMEMBERED,
"BUT IT SEEMED THAT OUR CHICKENS
1269
01:11:44,714 --> 01:11:47,514
WERE MOSTLY ALL FEATHERS."
1270
01:11:47,544 --> 01:11:51,864
RODGERS JOINED ANOTHER
TRAVELING SHOW IN 1923,
1271
01:11:51,893 --> 01:11:54,483
PERFORMING SOME
BLUES NUMBERS HE'’D PICKED UP,
1272
01:11:54,517 --> 01:11:57,657
BUT IT WAS CUT SHORT
WHEN HE GOT CALLED HOME
1273
01:11:57,692 --> 01:12:00,042
AFTER HIS AND CARRIE'’S
1274
01:12:00,074 --> 01:12:05,014
6-MONTH-OLD
SECOND DAUGHTER DIED.
1275
01:12:05,044 --> 01:12:08,534
A YEAR LATER CAME
MORE BAD NEWS.
1276
01:12:08,565 --> 01:12:10,665
WORKING ONCE MORE
FOR THE RAILROAD,
1277
01:12:10,705 --> 01:12:13,665
RODGERS DEVELOPED
A HACKING COUGH.
1278
01:12:13,708 --> 01:12:18,158
CARRIE NOTICED FLECKS
OF BLOOD IN HIS HANDKERCHIEF.
1279
01:12:18,195 --> 01:12:20,505
A DOCTOR DIAGNOSED
THE PROBLEM:
1280
01:12:20,543 --> 01:12:23,513
IT WAS TUBERCULOSIS,
1281
01:12:23,546 --> 01:12:28,236
AT THE TIME THE LEADING CAUSE
OF DEATH IN THE UNITED STATES.
1282
01:12:28,274 --> 01:12:31,384
THERE WAS NO KNOWN CURE.
1283
01:12:31,416 --> 01:12:33,486
WOMAN, AS CARRIE RODGERS:
WHEN HE WAS RELEASED
1284
01:12:33,521 --> 01:12:35,491
FROM THE HOSPITAL, WE KNEW--
1285
01:12:35,523 --> 01:12:39,013
KNEW THAT NEVER AGAIN
SHOULD HE BE A LADDER CLIMBER,
1286
01:12:39,044 --> 01:12:43,464
NEVER AGAIN RIDE THE DECKS
AND TEST HIS LUNGS
1287
01:12:43,497 --> 01:12:46,187
AGAINST ROARING WINDS,
1288
01:12:46,223 --> 01:12:49,503
NEVER AGAIN COLLECT
A RAILROADER'’S STAKE.
1289
01:12:51,781 --> 01:12:54,131
NARRATOR:
RODGERS TURNED TO MUSIC
1290
01:12:54,162 --> 01:12:56,372
AS HIS LAST CHANCE
TO SUPPORT HIS WIFE
1291
01:12:56,406 --> 01:12:58,546
AND SURVIVING DAUGHTER.
1292
01:12:58,581 --> 01:13:02,211
HE PLAYED
FOR DANCES AROUND MERIDIAN
1293
01:13:02,239 --> 01:13:04,859
AND BRIEFLY JOINED
A MEDICINE SHOW,
1294
01:13:04,897 --> 01:13:07,107
STRUMMING HIS BANJO
IN BLACKFACE
1295
01:13:07,141 --> 01:13:08,831
ON VILLAGE STREET CORNERS
1296
01:13:08,867 --> 01:13:13,527
WHILE A SO-CALLED DOCTOR PEDDLED
SNAKE OIL TO PASSERSBY.
1297
01:13:13,561 --> 01:13:15,181
HE WOULD VISIT STORES
1298
01:13:15,218 --> 01:13:18,568
AND TALK THE OWNER INTO
SELLING HIM A GUITAR ON CREDIT,
1299
01:13:18,601 --> 01:13:23,301
THEN GO TO THE NEAREST PAWN SHOP
TO HOCK IT FOR CASH.
1300
01:13:23,329 --> 01:13:25,569
IN EARLY 1927,
1301
01:13:25,608 --> 01:13:28,848
RODGERS MOVED HIS FAMILY
TO ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA,
1302
01:13:28,887 --> 01:13:32,097
HOPING THE MOUNTAIN AIR
WOULD IMPROVE HIS HEALTH.
1303
01:13:32,131 --> 01:13:36,451
THERE HE MET A STRING BAND
TRIO CALLED THE TENNEVA RAMBLERS
1304
01:13:36,481 --> 01:13:39,211
AND FORMED A QUARTET.
1305
01:13:39,242 --> 01:13:41,662
THE GROUP
WAS BARELY SCRAPING BY
1306
01:13:41,693 --> 01:13:44,833
WHEN ONE OF THE MEMBERS
DECIDED TO GO ASK HIS FATHER,
1307
01:13:44,868 --> 01:13:47,178
A BARBER IN BRISTOL, TENNESSEE,
1308
01:13:47,215 --> 01:13:50,355
FOR HELP GETTING
A BETTER CAR FOR TOURING.
1309
01:13:50,391 --> 01:13:53,671
RODGERS WENT ALONG WITH HIM.
1310
01:13:53,705 --> 01:13:57,355
THEY ARRIVED ON AUGUST 1st,
THE SAME DAY THE CARTER FAMILY
1311
01:13:57,398 --> 01:13:59,538
WERE DOING
THEIR FIRST RECORDING,
1312
01:13:59,573 --> 01:14:01,513
AND WENT TO A BOARDING HOUSE
1313
01:14:01,540 --> 01:14:05,200
NEAR THE BUILDING
RALPH PEER WAS RENTING.
1314
01:14:05,233 --> 01:14:08,863
THERE THEY LEARNED THAT
THE TOWN WAS FULL OF MUSICIANS
1315
01:14:08,892 --> 01:14:12,242
TRYING TO MAKE RECORDS
WITH THE VICTOR LABEL.
1316
01:14:12,275 --> 01:14:14,035
THEY HURRIED BACK
TO NORTH CAROLINA
1317
01:14:14,070 --> 01:14:16,110
FOR THE OTHER BAND MEMBERS
1318
01:14:16,141 --> 01:14:19,701
AND RETURNED TO BRISTOL
ON AUGUST 3rd.
1319
01:14:19,731 --> 01:14:22,351
BUT AS THEY REHEARSED
IN THE BOARDING HOUSE,
1320
01:14:22,388 --> 01:14:24,218
THE GROUP FELL APART.
1321
01:14:24,252 --> 01:14:28,192
THE OTHER MEMBERS SAID RODGERS
COULDN'’T PLAY WELL ENOUGH.
1322
01:14:28,222 --> 01:14:30,852
AN ARGUMENT BROKE OUT
AND ENDED
1323
01:14:30,880 --> 01:14:34,300
WHEN RODGERS SAID THEY
COULD DO WHAT THEY WANTED.
1324
01:14:34,331 --> 01:14:38,681
HE WOULD RECORD BY HIMSELF
WITH JUST HIS GUITAR.
1325
01:14:38,715 --> 01:14:42,365
SECOR: THE TENNEVA RAMBLERS
WEREN'’T REALLY ANYTHING SPECIAL.
1326
01:14:42,408 --> 01:14:43,858
BREAKING UP MIGHT BE
THE BEST THING
1327
01:14:43,893 --> 01:14:46,273
THAT EVER HAPPENED
TO COUNTRY MUSIC.
1328
01:14:46,309 --> 01:14:50,999
JIMMIE RODGERS:
♪ SLEEP, BABY, SLEEP...
1329
01:14:51,038 --> 01:14:54,838
NARRATOR: ON THE AFTERNOON
OF AUGUST 4, 1927,
1330
01:14:54,869 --> 01:14:59,359
JIMMIE RODGERS ENTERED
RALPH PEER'’S MAKESHIFT STUDIO.
1331
01:14:59,391 --> 01:15:03,461
"I LIKED HIM THE FIRST TIME
I SAW HIM," PEER RECALLED.
1332
01:15:03,499 --> 01:15:07,159
RODGERS SANG
ONLY TWO TUNES THAT DAY,
1333
01:15:07,192 --> 01:15:10,542
"THE SOLDIER'’S SWEETHEART"
AND "SLEEP, BABY, SLEEP."
1334
01:15:10,575 --> 01:15:13,915
HE ASSURED PEER
THAT WITH A LITTLE MORE TIME,
1335
01:15:13,957 --> 01:15:16,677
HE COULD COME UP
WITH A LOT MORE.
1336
01:15:16,719 --> 01:15:20,029
THEN HE LEFT TOWN.
1337
01:15:20,067 --> 01:15:24,517
JIMMIE RODGERS: ♪ ...WHILE
ANGELS WATCH OVER YOU... ♪
1338
01:15:24,554 --> 01:15:27,424
NARRATOR: DURING HIS TWO WEEKS
IN BRISTOL, PEER RECORDED
1339
01:15:27,453 --> 01:15:30,013
MORE THAN TWO DOZEN
PERFORMING ACTS.
1340
01:15:30,042 --> 01:15:32,672
A FEW OF THEM
WOULD GO ON TO HAVE
1341
01:15:32,700 --> 01:15:35,360
LONG CAREERS
IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS;
1342
01:15:35,392 --> 01:15:38,672
MOST WOULD SOON BE FORGOTTEN.
1343
01:15:38,706 --> 01:15:40,776
BUT BY DISCOVERING
1344
01:15:40,812 --> 01:15:42,372
THE CARTER FAMILY
1345
01:15:42,399 --> 01:15:43,849
AND JIMMIE RODGERS,
1346
01:15:43,884 --> 01:15:45,684
RALPH PEER HAD SET
1347
01:15:45,713 --> 01:15:47,683
THE FUTURE OF COUNTRY MUSIC
1348
01:15:47,715 --> 01:15:50,195
IN MOTION.
1349
01:15:50,235 --> 01:15:51,545
MALONE: I THINK
1350
01:15:51,581 --> 01:15:53,031
JIMMIE RODGERS REPRESENTED
1351
01:15:53,065 --> 01:15:56,515
THE RAMBLING SIDE
OF COUNTRY MUSIC--
1352
01:15:56,552 --> 01:15:58,902
THE DESIRE TO HIT THE ROAD,
1353
01:15:58,933 --> 01:16:01,003
LEAVE RESPONSIBILITIES BEHIND,
1354
01:16:01,039 --> 01:16:04,209
TO GO OUT
AND EXPERIENCE THE WORLD.
1355
01:16:04,249 --> 01:16:06,179
THE CARTER FAMILY,
ON THE OTHER HAND,
1356
01:16:06,216 --> 01:16:09,836
EMBODIED THE SANCTITY
OF THE HOME AND OF THE FAMILY,
1357
01:16:09,875 --> 01:16:12,835
PARTICULARLY MOTHER,
WHO KEPT THE HOME TOGETHER.
1358
01:16:12,878 --> 01:16:15,498
AND THOSE HAVE BEEN
TWO IMPORTANT IMPULSES
1359
01:16:15,536 --> 01:16:17,296
IN COUNTRY MUSIC EVER SINCE
1360
01:16:17,331 --> 01:16:22,031
'’CAUSE SORT OF THE REVERSE SIDES
OF THE SAME COIN.
1361
01:16:24,407 --> 01:16:26,027
NARRATOR: THAT NOVEMBER,
1362
01:16:26,064 --> 01:16:29,004
SHORTLY AFTER HIS FIRST
RECORDING HAD BEEN RELEASED,
1363
01:16:29,032 --> 01:16:32,172
RODGERS SHOWED UP
UNANNOUNCED IN NEW YORK CITY
1364
01:16:32,208 --> 01:16:35,278
WITH ONLY $10 IN HIS POCKET.
