Writer and producer Dayton Duncan of the new 16-hour country music documentary that will premiere on PBS this fall, will appear as part of CRS’s 50th Anniversary keynote event. Ken Burns, who directed and co-produced the film with long-time collaborators Duncan and Julie Dunfey, will appear via a taped intro piece, followed by Duncan discussing the film.
The keynote event, set for Wednesday, February 13 at 4 p.m., will offer attendees an exclusive first look at clips with rare footage and interviews conducted over the six years it took to produce the film. Country Radio Seminar Board President, Kurt Johnson will conclude the panel with an overview of how radio can get involved with this landmark event.
The film chronicles the highs and lows of country music’s early days, from southern Appalachia’s songs of struggle, heartbreak, and faith to the rollicking western swing of Texas, California’s honky-tonks, and Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry. The film follows the evolution of country music throughout the 20th century as it eventually emerges to become “America’s music.”
