What the History of Country Music Taught Me About writing.
The lesson is simple, and you probably already know what it is.
The History of Country Music is an eight-part, 16-hour film by filmmaker Ken Burns about an art form unique to the United States: country music. It asks the questions, “What is country music?” and “Where did it come from?” It focuses on the many stars who created it and helped it evolve.
The questions are intriguing, but what struck me most about this film was the lives of the people who made the music, their humble beginnings, and their struggles.
The saga begins with the Carter Family, who recorded between the years of 1927 and 1956.
They lived in a place called Poor Valley, VA, aptly named to reflect the economic status of the town. They weren’t stars for years; they were just musicians. They had day jobs and played music on nights and weekends.
A similar story repeats itself again and again.
Born in a shack with no electricity, no running water. The youngest of 16 the oldest of 12. The family didn’t own the land they were living on, and the children often quit school to work. They grew the food they ate. They had nothing.
Except for music.