1365
01:16:35,314 --> 01:16:37,834
HE CHECKED
INTO AN EXPENSIVE HOTEL,
1366
01:16:37,869 --> 01:16:40,839
SHOWED THE DESK CLERK
A COPY OF HIS NEW RECORD
1367
01:16:40,872 --> 01:16:43,942
AND BRASHLY TOLD HIM
TO CHARGE EVERYTHING
1368
01:16:43,978 --> 01:16:46,188
TO THE VICTOR COMPANY.
1369
01:16:46,222 --> 01:16:48,052
THEN HE CALLED RALPH PEER
1370
01:16:48,086 --> 01:16:51,706
TO SAY HE WAS READY
FOR ANOTHER SESSION.
1371
01:16:51,745 --> 01:16:55,225
NARRATOR: AMONG
THE FOUR SIDES RODGERS RECORDED
1372
01:16:55,265 --> 01:16:58,915
A FEW DAYS LATER WAS
ONE HE HAD STRUNG TOGETHER
1373
01:16:58,959 --> 01:17:00,509
FROM A MIXTURE OF SONGS
1374
01:17:00,546 --> 01:17:02,026
HE HAD HEARD OVER THE YEARS--
1375
01:17:02,065 --> 01:17:04,995
A STANDARD
12-BAR BLUES MELODY
1376
01:17:05,034 --> 01:17:06,934
WITH SNATCHES
OF BORROWED LYRICS
1377
01:17:06,967 --> 01:17:08,997
THAT INTRODUCED THELMA,
1378
01:17:09,038 --> 01:17:11,658
"THAT GAL
THAT MADE A WRECK OUT OF ME,"
1379
01:17:11,696 --> 01:17:14,656
BUT BRAGGED,
"I CAN GET MORE WOMEN
1380
01:17:14,699 --> 01:17:17,359
THAN A PASSENGER TRAIN
CAN HAUL,"
1381
01:17:17,391 --> 01:17:21,021
THEN WARNED,
"I'’M GONNA BUY ME A PISTOL
1382
01:17:21,050 --> 01:17:22,910
JUST AS LONG AS I'’M TALL"
1383
01:17:22,948 --> 01:17:25,358
AND, "I'’M GONNA SHOOT
PORE THELMA
1384
01:17:25,399 --> 01:17:27,639
JUST TO SEE HER JUMP AND FALL."
1385
01:17:27,677 --> 01:17:31,027
JIMMIE RODGERS: ♪ I'’M
GONNA SHOOT PORE THELMA... ♪
1386
01:17:31,060 --> 01:17:33,750
NARRATOR: TO IT HE ADDED
WHAT HE CALLED A "BLUE YODEL,"
1387
01:17:33,787 --> 01:17:35,717
SOMETHING HE HAD BEEN DEVELOPING
1388
01:17:35,754 --> 01:17:39,174
THAT ALSO DREW
FROM DEEP ROOTS--
1389
01:17:39,206 --> 01:17:43,556
THE ALPINE YODELS THAT BECAME
POPULAR IN AMERICA IN THE 1840s,
1390
01:17:43,589 --> 01:17:47,589
THEN WERE ADAPTED BY BLACK
AND BLACKFACE MINSTREL SINGERS
1391
01:17:47,628 --> 01:17:50,668
AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY.
1392
01:17:50,700 --> 01:17:53,010
JIMMIE RODGERS
WAS CONFLATING THE BLUES
1393
01:17:53,047 --> 01:17:57,187
WITH THE RURAL WHITE
EXPERIENCE AND SOUND.
1394
01:17:57,224 --> 01:18:00,854
AND I THINK THIS WENT ON A LOT.
1395
01:18:00,883 --> 01:18:03,203
WE JUST DON'’T SEE IT
UNTIL HE SHOWED UP.
1396
01:18:03,230 --> 01:18:06,100
AND, OF COURSE,
HE HAD THAT LITTLE YODEL,
1397
01:18:06,129 --> 01:18:09,059
♪ YODEL-LEH-HEE-EEE-AY-
OH-DE-LO ♪
1398
01:18:09,098 --> 01:18:11,338
♪ OH-OH DE-LAY
1399
01:18:11,376 --> 01:18:13,826
AND, UH, PEOPLE HADN'’T
REALLY HEARD THAT BEFORE.
1400
01:18:13,861 --> 01:18:15,731
NARRATOR:
HE WAS "TACKING YODELS
1401
01:18:15,760 --> 01:18:18,730
ONTO JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING,"
CARRIE REMEMBERED.
1402
01:18:18,763 --> 01:18:21,773
"EVEN HIS SHARE OF
CONVERSATION AROUND THE HOUSE
1403
01:18:21,800 --> 01:18:25,010
WAS LARGELY YODELS."
1404
01:18:25,045 --> 01:18:29,185
PEER RELEASED THE NEW SONG
UNDER THE TITLE "BLUE YODEL"
1405
01:18:29,221 --> 01:18:31,641
IN THE SPRING OF 1928.
1406
01:18:31,672 --> 01:18:34,192
IT WAS AN IMMEDIATE HIT.
1407
01:18:34,226 --> 01:18:37,816
JIMMIE RODGERS: ♪ ...RATHER
DRINK MUDDY WATER... ♪
1408
01:18:37,851 --> 01:18:39,371
HAGGARD:
WELL, HE HAD SONGS THAT SPOKE
1409
01:18:39,404 --> 01:18:41,034
IN THE LANGUAGE THEY UNDERSTOOD
1410
01:18:41,061 --> 01:18:43,681
ABOUT SUBJECT MATTER
THEY UNDERSTOOD.
1411
01:18:43,719 --> 01:18:46,889
JIMMIE RODGERS: ♪ ...MUDDY WATER
AND SLEEP IN A HOLLOW LOG... ♪
1412
01:18:46,929 --> 01:18:51,999
HAGGARD: HE HAD THIS WONDERFUL
EAR AND THIS WONDERFUL VOICE.
1413
01:18:52,037 --> 01:18:57,527
AND HIS DELIVERY WAS TOTALLY,
TOTALLY UNHEARD OF.
1414
01:18:57,560 --> 01:19:01,050
I THINK IT CAME OUT
OF THE BLACK BLUES
1415
01:19:01,081 --> 01:19:03,571
AND MIXED IN
WITH HIS YODELING,
1416
01:19:03,600 --> 01:19:06,780
AND THEY CALLED HIM
THE "BLUE YODELER."
1417
01:19:06,811 --> 01:19:09,641
NARRATOR: RODGERS HAD
EVEN GREATER SUCCESS
1418
01:19:09,675 --> 01:19:13,195
WITH A SONG RECORDED
IN A THIRD SESSION,
1419
01:19:13,231 --> 01:19:15,991
ALSO DERIVED FROM
AFRICAN-AMERICAN BLUES
1420
01:19:16,027 --> 01:19:21,337
AND JUG BAND MUSICIANS--
"HE'’S IN THE JAILHOUSE NOW."
1421
01:19:21,377 --> 01:19:24,687
SECOR: WE GET TO GO
TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TRACKS
1422
01:19:24,725 --> 01:19:27,615
WHEN WE BUY
JIMMIE RODGERS RECORDS.
1423
01:19:27,659 --> 01:19:31,529
WE'’RE ABLE TO GO
TO THOSE JUKE JOINTS
1424
01:19:31,559 --> 01:19:33,769
THAT WE'’RE NOT INVITED TO.
1425
01:19:33,803 --> 01:19:38,363
WHETHER WE KNOW IT OR NOT,
THAT'’S WHERE THE APPEAL IS.
1426
01:19:38,394 --> 01:19:41,224
JIMMIE RODGERS:
♪ HE'’S IN THE JAILHOUSE NOW ♪
1427
01:19:41,259 --> 01:19:43,849
♪ HE'’S IN
THE JAILHOUSE NOW... ♪
1428
01:19:43,882 --> 01:19:46,062
NARRATOR:
BY MIDSUMMER OF 1928
1429
01:19:46,091 --> 01:19:47,991
WITH THE RELEASE OF MORE SONGS,
1430
01:19:48,024 --> 01:19:49,824
"BRAKEMAN'’S BLUES"
1431
01:19:49,854 --> 01:19:54,034
AND A NUMBER PEER ENTITLED
"BLUE YODEL NO. II,"
1432
01:19:54,065 --> 01:19:58,685
ROYALTIES STARTED
POURING IN--$1,000 A MONTH,
1433
01:19:58,724 --> 01:20:02,424
WHICH RODGERS SPENT
AS QUICKLY AS THEY ARRIVED.
1434
01:20:02,452 --> 01:20:06,842
HE PAID $1,500 FOR
THE "JIMMIE RODGERS SPECIAL,"
1435
01:20:06,871 --> 01:20:11,011
A PERSONALIZED
MARTIN GUITAR WITH GOLD INLAY,
1436
01:20:11,047 --> 01:20:14,497
HIS NAME SPELLED OUT
IN MOTHER OF PEARL ON THE NECK,
1437
01:20:14,533 --> 01:20:19,123
AND THE WORD "THANKS"
EMBLAZONED ON THE BACK.
1438
01:20:19,159 --> 01:20:22,989
NARRATOR: HE BEGAN A TOUR OF
MAJOR THEATERS AND AUDITORIUMS
1439
01:20:23,025 --> 01:20:26,195
IN THE SOUTH,
MAKING $500 A WEEK,
1440
01:20:26,235 --> 01:20:29,715
SOMETIMES APPEARING
IN HIS RAILROAD OUTFIT
1441
01:20:29,755 --> 01:20:33,515
AND BILLING HIMSELF
AS "THE SINGING BRAKEMAN."
1442
01:20:33,552 --> 01:20:35,762
IN MIAMI, APPEARING
1443
01:20:35,796 --> 01:20:38,896
BEFORE A HUGE INTERNATIONAL
MEN'’S BIBLE CLASS,
1444
01:20:38,937 --> 01:20:42,347
HE ADMITTED HE
DIDN'’T KNOW ANY CHURCH SONGS,
1445
01:20:42,389 --> 01:20:45,119
SO HE SANG
"IN THE JAILHOUSE NOW"
1446
01:20:45,150 --> 01:20:47,980
AND THE RACY
"FRANKIE AND JOHNNY" INSTEAD.
1447
01:20:48,015 --> 01:20:53,605
THEY GAVE HIM
A STANDING OVATION.
1448
01:20:53,641 --> 01:20:57,891
THEN HE MADE
A TRIUMPHANT RETURN TO MERIDIAN,
1449
01:20:57,922 --> 01:21:00,862
ARRIVING IN A SHINY NEW CAR,
1450
01:21:00,890 --> 01:21:04,170
WEARING EXPENSIVE CLOTHES
AND DIAMOND RINGS,
1451
01:21:04,204 --> 01:21:09,874
AND MAKING A PUBLIC POINT OF
PAYING OFF HIS OLD DEBTS.
1452
01:21:09,899 --> 01:21:13,699
STUART: HE TALKED ABOUT US.
1453
01:21:13,730 --> 01:21:16,010
HE WAS OUR REPRESENTATIVE.
1454
01:21:16,043 --> 01:21:19,153
AS COUNTRY PEOPLE,
HE WAS OUR AMBASSADOR.
1455
01:21:22,325 --> 01:21:26,015
HE WAS A ROGUE
JUST LIKE THE REST OF US.
1456
01:21:26,053 --> 01:21:29,923
HE HAD HARD TIMES JUST LIKE
THE REST OF US,
1457
01:21:29,954 --> 01:21:33,034
BUT WE APPRECIATED HIM
DRESSING UP IN HIS COOL CLOTHES
1458
01:21:33,060 --> 01:21:34,680
AND DRIVING IN HIS FANCY CAR
1459
01:21:34,717 --> 01:21:37,787
AND TALKING ABOUT US
COUNTRY PEOPLE.
1460
01:21:37,823 --> 01:21:39,963
HE REPRESENTED US WELL.
1461
01:21:39,998 --> 01:21:41,998
NARRATOR: RODGERS ADDED
1462
01:21:42,035 --> 01:21:44,175
A STRING OF PERSONAL APPEARANCES
1463
01:21:44,209 --> 01:21:46,939
AND AUTOGRAPH SESSIONS
AT LOCAL MUSIC STORES
1464
01:21:46,971 --> 01:21:49,591
AND CAROUSED WITH OLD FRIENDS
1465
01:21:49,628 --> 01:21:53,698
DESPITE HIS
INCREASING EXHAUSTION.
1466
01:21:53,736 --> 01:21:56,696
EACH PERFORMANCE
LEFT HIM WEAKER,
1467
01:21:56,739 --> 01:22:00,189
DRIPPING IN SWEAT
AND GASPING FOR BREATH.
1468
01:22:00,225 --> 01:22:03,845
ONE NIGHT,
HE BLACKED OUT BACKSTAGE.
1469
01:22:03,884 --> 01:22:07,164
A DOCTOR TOLD HIM
THAT WITHOUT PROPER REST,
1470
01:22:07,198 --> 01:22:10,508
HE WOULDN'’T LIVE
MORE THAN ANOTHER YEAR OR TWO.
1471
01:22:10,546 --> 01:22:15,306
INSTEAD, RODGERS
BOOKED HIMSELF ON ANOTHER TOUR
1472
01:22:15,344 --> 01:22:17,834
AND ANOTHER RECORDING SESSION.
1473
01:22:17,863 --> 01:22:20,693
RALPH PEER
NOW BEGAN EXPERIMENTING
1474
01:22:20,728 --> 01:22:24,078
WITH NEW ORCHESTRATIONS
AND STYLES FOR HIS STAR--
1475
01:22:24,111 --> 01:22:27,111
JAZZ ENSEMBLES,
SMALL ORCHESTRAS,
1476
01:22:27,149 --> 01:22:31,529
AFRICAN-AMERICAN
JUG BANDS, UKULELES,
1477
01:22:31,567 --> 01:22:33,047
CHAMPION WHISTLERS,
1478
01:22:33,086 --> 01:22:36,016
OR SIMPLY MUSICIANS
JIMMIE RODGERS
1479
01:22:36,054 --> 01:22:39,684
HAPPENED TO HAVE MET THE DAY
BEFORE A RECORDING SESSION.
1480
01:22:39,713 --> 01:22:43,993
PEER SAID, "HE COULD
RECORD ANYTHING."
1481
01:22:44,028 --> 01:22:47,648
MALONE: IT DIDN'’T MATTER TO
HIM WHERE THE MUSIC CAME FROM.
1482
01:22:47,686 --> 01:22:50,336
IT DIDN'’T MATTER TO HIM
WHAT THE STYLE WAS
1483
01:22:50,379 --> 01:22:52,169
THAT HE PLAYED.
1484
01:22:52,208 --> 01:22:57,078
I THINK HE WAS WILLING
TO DO WHATEVER WAS COMMERCIAL,
1485
01:22:57,110 --> 01:23:01,290
WHATEVER WOULD CATCH
THE ATTENTION OF LISTENERS.
1486
01:23:01,321 --> 01:23:03,981
NARRATOR: TO HELP HIM
COME UP WITH MORE SONGS
1487
01:23:04,013 --> 01:23:05,743
THAT COULD BE COPYRIGHTED,
1488
01:23:05,773 --> 01:23:08,163
RODGERS HAD ENLISTED
CARRIE'’S SISTER,
1489
01:23:08,190 --> 01:23:11,680
ELSIE McWILLIAMS,
A SUNDAY SCHOOL MUSIC TEACHER
1490
01:23:11,710 --> 01:23:14,920
WITH A GIFT FOR
TURNING AN OVERHEARD PHRASE
1491
01:23:14,955 --> 01:23:18,405
OR RANDOM INCIDENT
INTO A MELODY WITH LYRICS.
1492
01:23:18,441 --> 01:23:22,141
JIMMIE COULDN'’T READ
MUSICAL NOTATIONS.
1493
01:23:22,169 --> 01:23:24,619
"CRAZY LITTLE FLY SPECKS
WITH FUNNY TAILS,"
1494
01:23:24,654 --> 01:23:26,174
HE CALLED THEM,
1495
01:23:26,208 --> 01:23:29,418
SO SHE OFTEN CAME TO TEACH
HER NEW COMPOSITIONS TO HIM
1496
01:23:29,452 --> 01:23:31,352
IN PERSON.
1497
01:23:31,385 --> 01:23:35,035
IN ALL, ELSIE McWILLIAMS
WOULD WRITE OR CONTRIBUTE TO
1498
01:23:35,079 --> 01:23:39,389
MORE THAN A THIRD
OF RODGERS'’ RECORDED SONGS.
1499
01:23:39,428 --> 01:23:42,018
AT ONE SESSION IN DALLAS,
1500
01:23:42,051 --> 01:23:45,501
WHICH WOULD INCLUDE
A HAWAIIAN STEEL GUITAR PLAYER,
1501
01:23:45,537 --> 01:23:49,917
ELSIE HEARD JIMMIE SAY,
"I'’D LIKE TO HAVE ME
1502
01:23:49,955 --> 01:23:53,855
ONE OF THEM HULA-HULA GIRLS."
1503
01:23:53,890 --> 01:23:57,860
THAT NIGHT SHE CAME UP WITH
A NEW SONG, WHICH THEY RECORDED
1504
01:23:57,894 --> 01:24:01,044
THE NEXT MORNING:
"EVERYBODY DOES IT IN HAWAII."
1505
01:24:01,070 --> 01:24:05,700
JIMMIE RODGERS: ♪ EVERYBODY
DOES IT IN HAWAII ♪
1506
01:24:05,730 --> 01:24:08,320
♪ SHE'’S GOT TWO PURTY LEGS... ♪
1507
01:24:08,353 --> 01:24:10,083
NARRATOR: WITH ITS SUGGESTIVE
DOUBLE ENTENDRES,
1508
01:24:10,114 --> 01:24:13,364
THE SONG EARNED A WARNING
FROM "VARIETY" MAGAZINE
1509
01:24:13,393 --> 01:24:14,953
THAT RECORD DEALERS
1510
01:24:14,980 --> 01:24:17,260
SHOULD "NOT SELL THIS
INTO POLITE FAMILIES,"
1511
01:24:17,293 --> 01:24:19,233
BECAUSE, THE REVIEW SAID,
1512
01:24:19,261 --> 01:24:21,161
"IT'’S NEVER MADE CLEAR
1513
01:24:21,194 --> 01:24:24,024
WHAT EVERYBODY DOES IN HAWAII."
1514
01:24:25,957 --> 01:24:28,987
NARRATOR: AT ANOTHER SESSION
OUT IN HOLLYWOOD,
1515
01:24:29,029 --> 01:24:32,339
PEER WOULD BRING IN
A 28-YEAR-OLD TRUMPET PLAYER
1516
01:24:32,377 --> 01:24:34,687
TO ACCOMPANY RODGERS.
1517
01:24:34,724 --> 01:24:38,594
IT WAS LOUIS ARMSTRONG,
WHO WAS ON HIS WAY TO BECOMING
1518
01:24:38,625 --> 01:24:42,525
THE MOST INFLUENTIAL
JAZZ ARTIST OF ALL TIME.
1519
01:24:42,560 --> 01:24:46,050
THEY BOTH WERE PUSHING
THE BOUNDARIES OF THEIR MUSIC.
1520
01:24:46,081 --> 01:24:50,151
RODGERS AND ARMSTRONG:
♪ ...DIDN'’T MEAN NO HARM... ♪
1521
01:24:50,188 --> 01:24:52,738
MAN: MY FATHER
WANTED TO GET THEM TOGETHER
1522
01:24:52,777 --> 01:24:57,947
TO SEE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN, TO
HAVE THAT CHEMISTRY EXPERIMENT,
1523
01:24:57,989 --> 01:24:59,849
BECAUSE HE KNEW
BOTH INDIVIDUALS.
1524
01:24:59,887 --> 01:25:02,127
HE KNEW THE STRENGTH
OF THEIR PERSONALITIES.
1525
01:25:02,166 --> 01:25:05,856
AND HE KNEW
THEIR ARTISTIC TALENT.
1526
01:25:05,893 --> 01:25:07,963
NARRATOR: TOGETHER,
THEY RECORDED
1527
01:25:07,999 --> 01:25:12,139
"STANDIN'’ ON THE CORNER,"
THE STORY OF A TENNESSEE HUSTLER
1528
01:25:12,176 --> 01:25:14,756
ARRESTED ON
BEALE STREET IN MEMPHIS.
1529
01:25:26,293 --> 01:25:28,333
NARRATOR: PEER RELEASED IT
1530
01:25:28,364 --> 01:25:30,504
AS "BLUE YODEL NUMBER 9."
1531
01:25:31,885 --> 01:25:33,845
MAN: HYAH! HYAH!
1532
01:25:33,887 --> 01:25:37,617
NARRATOR: MEANWHILE,
RODGERS HAD RELOCATED TO TEXAS,
1533
01:25:37,649 --> 01:25:40,619
WHOSE DRY CLIMATE HAD
ATTRACTED SEVERAL SANITARIUMS
1534
01:25:40,652 --> 01:25:43,172
FOR TREATING TUBERCULOSIS.
1535
01:25:43,207 --> 01:25:45,167
IN HIS NEW SURROUNDINGS,
1536
01:25:45,209 --> 01:25:48,179
HE BECAME THE "YODELING COWBOY,"
1537
01:25:48,212 --> 01:25:51,532
INSPIRING A GENERATION
OF FOLLOWERS TO BELIEVE
1538
01:25:51,560 --> 01:25:57,530
THAT ALL COWBOYS
NOT ONLY SANG BUT YODELED.
1539
01:25:57,566 --> 01:25:58,836
JIMMIE RODGERS: SURE.
1540
01:25:58,877 --> 01:25:59,947
GIVE ME THAT OLD GUITAR, THEN...
1541
01:25:59,982 --> 01:26:02,332
NARRATOR: IN THE FALL OF 1929,
1542
01:26:02,364 --> 01:26:06,024
PEER BROUGHT RODGERS TO
A STUDIO IN CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY,
1543
01:26:06,057 --> 01:26:09,507
TO MAKE A SHORT
TALKING PICTURE.
1544
01:26:09,543 --> 01:26:12,203
MANY MUSIC EXECUTIVES
SAW THE TALKIES
1545
01:26:12,236 --> 01:26:14,686
AS A THREAT
TO LIVE PERFORMANCES.
1546
01:26:14,721 --> 01:26:17,141
PEER SAW THEM
AS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY
1547
01:26:17,172 --> 01:26:19,762
FOR HIS STAR
TO BECOME BETTER KNOWN.
1548
01:26:19,795 --> 01:26:23,755
♪ ALL AROUND
THE WATER TANKS ♪
1549
01:26:23,799 --> 01:26:26,869
♪ WAITING FOR A TRAIN
1550
01:26:26,905 --> 01:26:28,525
♪ A THOUSAND MILES
1551
01:26:28,562 --> 01:26:30,292
♪ AWAY FROM HOME
1552
01:26:30,323 --> 01:26:32,503
♪ SLEEPING IN THE RAIN
1553
01:26:34,741 --> 01:26:37,781
♪ THOUGH MY POCKETBOOK
IS EMPTY ♪
1554
01:26:37,813 --> 01:26:40,783
♪ MY HEART IS FULL OF PAIN
1555
01:26:40,816 --> 01:26:44,366
♪ I'’M A THOUSAND MILES
AWAY FROM HOME ♪
1556
01:26:44,406 --> 01:26:47,436
♪ WAITING FOR
A TRAIN ♪
1557
01:26:47,478 --> 01:26:50,648
♪ YODEL-LEH-HEE-OH-
DE-LEH-HEE-AY ♪
1558
01:26:50,688 --> 01:26:52,308
♪ DE-LEH-HEE
1559
01:27:00,905 --> 01:27:04,005
NARRATOR: IN 1928,
RALPH PEER HAD CALLED
1560
01:27:04,046 --> 01:27:07,006
THE CARTER FAMILY
BACK INTO THE STUDIO.
1561
01:27:07,049 --> 01:27:10,669
THEIR FIRST RECORDINGS
HAD SOLD WELL, AND HE WAS EAGER
1562
01:27:10,708 --> 01:27:14,128
TO CAPITALIZE ON
THEIR GROWING POPULARITY.
1563
01:27:14,159 --> 01:27:16,509
THEY RECORDED 12 MORE SONGS.
1564
01:27:16,541 --> 01:27:17,851
AMONG THEM WAS
1565
01:27:17,887 --> 01:27:19,787
"KEEP ON THE SUNNY SIDE,"
1566
01:27:19,820 --> 01:27:21,680
WHICH A.P. WOULD ADOPT
1567
01:27:21,719 --> 01:27:24,689
AS THE CARTER FAMILY'’S
SIGNATURE TUNE,
1568
01:27:24,722 --> 01:27:26,342
AND ANOTHER SONG,
1569
01:27:26,379 --> 01:27:28,279
"I'’LL TWINE MID THE RINGLETS,"
1570
01:27:28,312 --> 01:27:29,872
THAT HAD BEEN HANDED DOWN
1571
01:27:29,899 --> 01:27:33,039
IN MAYBELLE'’S FAMILY
FOR GENERATIONS.
1572
01:27:33,075 --> 01:27:35,555
♪ I WILL TWINE WITH MY MINGLES
1573
01:27:35,595 --> 01:27:38,385
♪ AND WAVING BLACK HAIR
1574
01:27:38,425 --> 01:27:40,695
♪ WITH THE ROSES SO RED
1575
01:27:40,738 --> 01:27:43,188
♪ AND THE LILIES SO FAIR
1576
01:27:43,223 --> 01:27:44,743
AND THEN WE GET INTO...
1577
01:27:44,776 --> 01:27:47,326
♪ AND THE MYRTLES SO BRIGHT
1578
01:27:47,365 --> 01:27:50,265
♪ AS THE EMERALD DEW
1579
01:27:50,299 --> 01:27:52,579
♪ PALE AND THE LEADER
1580
01:27:52,612 --> 01:27:55,792
♪ AND EYES LOOK LIKE BLUE
1581
01:27:55,822 --> 01:27:57,512
SARA CARTER: ♪ OH, I'’LL TWINE
WITH MY MINGLES... ♪
1582
01:27:57,548 --> 01:28:00,098
NARRATOR: THE CARTERS'’
RE-TITLED THEIR VERSION
1583
01:28:00,136 --> 01:28:04,346
"WILDWOOD FLOWER,"
FEATURING SARA SINGING ALONE,
1584
01:28:04,382 --> 01:28:07,012
WITH MAYBELLE DEMONSTRATING
A GUITAR TECHNIQUE
1585
01:28:07,040 --> 01:28:09,490
SHE WAS PERFECTING
IN WHICH SHE PICKED THE MELODY
1586
01:28:09,525 --> 01:28:11,765
WITH HER THUMB
ON THE BASS STRINGS
1587
01:28:11,803 --> 01:28:15,013
WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY PROVIDING
THE RHYTHM AND CHORDS
1588
01:28:15,048 --> 01:28:17,188
WITH HER OTHER FINGERS.
1589
01:28:17,222 --> 01:28:19,852
"I DIDN'’T EVEN THINK
ABOUT IT," SHE SAID.
1590
01:28:19,880 --> 01:28:23,680
"I JUST PLAYED THE WAY
I WANTED TO, AND THAT'’S IT."
1591
01:28:23,712 --> 01:28:27,992
IT WOULD COME TO BE
CALLED THE CARTER SCRATCH.
1592
01:28:28,026 --> 01:28:30,816
MAYBELLE USED
A THUMB PICK AND A FINGER PICK
1593
01:28:30,857 --> 01:28:32,787
WHEN SHE PLAYED GUITAR.
1594
01:28:32,824 --> 01:28:36,034
AND SHE REALLY
ONLY USED TWO FINGERS--
1595
01:28:36,069 --> 01:28:38,519
THE THUMB
AND THE FOREFINGER.
1596
01:28:38,554 --> 01:28:42,394
THIS THUMB WAS THE DRIVING FORCE
FOR THE MELODY.
1597
01:28:42,420 --> 01:28:43,900
AND GRANDMA WOULD JUST TELL ME,
1598
01:28:43,939 --> 01:28:45,489
BECAUSE I WAS SO LITTLE
1599
01:28:45,527 --> 01:28:47,007
WHEN SHE TAUGHT ME
THE CARTER SCRATCH,
1600
01:28:47,045 --> 01:28:49,835
SHE SAID, "THIS MIDDLE FINGER,
YOU JUST KEEP IT GOING
1601
01:28:49,876 --> 01:28:51,456
NO MATTER WHAT."
1602
01:28:51,498 --> 01:28:54,498
HA HA! AND THAT WAS KIND OF
LIKE THE CLUE TO IT ALL,
1603
01:28:54,536 --> 01:28:56,326
TO A SMALL CHILD.
1604
01:28:56,365 --> 01:28:59,365
MAN: TO ME,
MOTHER MAYBELLE AS A GUITARIST
1605
01:28:59,403 --> 01:29:02,033
WAS MAYBE
THE MOST ICONIC INSTRUMENTALIST
1606
01:29:02,060 --> 01:29:04,340
THAT WE'’VE EVER HAD.
1607
01:29:10,068 --> 01:29:12,168
THERE'’S RHYTHM,
1608
01:29:12,208 --> 01:29:13,998
AND THERE'’S
THE MELODY.
1609
01:29:18,387 --> 01:29:21,667
AND AT ITS SIMPLEST PLACE,
1610
01:29:21,701 --> 01:29:27,471
IT STILL CARRIES
MAYBE THE MOST POETRY.
1611
01:29:27,500 --> 01:29:30,190
NARRATOR: MAYBELLE'’S
TECHNIQUE WOULD BECOME
1612
01:29:30,226 --> 01:29:34,366
ONE OF THE MOST COPIED
GUITAR STYLES IN MUSIC HISTORY.
1613
01:29:34,403 --> 01:29:37,373
McEUEN: I WAS TALKING
TO DUANE ALLMAN'’S DAUGHTER
1614
01:29:37,406 --> 01:29:39,366
A WHILE BACK, AND SHE TOLD ME,
1615
01:29:39,408 --> 01:29:41,688
"MY MAMA TOLD ME THAT DADDY
1616
01:29:41,721 --> 01:29:43,211
"TAUGHT HER HOW TO PLAY
'’WILDWOOD FLOWER'
1617
01:29:43,239 --> 01:29:44,859
ON THE GUITAR."
1618
01:29:44,896 --> 01:29:47,036
NOW, CAN YOU IMAGINE
DUANE ALLMAN SAYING, "NO, HONEY,
1619
01:29:47,071 --> 01:29:48,691
IT'’S LIKE THIS."
1620
01:29:52,870 --> 01:29:56,010
THAT'’S HOW POWERFUL
THE CARTER FAMILY MUSIC WAS.
1621
01:29:56,045 --> 01:29:59,185
THERE'’S NOT
A GUITAR PLAYER THAT'’S PICKED UP
1622
01:29:59,221 --> 01:30:00,841
A 6-STRING, I DON'’T
THINK, THAT HASN'’T TOUCHED
1623
01:30:00,878 --> 01:30:03,288
ON SOME CARTER FAMILY MUSIC.
1624
01:30:03,328 --> 01:30:04,848
NARRATOR:
WHEN "WILDWOOD FLOWER,"
1625
01:30:04,882 --> 01:30:09,752
AND "KEEP ON THE SUNNY SIDE"
SOLD MORE THAN 100,000 RECORDS,
1626
01:30:09,783 --> 01:30:13,753
ROYALTIES STARTED FLOWING
IN TO MACES SPRING.
1627
01:30:13,787 --> 01:30:17,857
A.P. WAS ABLE TO BUY
HIS FIRST AUTOMOBILE.
1628
01:30:17,895 --> 01:30:21,585
HE SCOURED THE AREA FOR
NEW SONGS HE COULD COPYRIGHT,
1629
01:30:21,623 --> 01:30:23,873
SEARCHING FOR THEM
AMONG HIS NEIGHBORS,
1630
01:30:23,901 --> 01:30:27,281
RETURNING WITH HIS POCKETS
FILLED WITH SCRAPS OF PAPER
1631
01:30:27,318 --> 01:30:30,838
CONTAINING BITS
AND PIECES OF LYRICS.
1632
01:30:30,873 --> 01:30:33,533
MAN: HE WAS A SONG CATCHER.
1633
01:30:33,566 --> 01:30:36,216
HE'’D HEAR ABOUT SOMEONE
HAVING A SONG, YOU KNOW,
1634
01:30:36,258 --> 01:30:37,848
THREE HOLLERS OVER,
1635
01:30:37,880 --> 01:30:39,500
AND IT WOULD TAKE HIM
ALL DAY TO GO UP
1636
01:30:39,537 --> 01:30:41,677
AND HEAR THIS PERSON,
YOU KNOW,
1637
01:30:41,712 --> 01:30:43,372
AND THEN HE'’D COME BACK HOME.
1638
01:30:43,403 --> 01:30:45,303
BUT HE'’D HAVE A NEW SONG
THAT HE HAD NEVER HEARD BEFORE.
1639
01:30:45,336 --> 01:30:48,366
NARRATOR: A.P. HAD
TROUBLE REMEMBERING MELODIES,
1640
01:30:48,408 --> 01:30:50,688
SO SARA AND MAYBELLE
WOULD SET THE WORDS
1641
01:30:50,721 --> 01:30:54,211
TO OLD ONES
THEY HAD KNOWN FOR YEARS.
1642
01:30:54,241 --> 01:30:58,661
THEN THE THREE OF THEM WOULD
PRACTICE THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS.
1643
01:30:58,694 --> 01:31:01,664
IN THE SUMMER OF 1928,
1644
01:31:01,697 --> 01:31:06,177
A.P. WAS ON A SONG-GATHERING
TRIP IN KINGSPORT, TENNESSEE,
1645
01:31:06,219 --> 01:31:08,359
IN THE BLACK SECTION OF TOWN,
1646
01:31:08,393 --> 01:31:11,643
WHEN HE MET A BLUES SINGER
AND SLIDE GUITAR PLAYER
1647
01:31:11,673 --> 01:31:14,503
NAMED LESLEY RIDDLE.
1648
01:31:14,538 --> 01:31:17,198
RIDDLE HAD LOST A LEG
IN AN ACCIDENT
1649
01:31:17,230 --> 01:31:18,710
AND NOW SUPPORTED HIMSELF
1650
01:31:18,749 --> 01:31:22,859
PLAYING ON STREET CORNERS
AND RAILROAD DEPOTS.
1651
01:31:22,891 --> 01:31:26,691
A.P. INVITED HIM TO HELP
IN THE HUNT FOR NEW SONGS,
1652
01:31:26,722 --> 01:31:31,002
AND RIDDLE ACCEPTED, ULTIMATELY
MAKING 15 TRIPS
1653
01:31:31,037 --> 01:31:35,457
WITH CARTER THROUGH VIRGINIA,
EAST TENNESSEE, NORTH CAROLINA,
1654
01:31:35,490 --> 01:31:37,460
AND PARTS OF GEORGIA.
1655
01:31:37,492 --> 01:31:40,562
MAN, AS LESLEY RIDDLE: HE'’D JUST
GO INTO PEOPLE'’S HOMES
1656
01:31:40,598 --> 01:31:43,838
AND TELL THEM, "HELLO.
I WAS TOLD BY SOMEONE THAT YOU
1657
01:31:43,877 --> 01:31:46,667
"GOT A SONG,
KIND OF AN OLD SONG.
1658
01:31:46,708 --> 01:31:49,468
WOULD YOU MIND
LETTING ME HEAR IT?"
1659
01:31:49,504 --> 01:31:54,204
SO THEY'’D GO AND GET IT
AND SING IT FOR HIM.
1660
01:31:54,232 --> 01:31:57,792
HE'’D GO 90 MILES
IF HE HEARD SOMEONE SAY
1661
01:31:57,822 --> 01:32:00,202
THAT SOMEONE HAD AN OLD SONG
1662
01:32:00,238 --> 01:32:04,588
THAT HAD NEVER BEEN RECORDED
OR DIDN'’T HAVE A COPYRIGHT.
1663
01:32:04,622 --> 01:32:07,662
NARRATOR: WHILE CARTER
WROTE DOWN THE WORDS,
1664
01:32:07,694 --> 01:32:11,354
RIDDLE FOCUSED
ON MEMORIZING THE MELODIES.
1665
01:32:11,387 --> 01:32:14,627
"I WAS HIS TAPE RECORDER,"
RIDDLE SAID.
1666
01:32:14,667 --> 01:32:19,017
RIDDLE ALSO SHARED SOME BLUES
GUITAR STYLINGS WITH MAYBELLE
1667
01:32:19,050 --> 01:32:21,950
AND INTRODUCED
THE CARTERS TO HYMNS SUNG
1668
01:32:21,984 --> 01:32:26,024
IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN PENTECOSTAL
AND BAPTIST CHURCHES,
1669
01:32:26,057 --> 01:32:29,847
WHICH THEY ADDED TO THEIR OWN
GOSPEL AND SACRED SELECTIONS.
1670
01:32:29,889 --> 01:32:32,029
CARTER FAMILY:
♪ OH, MY LOVING MOTHER
1671
01:32:32,063 --> 01:32:34,693
♪ WHEN THE WORLD'’S ON FIRE ♪
1672
01:32:34,721 --> 01:32:37,031
♪ DON'’T YOU WANT GOD'S BOSOM ♪
1673
01:32:37,068 --> 01:32:39,658
♪ TO BE YOUR PILLOW?
1674
01:32:39,692 --> 01:32:42,252
♪ TIDE ME OVER
1675
01:32:42,280 --> 01:32:45,180
♪ IN THE ROCK OF AGES
1676
01:32:45,214 --> 01:32:50,124
♪ ROCK OF AGES CLEFT FOR ME...
1677
01:32:50,150 --> 01:32:51,770
NARRATOR:
ONE MELODY HE TAUGHT THEM
1678
01:32:51,807 --> 01:32:54,667
WAS "WHEN THE WORLD'’S ON FIRE."
1679
01:32:54,707 --> 01:32:58,017
THE CARTER FAMILY
WOULD LATER REUSE THE BASIC TUNE
1680
01:32:58,055 --> 01:33:01,845
FOR ANOTHER SONG,
"LITTLE DARLING, PAL OF MINE."
1681
01:33:01,886 --> 01:33:05,366
A FEW YEARS AFTER THAT,
WOODY GUTHRIE,
1682
01:33:05,407 --> 01:33:08,377
AN ADMIRER OF THE CARTERS,
WOULD INCORPORATE IT
1683
01:33:08,410 --> 01:33:13,000
INTO HIS CLASSIC
"THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND."
1684
01:33:13,035 --> 01:33:14,515
GIDDENS: THAT'’S AMERICA.
1685
01:33:14,554 --> 01:33:15,974
IT CAME FROM THIS BLACK CHURCH
1686
01:33:16,004 --> 01:33:18,424
AND ENDED UP
AS THIS FOLK ANTHEM.
1687
01:33:18,454 --> 01:33:20,664
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE ALL THESE--
THESE DIFFERENT PEOPLE GOING,
1688
01:33:20,698 --> 01:33:22,318
"OH, I LOVE THAT.
LET ME USE IT."
1689
01:33:22,355 --> 01:33:24,835
IT'’S NOT, LIKE, "OH, WE CAN'T
USE THAT BECAUSE IT'’S BLACK."
1690
01:33:24,875 --> 01:33:26,665
BUT IT'’S, LIKE,
"OH, I LOVE THAT."
1691
01:33:26,704 --> 01:33:28,714
THAT'’S THE BEAUTIFUL
PART OF AMERICAN MUSIC, IS,
1692
01:33:28,741 --> 01:33:30,121
LIKE, IT DOESN'’T MATTER
WHO IT CAME FROM.
1693
01:33:30,156 --> 01:33:32,296
"I LOVE THAT, AND I WANT
TO DO SOMETHING WITH IT."
1694
01:33:32,330 --> 01:33:36,710
NARRATOR: UNLIKE JIMMIE RODGERS,
WHO TOURED CONSTANTLY,
1695
01:33:36,749 --> 01:33:39,679
THE CARTERS STAYED
CLOSE TO HOME.
1696
01:33:39,717 --> 01:33:42,167
MAYBELLE WAS NOW A MOTHER, TOO.
1697
01:33:42,202 --> 01:33:44,202
HER DAUGHTER HELEN HAD BEEN BORN
1698
01:33:44,239 --> 01:33:46,659
SHORTLY AFTER
THE BRISTOL SESSIONS;
1699
01:33:46,690 --> 01:33:52,010
A SECOND DAUGHTER, JUNE, CAME
ALONG IN THE SUMMER OF 1929.
1700
01:33:52,040 --> 01:33:55,460
SARA HAD HER OWN
THREE CHILDREN TO CARE FOR,
1701
01:33:55,491 --> 01:33:57,941
AND SHE HATED
PUBLIC PERFORMANCES
1702
01:33:57,977 --> 01:34:00,527
IN FRONT OF TOTAL STRANGERS.
1703
01:34:00,565 --> 01:34:03,015
BUT A.P. ORGANIZED SHORT TRIPS
1704
01:34:03,051 --> 01:34:05,671
IN WHICH THEY WERE FED
AND HOUSED OVERNIGHT
1705
01:34:05,709 --> 01:34:07,849
BY RURAL FANS.
1706
01:34:07,883 --> 01:34:11,683
HE TACKED UP POSTERS
ON BARNS AND TREES, ANNOUNCING
1707
01:34:11,715 --> 01:34:15,195
AN APPEARANCE BY THE TRIO
IN CHURCHES, SCHOOLS,
1708
01:34:15,235 --> 01:34:17,375
OR SMALL-TOWN THEATERS.
1709
01:34:17,410 --> 01:34:21,380
ADMISSION WAS
FROM 15 TO 25 CENTS.
1710
01:34:21,414 --> 01:34:26,704
"THE PROGRAM," THE POSTERS
PROMISED, "IS MORALLY GOOD."
1711
01:34:26,730 --> 01:34:29,390
DURING PERFORMANCES,
A.P.'’s ATTENTION
1712
01:34:29,422 --> 01:34:31,802
SOMETIMES SEEMED TO WANDER.
1713
01:34:31,838 --> 01:34:35,358
"IF HE FELT LIKE SINGING,
HE WOULD SING," MAYBELLE SAID.
1714
01:34:35,393 --> 01:34:38,363
"IF HE DIDN'’T,
HE LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW.
1715
01:34:38,396 --> 01:34:40,916
SO WE NEVER DEPENDED ON HIM."
1716
01:34:40,951 --> 01:34:44,541
MOST OF THE TIME, THE CARTERS
STAYED IN POOR VALLEY,
1717
01:34:44,575 --> 01:34:47,645
WHERE NEIGHBORS OFTEN
GATHERED OUTSIDE THEIR HOUSE
1718
01:34:47,682 --> 01:34:49,792
JUST TO HEAR THEM PRACTICE
1719
01:34:49,822 --> 01:34:52,452
FOR THE INCREASING NUMBER
OF RECORDING SESSIONS
1720
01:34:52,479 --> 01:34:55,309
RALPH PEER
WAS SCHEDULING FOR THEM
1721
01:34:55,344 --> 01:35:00,704
IN ATLANTA, MEMPHIS, CHARLOTTE,
AND CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY.
1722
01:35:00,729 --> 01:35:04,699
THE SESSION FEES AND ROYALTIES
FROM RECORD SALES--
1723
01:35:04,733 --> 01:35:10,643
700,000 COPIES IN TWO YEARS--
PROVIDED A STEADY INCOME.
1724
01:35:10,670 --> 01:35:13,850
A.P. BOUGHT
LARGER PIECES OF LAND.
1725
01:35:13,880 --> 01:35:18,200
SARA GOT HERSELF
SOME PERFUME AND A MINK STOLE.
1726
01:35:18,229 --> 01:35:23,989
MAYBELLE PURCHASED
A BIGGER GIBSON GUITAR FOR $275.
1727
01:35:24,028 --> 01:35:27,758
BOTH WOMEN INDULGED THEMSELVES
BY BUYING MOTORCYCLES.
1728
01:35:27,791 --> 01:35:29,971
CARTER FAMILY: ♪ ...CAN'’T FEEL
AT HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE ♪
1729
01:35:31,380 --> 01:35:34,450
NARRATOR:
THEN IN OCTOBER OF 1929,
1730
01:35:34,487 --> 01:35:36,867
THE FINANCIAL BUBBLE
THAT HAD FUELED
1731
01:35:36,903 --> 01:35:39,353
THE ROARING TWENTIES BURST.
1732
01:35:39,388 --> 01:35:41,428
THE STOCK MARKET CRASHED,
1733
01:35:41,459 --> 01:35:42,909
AND THE NATION DESCENDED
1734
01:35:42,944 --> 01:35:46,644
INTO WHAT WOULD BE CALLED
THE GREAT DEPRESSION.
1735
01:35:46,671 --> 01:35:50,161
BANKS AND BUSINESSES
FAILED BY THE THOUSANDS.
1736
01:35:50,192 --> 01:35:53,822
MILLIONS OF WORKERS
LOST THEIR JOBS.
1737
01:35:53,851 --> 01:35:58,441
IN MAJOR CITIES, DESTITUTE
RESIDENTS RELIED ON BREADLINES
1738
01:35:58,476 --> 01:36:01,126
AND SOUP KITCHENS
MERELY TO SURVIVE.
1739
01:36:01,169 --> 01:36:02,999
CARTER FAMILY: ♪ IT TAKES
A WORRIED MAN ♪
1740
01:36:03,033 --> 01:36:05,003
♪ TO SING A WORRIED SONG...
1741
01:36:05,035 --> 01:36:07,795
NARRATOR: THE RECORDING
INDUSTRY WAS HARD-HIT.
1742
01:36:07,831 --> 01:36:10,701
BETWEEN 1929 AND 1930,
1743
01:36:10,730 --> 01:36:13,250
RECORD SALES
IN THE UNITED STATES DROPPED
1744
01:36:13,284 --> 01:36:18,324
FROM $74 MILLION
TO $46 MILLION,
1745
01:36:18,358 --> 01:36:22,468
THEN TO 17 MILLION IN 1931.
1746
01:36:22,500 --> 01:36:24,710
NO ARTIST WAS IMMUNE,
1747
01:36:24,744 --> 01:36:29,374
ALTHOUGH FOR A WHILE SALES OF
CARTER FAMILY RECORDS HELD UP,
1748
01:36:29,404 --> 01:36:32,684
PARTLY THANKS TO THEIR SONG
"WORRIED MAN BLUES,"
1749
01:36:32,717 --> 01:36:35,617
THEIR BEST-SELLER OF 1930,
1750
01:36:35,651 --> 01:36:38,791
WHICH SEEMED TO BOTH CAPTURE
THE NATION'’S MOOD
1751
01:36:38,827 --> 01:36:41,997
AND EXPRESS THE HOPE THAT
"I WON'’T BE WORRIED LONG."
1752
01:36:42,037 --> 01:36:44,487
CARTER FAMILY: ♪ BUT I WON'’T BE
WORRIED LONG ♪
1753
01:36:55,223 --> 01:36:57,643
RODGERS:
♪ GOT CORN IN MY CRIB
1754
01:36:57,673 --> 01:36:59,993
♪ COTTON GROWING IN MY PATCH
1755
01:37:01,885 --> 01:37:03,955
♪ GOT CORN IN MY CRIB
1756
01:37:03,990 --> 01:37:06,300
♪ COTTON GROWING IN MY PATCH
1757
01:37:08,546 --> 01:37:11,166
♪ GOT THAT OLD HEN SETTIN'’ ♪
1758
01:37:11,204 --> 01:37:15,694
♪ WAITIN'’ FOR THAT OLD HEN
TO HATCH ♪
1759
01:37:15,726 --> 01:37:19,756
♪ DEE YODEL-A-HEE-OH-LAY-HEE
1760
01:37:19,799 --> 01:37:21,869
♪ OH-LAY-HEE
1761
01:37:21,905 --> 01:37:23,695
PICK THAT THING, BOY.
1762
01:37:23,734 --> 01:37:25,534
NARRATOR: BY 1932,
1763
01:37:25,563 --> 01:37:28,463
JIMMIE RODGERS
WAS MORE POPULAR THAN EVER.
1764
01:37:28,497 --> 01:37:31,737
HARD-UP FARMERS WERE SAID
TO COME TO TOWN AND TELL
1765
01:37:31,776 --> 01:37:35,876
STOREKEEPERS, "GIVE ME A SACK
OF FLOUR, A SLAB OF BACON,
1766
01:37:35,919 --> 01:37:39,229
AND THE LATEST
JIMMIE RODGERS RECORD."
1767
01:37:39,267 --> 01:37:42,677
FANS WROTE HIM LETTERS
AS IF ALL HIS SONGS WERE
1768
01:37:42,718 --> 01:37:44,788
TRUE STORIES FROM HIS LIFE.
1769
01:37:44,824 --> 01:37:48,864
THEY ASKED HIM WHY HE
HAD WANTED TO SHOOT POOR THELMA,
1770
01:37:48,897 --> 01:37:50,277
ABOUT HIS TIME IN
THE JAILHOUSE
1771
01:37:50,312 --> 01:37:52,312
OR OUT ON THE OPEN RANGE,
1772
01:37:52,349 --> 01:37:56,529
EVEN CASTIGATED CARRIE
ON THE BELIEF SHE HAD LOVED
1773
01:37:56,560 --> 01:38:02,010
ANOTHER MAN WHILE HE SERVED
AS A BRAKEMAN RIDING THE RAILS.
1774
01:38:02,048 --> 01:38:05,848
"THEY PROVED THE SINCERITY THAT
WAS IN HIS VOICE AS HE SANG,"
1775
01:38:05,880 --> 01:38:07,710
HIS WIFE RECALLED.
1776
01:38:07,743 --> 01:38:10,713
"HE'’D HAD TROUBLES.
HE'’D SUFFERED.
1777
01:38:10,746 --> 01:38:13,886
THOSE TRUTHS WERE
IN HIS SONGS."
1778
01:38:13,922 --> 01:38:17,512
WITH THE FAMOUS HUMORIST
WILL ROGERS, HE MADE A TOUR
1779
01:38:17,546 --> 01:38:21,996
ON BEHALF OF VICTIMS OF THE
DEPRESSION AND THE DUST BOWL.
1780
01:38:22,034 --> 01:38:25,184
THEIR APPEARANCES
RAISED $300,000
1781
01:38:25,209 --> 01:38:27,629
IN MUCH-NEEDED RELIEF.
1782
01:38:27,660 --> 01:38:30,350
BUT THE DEEPENING
ECONOMIC CRISIS
1783
01:38:30,387 --> 01:38:33,357
AFFECTED JIMMIE RODGERS, TOO.
1784
01:38:33,390 --> 01:38:35,220
"YOU'’RE STILL AT
THE TOP OF THE HEAP,"
1785
01:38:35,254 --> 01:38:39,954
RALPH PEER ASSURED HIM,
"BUT THE HEAP ISN'’T SO BIG."
1786
01:38:42,571 --> 01:38:44,541
NARRATOR: TO HELP PAY
HIS BILLS, RODGERS
1787
01:38:44,573 --> 01:38:48,163
KEPT ON TOURING DESPITE
HIS WORSENING HEALTH.
1788
01:38:48,198 --> 01:38:50,988
RODGERS:
♪ GOOD MORNING, CAPTAIN
1789
01:38:51,028 --> 01:38:53,338
♪ GOOD MORNING,
SHINE... ♪
1790
01:38:53,375 --> 01:38:56,205
NARRATOR: HE SEEMED TO DRAW
STRENGTH FROM HIS AUDIENCES,
1791
01:38:56,240 --> 01:39:00,000
EVEN IF THEY WERE
NOW IN SMALLER VENUES.
1792
01:39:00,037 --> 01:39:03,447
HE WOULD STOP IN THE CENTER OF
A TOWN AND PLAY FOR FREE,
1793
01:39:03,489 --> 01:39:05,839
GAINING THE PUBLICITY
HE WANTED
1794
01:39:05,870 --> 01:39:08,390
FOR THAT NIGHT'’S
PAID PERFORMANCE,
1795
01:39:08,425 --> 01:39:11,145
THEN MOVE ON THE NEXT DAY.
1796
01:39:11,186 --> 01:39:15,776
EVERYWHERE RODGERS WENT,
LEGENDS GREW UP.
1797
01:39:15,811 --> 01:39:19,681
A BLIND NEWSBOY IN McALESTER
WAS SAID TO HAVE BEEN GIVEN
1798
01:39:19,712 --> 01:39:21,332
A NEW GUITAR;
1799
01:39:21,369 --> 01:39:24,169
A WIDOW IN ANOTHER TOWN
WAS SAID TO HAVE HAD
1800
01:39:24,199 --> 01:39:26,239
HER MORTGAGE PAID OFF.
1801
01:39:26,270 --> 01:39:28,860
SOMETIMES HE LIKED
TO INVITE PRETTY WOMEN
1802
01:39:28,893 --> 01:39:32,313
TO RIDE AROUND TOWN
WITH HIM IN HIS SHINY CAR.
1803
01:39:32,345 --> 01:39:36,345
AFTER A STOP IN O'’DONNELL,
TEXAS, PEOPLE SAID HE LEFT
1804
01:39:36,384 --> 01:39:40,284
TWO DIVORCES AND THREE
SEPARATIONS IN HIS WAKE.
1805
01:39:40,319 --> 01:39:42,289
AND EVERYWHERE HE WENT,
1806
01:39:42,321 --> 01:39:44,361
HIS MUSIC RESONATED,
1807
01:39:44,392 --> 01:39:47,532
ESPECIALLY "MULE SKINNER BLUES."
1808
01:39:47,567 --> 01:39:50,877
HAGGARD: "MULE SKINNER BLUES,"
HIS DELIVERY ON IT
1809
01:39:50,915 --> 01:39:52,495
WAS SO TREMENDOUS.
1810
01:39:52,538 --> 01:39:54,088
I DON'’T KNOW. IT JUST--
1811
01:39:54,126 --> 01:39:57,026
IT ROLLS WITH THE FLOW.
1812
01:39:57,060 --> 01:40:00,480
IT STARTS OUT WITH A BANG
AND ENDS UP WITH A BANG.
1813
01:40:00,511 --> 01:40:04,481
AND IT HAS SOMETHING
TO SAY, AND IT'’S ENTERTAINING.
1814
01:40:04,515 --> 01:40:07,345
♪ GOOD MORNING, CAPTAIN
1815
01:40:07,380 --> 01:40:12,180
♪ GOOD MORNING,
SHINE ♪
1816
01:40:12,213 --> 01:40:15,533
♪ YEAH
1817
01:40:15,561 --> 01:40:18,701
♪ DO YOU NEED ANOTHER
MULE SKINNER ♪
1818
01:40:18,736 --> 01:40:23,046
♪ OUT ON YOUR NEW MUD LINE?
1819
01:40:23,086 --> 01:40:25,326
IT'’S JUST GOOD.
1820
01:40:26,951 --> 01:40:28,991
NARRATOR:
THE BANK ROBBER BONNIE PARKER
1821
01:40:29,023 --> 01:40:31,033
IN THE MIDST OF A CRIME SPREE
1822
01:40:31,059 --> 01:40:32,649
WITH HER LOVER,
CLYDE BARROW,
1823
01:40:32,681 --> 01:40:34,861
SPENT SOME OF THEIR STOLEN MONEY
1824
01:40:34,890 --> 01:40:39,140
TO BUY EVERY ONE
OF RODGERS'’ RECORDS.
1825
01:40:39,171 --> 01:40:43,041
IN BROWNWOOD, TEXAS,
A YOUNG ERNEST TUBB REMEMBERED
1826
01:40:43,071 --> 01:40:47,251
PEOPLE LINING UP FOR BLOCKS
TO SEE HIM IN PERSON,
1827
01:40:47,282 --> 01:40:49,972
PAYING A DOLLAR
AND FILLING A LOCAL THEATER
1828
01:40:50,009 --> 01:40:52,149
THAT HAD TROUBLE
GETTING HALF THAT CROWD
1829
01:40:52,184 --> 01:40:55,014
FOR A MOVIE COSTING A DIME.
1830
01:40:57,085 --> 01:41:00,325
BUT IT ALL CAME AT A COST.
1831
01:41:00,364 --> 01:41:03,854
HE TRAVELED NOW
WITH BAGS FULL OF MEDICINE,
1832
01:41:03,885 --> 01:41:05,505
WHOSE SMELL HE MASKED
1833
01:41:05,542 --> 01:41:07,852
WITH HIS BLACK NARCISSUS PERFUME
1834
01:41:07,889 --> 01:41:12,339
AND INCREASING DOSES OF MORPHINE
HE TOOK WITH SHOTS OF WHISKY
1835
01:41:12,376 --> 01:41:14,826
TO COMBAT THE PAIN
THAT RACKED HIS CHEST
1836
01:41:14,861 --> 01:41:19,871
WITH PROLONGED FITS OF COUGHING
THAT BROUGHT UP BLOODY SPITTLE.
1837
01:41:19,901 --> 01:41:22,801
HE COLLAPSED FROM
EXHAUSTION MORE FREQUENTLY,
1838
01:41:22,835 --> 01:41:25,865
HAD NIGHT SWEATS THAT KEPT
HIM FROM SLEEPING.
1839
01:41:25,907 --> 01:41:28,187
RODGERS MADE NO SECRET
OF THE DISEASE
1840
01:41:28,220 --> 01:41:29,880
THAT WAS KILLING HIM
1841
01:41:29,911 --> 01:41:32,711
OR HOW HE INTENDED
TO RESPOND TO IT.
1842
01:41:32,741 --> 01:41:35,161
"I'’M NOT GOING TO LAY
IN ONE OF THESE HOSPITAL ROOMS
1843
01:41:35,192 --> 01:41:38,682
AND COUNT THE FLY SPECKS
ON THE WALL," HE TOLD PEOPLE.
1844
01:41:38,713 --> 01:41:42,233
"I WANT TO DIE
WITH MY SHOES ON."
1845
01:41:42,268 --> 01:41:45,688
WOMAN, AS CARRIE RODGERS: I NOW
CAME TO REALIZE THE AWFUL IMPORT
1846
01:41:45,720 --> 01:41:50,520
OF THOSE TWO SIMPLE
WORDS "WASTING AWAY,"
1847
01:41:50,552 --> 01:41:53,832
AND I ASKED MYSELF FRANTICALLY,
1848
01:41:53,866 --> 01:41:59,316
HOW LONG? A MONTH? TWO?
A YEAR?
1849
01:42:01,494 --> 01:42:03,884
NARRATOR: RODGERS CONVINCED
A PRISONER
1850
01:42:03,910 --> 01:42:06,050
IN A TEXAS PENITENTIARY
TO WRITE HIM
1851
01:42:06,085 --> 01:42:09,675
A SONG ABOUT HIS
TUBERCULOSIS, "TB BLUES,"
1852
01:42:09,709 --> 01:42:12,679
TO WHICH HE ADDED
A FINAL STANZA:
1853
01:42:12,712 --> 01:42:16,032
"GEE, BUT THE GRAVEYARD
IS A LONESOME PLACE.
1854
01:42:16,060 --> 01:42:17,680
"THEY PUT YOU ON YOUR BACK,
1855
01:42:17,717 --> 01:42:20,337
THROW THAT MUD DOWN
IN YOUR FACE."
1856
01:42:20,375 --> 01:42:25,855
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF OTHER
AMERICANS HAD TUBERCULOSIS, TOO.
1857
01:42:25,898 --> 01:42:27,798
"LUNGERS" THEY WERE CALLED,
1858
01:42:27,831 --> 01:42:30,041
AND MANY FAMILIES
HAD BEEN TOUCHED BY THE DISEASE
1859
01:42:30,074 --> 01:42:31,974
IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
1860
01:42:32,007 --> 01:42:34,007
JIMMIE RODGERS:
♪ GEE, BUT THE GRAVEYARD
1861
01:42:34,044 --> 01:42:36,224
♪ IS A LONESOME PLACE...
1862
01:42:36,253 --> 01:42:39,053
NARRATOR: AT ONE PERFORMANCE,
A PERSON IN THE AUDIENCE
1863
01:42:39,083 --> 01:42:40,883
SHOUTED OUT
SOME ENCOURAGEMENT.
1864
01:42:40,913 --> 01:42:45,573
"SPIT '’ER UP, JIMMIE,"
HE SAID, "AND SING SOME MORE."
1865
01:42:45,607 --> 01:42:47,537
RODGERS:
♪ THEY PUT YOU ON YOUR BACK
1866
01:42:47,575 --> 01:42:50,505
♪ THROW THAT MUD DOWN
IN YOUR FACE... ♪
1867
01:42:50,543 --> 01:42:53,133
WOMAN, AS CARRIE RODGERS: TO THE
LUNGERS, IT WAS A GREATER TONIC
1868
01:42:53,167 --> 01:42:56,957
THAN ANY PHYSICIAN
HAD BEEN ABLE TO PRESCRIBE.
1869
01:42:56,998 --> 01:43:00,348
IT WAS THEIR OWN LANGUAGE.
1870
01:43:00,381 --> 01:43:05,321
SO THEY CHUCKLED,
"OLD BOY JIMMIE. HE KNOWS!"
1871
01:43:05,351 --> 01:43:08,011
AND THEIR
CHUCKLES WERE GOOD MEDICINE.
1872
01:43:11,564 --> 01:43:16,674
NARRATOR: ON MAY 14, 1933,
RODGERS ARRIVED IN NEW YORK CITY
1873
01:43:16,707 --> 01:43:19,917
AND CHECKED INTO THE SAME HOTEL
NEAR TIMES SQUARE
1874
01:43:19,952 --> 01:43:23,302
WHERE HE HAD STAYED BACK
IN 1927,
1875
01:43:23,335 --> 01:43:25,225
WHEN HE WAS
A COMPLETE UNKNOWN.
1876
01:43:25,268 --> 01:43:28,338
AS ALWAYS, HE WAS
WORRIED ABOUT MONEY
1877
01:43:28,374 --> 01:43:31,274
AND WANTED TO GO BACK
INTO THE STUDIO.
1878
01:43:31,308 --> 01:43:34,658
RALPH PEER WAS SHOCKED
AT HIS APPEARANCE
1879
01:43:34,691 --> 01:43:37,041
AND INSISTED HE REST A FEW DAYS
1880
01:43:37,072 --> 01:43:41,012
BEFORE STARTING
HIS RECORDING SESSION.
1881
01:43:41,042 --> 01:43:44,802
ON MAY 17th
IN THE VICTOR STUDIO,
1882
01:43:44,839 --> 01:43:48,189
HE BEGAN THE WAY HE HAD
STARTED HIS RECORDING CAREER--
1883
01:43:48,222 --> 01:43:51,022
JUST HIMSELF AND HIS GUITAR.
1884
01:43:51,052 --> 01:43:55,022
RODGERS: ♪ I'’VE BEEN AWAY
JUST A YEAR TODAY ♪
1885
01:43:55,056 --> 01:43:57,196
♪ BUT SOON I WILL CEASE
TO ROAM... ♪
1886
01:43:57,231 --> 01:43:59,341
NARRATOR:
IN TWO LONG, DIFFICULT DAYS,
1887
01:43:59,371 --> 01:44:00,861
HE LAID DOWN SIX SONGS.
1888
01:44:00,889 --> 01:44:02,029
RODGERS: ♪ ...DOING NO HARM
1889
01:44:02,063 --> 01:44:05,033
♪ I'’M YODELING MY WAY
BACK HOME... ♪
1890
01:44:05,066 --> 01:44:07,546
NARRATOR: THE TUBERCULOSIS
WAS SHREDDING HIS LUNGS,
1891
01:44:07,586 --> 01:44:10,206
AND HE WAS HEAVILY SEDATED
FOR THE PAIN,
1892
01:44:10,244 --> 01:44:15,354
SIPPING WHISKEY TO CLEAR
HIS THROAT BETWEEN TAKES.
1893
01:44:15,387 --> 01:44:17,837
THE ENGINEERS HAD TO CARRY
HIM TO HIS CAB
1894
01:44:17,872 --> 01:44:19,702
AFTER THE SECOND AFTERNOON,
1895
01:44:19,736 --> 01:44:21,806
AND HE RESTED FOR TWO DAYS
1896
01:44:21,841 --> 01:44:25,221
BEFORE RETURNING TO RECORD
TWO MORE SONGS,
1897
01:44:25,259 --> 01:44:27,609
PROPPED UP BY PILLOWS
IN AN EASY CHAIR
1898
01:44:27,640 --> 01:44:31,850
IN FRONT OF THE MICROPHONE.
1899
01:44:31,886 --> 01:44:35,856
ON MAY 24th, HE FELT
STRONG ENOUGH TO STAND
1900
01:44:35,890 --> 01:44:39,200
AT THE MICROPHONE
AND PERFORMED FOUR SONGS,
1901
01:44:39,238 --> 01:44:41,338
RESTING ON A COT
IN THE REHEARSAL ROOM
1902
01:44:41,378 --> 01:44:43,098
BETWEEN EACH TAKE.
1903
01:44:43,138 --> 01:44:47,038
RODGERS: ♪ SOON I'’LL BE BACK
IN MY OLD MAMMY'’S SHACK ♪
1904
01:44:47,073 --> 01:44:52,253
♪ YODELING FOR HER
THIS OLD TUNE... ♪
1905
01:44:52,286 --> 01:44:55,836
NARRATOR: WITH THE SESSION OVER,
RODGERS FELT REINVIGORATED.
1906
01:44:55,875 --> 01:44:58,325
HE TOOK IN
CONEY ISLAND THE NEXT DAY,
1907
01:44:58,361 --> 01:45:00,431
HAD HOT DOGS FOR LUNCH,
1908
01:45:00,466 --> 01:45:04,016
DRANK A GLASS OF
NEWLY LEGALIZED 3.2 BEER,
1909
01:45:04,056 --> 01:45:06,016
AND NAPPED IN THE SUN.
1910
01:45:08,819 --> 01:45:11,339
NARRATOR: BUT THAT NIGHT,
BACK AT HIS HOTEL,
1911
01:45:11,374 --> 01:45:14,034
FITS OF COUGHING SWEPT
THROUGH HIM,
1912
01:45:14,066 --> 01:45:15,686
AND HE BEGAN HEMORRHAGING
1913
01:45:15,723 --> 01:45:19,113
BRIGHT RED SPOTS
ONTO HIS PILLOWS.
1914
01:45:21,556 --> 01:45:26,346
NARRATOR: EARLY IN THE MORNING
OF MAY 26, 1933,
1915
01:45:26,389 --> 01:45:31,009
JIMMIE RODGERS DIED,
DROWNING IN HIS OWN BLOOD.
1916
01:45:31,048 --> 01:45:34,498
HE WAS ONLY 35 YEARS OLD.
1917
01:45:47,893 --> 01:45:50,483
RODGERS:
♪ I'’M GROWING TIRED ♪
1918
01:45:50,516 --> 01:45:54,756
♪ OF THE BIG CITY'’S LIGHTS ♪
1919
01:45:54,796 --> 01:45:57,556
♪ TIRED OF THE GLAMOUR
1920
01:45:57,592 --> 01:46:01,362
♪ AND TIRED OF THE SIGHTS
1921
01:46:01,389 --> 01:46:03,839
♪ IN ALL MY DREAMS
1922
01:46:03,874 --> 01:46:07,914
♪ I AM ROAMING ONCE MORE
1923
01:46:07,947 --> 01:46:10,397
♪ BACK TO MY HOME
1924
01:46:10,433 --> 01:46:14,783
♪ ON THE OLD RIVER SHORE
1925
01:46:14,816 --> 01:46:16,956
♪ I AM SAD AND WEARY...
1926
01:46:16,991 --> 01:46:20,271
NARRATOR: THE SOUTHERN RAILWAY
ADDED A SPECIAL BAGGAGE CAR
1927
01:46:20,304 --> 01:46:22,004
TO ITS NEW ORLEANS RUN
1928
01:46:22,030 --> 01:46:24,860
TO CARRY
THE SINGING BRAKEMAN HOME.
1929
01:46:24,895 --> 01:46:27,965
HIS PEARL-GRAY CASKET,
COVERED WITH LILIES
1930
01:46:28,002 --> 01:46:30,492
RESTED ON A PLATFORM
IN ITS CENTER,
1931
01:46:30,522 --> 01:46:32,562
WITH A PHOTOGRAPH OF RODGERS
1932
01:46:32,593 --> 01:46:36,493
DRESSED IN HIS RAILROAD
UNIFORM, TWO THUMBS UP--
1933
01:46:36,528 --> 01:46:41,668
THE BRAKEMAN'’S SIGNAL THAT
EVERYTHING WAS READY TO MOVE ON.
1934
01:46:41,705 --> 01:46:44,495
BIG CITY NEWSPAPERS
IN THE EAST
1935
01:46:44,536 --> 01:46:47,776
MADE ONLY PASSING REFERENCE
TO RODGERS'’ DEATH,
1936
01:46:47,815 --> 01:46:51,845
BUT IN SMALL TOWNS THROUGHOUT
THE SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST,
1937
01:46:51,888 --> 01:46:55,308
IT DOMINATED THE FRONT PAGES.
1938
01:46:55,339 --> 01:46:58,449
SOLEMN CROWDS
GATHERED ALONG THE TRACKS
1939
01:46:58,481 --> 01:47:01,521
TO PAY THEIR RESPECTS
AS THE TRAIN MADE ITS WAY
1940
01:47:01,553 --> 01:47:05,113
TOWARD MERIDIAN, MISSISSIPPI.
1941
01:47:05,142 --> 01:47:08,562
AFTER A FUNERAL AT
THE CENTRAL METHODIST CHURCH,
1942
01:47:08,594 --> 01:47:11,844
HE WAS BURIED
IN THE OAK GROVE CEMETERY,
1943
01:47:11,873 --> 01:47:16,153
BESIDE THE DAUGHTER
WHO HAD DIED IN INFANCY.
1944
01:47:16,188 --> 01:47:20,358
HIS CAREER HAD LASTED
LESS THAN 6 YEARS,
1945
01:47:20,399 --> 01:47:21,949
BUT IN THAT TIME,
1946
01:47:21,987 --> 01:47:25,847
JIMMIE RODGERS HAD RECORDED
MORE THAN 100 SONGS,
1947
01:47:25,887 --> 01:47:29,677
MANY OF WHICH WOULD
BE RE-RECORDED FOR GENERATIONS
1948
01:47:29,719 --> 01:47:32,199
BY OTHER ARTISTS AS PROOF
1949
01:47:32,238 --> 01:47:37,378
THAT THEY WERE STAYING TRUE
TO THE MUSIC'’S ROOTS.
1950
01:47:37,416 --> 01:47:40,106
MAN: JIMMIE RODGERS
STARTED IT ALL.
1951
01:47:40,143 --> 01:47:42,493
WITHOUT JIMMIE RODGERS,
THERE WOULD BE NO BOB WILLS.
1952
01:47:42,525 --> 01:47:44,175
WITHOUT JIMMIE RODGERS,
THERE WOULD BE
1953
01:47:44,216 --> 01:47:45,666
NO HANK WILLIAMS.
1954
01:47:45,700 --> 01:47:49,500
WITHOUT JIMMIE RODGERS,
THERE WOULD--WHO KNOWS?
1955
01:47:49,532 --> 01:47:51,472
HE WAS IT.
1956
01:47:51,499 --> 01:47:53,669
HIS SONGS NEVER GO AWAY,
1957
01:47:53,708 --> 01:47:55,228
GENERATION AFTER GENERATION.
1958
01:47:55,261 --> 01:48:00,131
BOB DYLAN HAS RECORDED THEM;
WAYLON RECORDED THEM.
1959
01:48:00,163 --> 01:48:02,303
JOHNNY CASH RECORDED THEM...
1960
01:48:02,337 --> 01:48:04,507
DOLLY PARTON.
1961
01:48:04,547 --> 01:48:09,857
EVERYBODY THAT IS ANYBODY HAS
RECORDED A JIMMIE RODGERS SONG.
1962
01:48:09,897 --> 01:48:11,517
THE SONGS KEEP COMING AT YOU.
1963
01:48:11,554 --> 01:48:14,494
RODGERS:
♪ THE MISSISSIPPI AND YOU...
1964
01:48:14,522 --> 01:48:18,152
HAGGARD: HE SET THE PACE
FOR PEOPLE LIKE ERNEST TUBB
1965
01:48:18,181 --> 01:48:20,181
AND PEOPLE
LIKE HANK WILLIAMS,
1966
01:48:20,217 --> 01:48:22,527
PEOPLE LIKE ME,
1967
01:48:22,565 --> 01:48:27,325
AND, UH, JUST
A WHOLE BIG SECTION
1968
01:48:27,362 --> 01:48:29,192
OF COUNTRY MUSIC
WOULDN'’T BE HERE
1969
01:48:29,226 --> 01:48:31,366
IF IT HADN'’T BEEN
FOR JIMMIE RODGERS.
1970
01:48:31,401 --> 01:48:33,541
RODGERS:
♪ THE MISSISSIPPI AND YOU...
1971
01:48:33,576 --> 01:48:35,366
NARRATOR:
IN THE YEARS THAT FOLLOWED,
1972
01:48:35,405 --> 01:48:37,855
THE MUSIC THAT JIMMIE RODGERS,
THE CARTER FAMILY,
1973
01:48:37,890 --> 01:48:41,380
AND OTHERS HAD MADE
WOULD CONTINUE TO EVOLVE,
1974
01:48:41,411 --> 01:48:45,971
CONTINUE TO WELCOME
NEW MUSICIANS AND STYLES,
1975
01:48:46,002 --> 01:48:48,522
CONTINUE TO GROW AS AN INDUSTRY,
1976
01:48:48,556 --> 01:48:51,526
AND CONTINUE TO REFLECT
THE EXPERIENCES
1977
01:48:51,559 --> 01:48:53,839
OF EVERYDAY AMERICANS,
1978
01:48:53,872 --> 01:48:57,842
ESPECIALLY DURING
THE HARD TIMES AHEAD.
1979
01:49:01,569 --> 01:49:03,779
♪ MISSISSIPPI
1980
01:49:03,813 --> 01:49:09,583
♪ AND YOU
1981
01:49:12,304 --> 01:49:19,624
♪ WELL, GOOD MORNING
1982
01:49:19,656 --> 01:49:21,176
♪ CAPTAIN
1983
01:49:22,866 --> 01:49:24,656
♪ GOOD MORNING TO YOU, SIR
1984
01:49:24,696 --> 01:49:27,076
♪ HEY, HEY
1985
01:49:27,112 --> 01:49:29,322
♪ YEAH
1986
01:49:29,355 --> 01:49:33,385
♪ DO YOU NEED
ANOTHER MULE SKINNER ♪
1987
01:49:33,428 --> 01:49:36,088
♪ DOWN ON YOUR NEW MUD RUN?
1988
01:49:36,121 --> 01:49:38,361
♪ HEY, HEY
1989
01:49:38,399 --> 01:49:41,509
♪ YEAH
1990
01:49:41,540 --> 01:49:45,750
♪ YODEL-A-HEE
1991
01:49:45,786 --> 01:49:48,686
♪ HEE-HEE
1992
01:49:48,720 --> 01:49:52,660
♪ HEE-HEE-HEE-HEE-HEE-HEE
1993
01:49:55,554 --> 01:49:59,524
♪ WELL, I'’M A LADY
MULE SKINNER ♪
1994
01:49:59,558 --> 01:50:02,008
♪ FROM DOWN OLD TENNESSEE WAY
1995
01:50:02,043 --> 01:50:03,363
♪ HEY, HEY
1996
01:50:03,389 --> 01:50:04,629
♪ I COME FROM TENNESSEE
1997
01:50:06,392 --> 01:50:10,362
♪ AND I CAN MAKE
ANY MULE LISTEN ♪
1998
01:50:10,396 --> 01:50:13,226
♪ OR I WON'’T ACCEPT YOUR PAY ♪
1999
01:50:13,261 --> 01:50:14,751
♪ HEY, HEY
2000
01:50:14,780 --> 01:50:16,160
♪ I WON'’T TAKE YOUR PAY ♪
2001
01:50:18,784 --> 01:50:23,034
♪ YODEL-A-HEE
2002
01:50:23,064 --> 01:50:25,934
♪ HEE-HEE
2003
01:50:25,964 --> 01:50:29,004
♪ HEE-HEE-HEE-HEE-HEE-HEE
2004
01:50:30,382 --> 01:50:32,662
HYAH!
2005
01:50:32,695 --> 01:50:38,045
♪ WELL, HEY
2006
01:50:38,079 --> 01:50:41,189
♪ HEY, LITTLE WATER BOY
2007
01:50:41,220 --> 01:50:43,080
♪ WON'’T YOU BRING
YOUR WATER '’ROUND? ♪
2008
01:50:43,119 --> 01:50:46,849
♪ HEY, HEY
2009
01:50:46,881 --> 01:50:50,371
♪ IF YOU DON'’T LIKE YOUR JOB ♪
2010
01:50:50,402 --> 01:50:52,372
♪ WELL, YOU CAN THROW
YOUR BUCKET DOWN ♪
2011
01:50:52,404 --> 01:50:54,514
♪ THROW IT DOWN, BOY,
THROW IT DOWN ♪
2012
01:50:58,134 --> 01:51:03,354
♪ YODEL-A-EE
2013
01:51:03,380 --> 01:51:06,110
♪ HEE-HEE
2014
01:51:06,142 --> 01:51:08,832
♪ HEE-HEE-HEE-HEE-HEE-HEE
2015
01:51:10,042 --> 01:51:11,252
WHOO!
2016
01:51:11,285 --> 01:51:14,695
♪ WELL, I'’VE BEEN WORKING
DOWN IN GEORGIA ♪
2017
01:51:14,737 --> 01:51:17,187
♪ AT A GREASY SPOON CAFE
2018
01:51:17,222 --> 01:51:18,712
♪ HEY
2019
01:51:18,741 --> 01:51:21,361
♪ I'’VE BEEN WORKING IN GEORGIA ♪
2020
01:51:21,398 --> 01:51:25,198
♪ JUST TO LET A NO-GOOD MAN
2021
01:51:25,230 --> 01:51:27,030
♪ CALL EVERY CENT OF MY PAY
2022
01:51:27,059 --> 01:51:28,849
♪ HEY, HEY
2023
01:51:28,889 --> 01:51:31,509
♪ AND I'’M SICK OF IT,
I WANT TO BE A MULE SKINNER ♪
2024
01:51:33,548 --> 01:51:42,448
♪ YODEL-A-EE
2025
01:51:42,488 --> 01:51:45,218
♪ HEE-HEE
2026
01:51:45,250 --> 01:51:48,840
♪ HEE-HEE-HEE-HEE-HEE-HEE
2027
01:51:48,874 --> 01:51:49,914
♪ MULE SKINNER BLUES
2028
01:51:50,980 --> 01:51:51,910
HYAH! HYAH...
155995
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