Filmmaker Ken Burns has tackled many subjects over the years, from the Civil War to baseball.  His documentaries have garnered numerous awards over the years.  In 2001, he took an in-depth look at the genre of jazz.  Now, he is aiming to explore a different genre with Country Music, an eight-part, 16-1/2-hour documentary premiering September 15 on PBS.  And as with Jazz, there will be an accompanying soundtrack.  The most expansive of these is a 5-disc box set debuting on August 30 from Legacy Recordings.  Other configurations of the set including a 2-CD, 2-LP and digital will follow on September 13.

Country Music will trace the genre’s beginnings in the early 20th century through 1996.  Along the way, over 600 music cues will be heard together with interviews with more than 100 people (40 of whom are in the Country Music Hall of Fame and 20 of whom have passed away since being interviewed).  The 5-disc deluxe edition contains 105 tracks and features some of the biggest artists and hits in the history of country music.  The discs break down as follows:

Disc One covers “Episode One: The Rub (Beginnings – 1933)” and “Episode Two: Hard Times (1933-1945)” of the film and includes performances from The Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers, Charlie Poole with the North Carolina Ramblers, Gene Autry, Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, Roy Acuff and His Crazy Tennesseans, Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys, and more.

Disc Two of the collection brings together music from “Episode Three: The Hillbilly Shakespeare (1945-1953)” and “Episode Four: I Can’t Stop Loving You (1953-1963)” and features recordings by Hank Williams with his Drifting Cowboys, Kitty Wells, Little Brenda Lee, Johnny Cash & the Tennessee Two, Ray Price, The Everly Brothers, Lefty Frizzell, Marty Robbins, Faron Young, Patsy Cline, Ray Charles, and others.

Disc Three showcases recordings from “Episode Five: The Sons and Daughters of America (1964-1968)” and “Episode Six: Will the Circle Be Unbroken (1968-1972)” from artists including Roger Miller, Buck Owens, Loretta Lynn, Charley Pride, Jeannie C. Riley, Tammy Wynette, The Byrds, Kris Kristofferson, Bob Dylan with Johnny Cash, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and more.

Disc Four focuses on “Episode Seven: Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way? (1973-1983)” and a new generation of country musicians including Waylon Jennings, Dolly Parton, George Jones and Tammy Wynette, Townes Van Zandt, Gram Parsons and the Fallen Angels, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, Hank Williams, Jr., Rosanne Cash, and others.

Disc Five rounds out the anthology with “Episode Eight: Don’t Get Above Your Raisin’ (1973-1996)” featuring tracks by Ricky Skaggs, Reba McEntire, Randy Travis, The Judds (Wynonna and Naomi), Dwight Yoakam, Kathy Mattea, Trisha Yearwood and more.

The booklet for the box set contains many rarely seen archival photos, posters, documents and memorabilia related to the artists and recordings in the film, originating from a variety of sources including Sony Music Archives, The Country Music Hall of Fame, artist estates, and country music photographers. The box includes a note from the film’s producers Ken Burns, Dayton Duncan, and Julie Dunfrey as well as essays by Bill Malone (the “dean” of country music historians and consultant/commentator for the film) and country music historians Colin Escott (covering the 1930s-1950s) and Tamara Saviano (covering the 1960s-1990s). The set features quotes from many of the artists who appear in the series including Dolly Parton, Rosanne Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Merle Haggard, Vince Gill, and others.

Country Music – A Film By Ken Burns (The Soundtrack) will also be released in a variety of other versions, including a 2-CD, 41 track edition, a 2-LP vinyl edition, and on digital platforms.  Wal-Mart will have an exclusive 1-CD, 20 track edition and Barnes and Noble will have an exclusive, limited red, white and blue colored edition of the 2-LP set with a Certificate of Authenticity signed by Ken Burns.  A companion hardcover book and DVD and Blu-ray releases of the film are also planned for September.

So if you would like to explore the history of country music along with Ken Burns, we’ve got the tracklistings (vinyl tracklisting TBA) and pre-order links below.

Various Artists, Country Music – A Film By Ken Burns (The Soundtrack) (Deluxe Edition) (Sony/Legacy Recordings, 2019) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

CD 1

1. Can the Circle Be Unbroken (Bye and Bye) – The Carter Family
2. Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8) – Jimmie Rodgers
3. Barbara Allen – Bradley Kincaid
4. I’ll Fly Away – James and Martha Carson
5. If the River Was Whiskey – Charlie Poole with the North Carolina Ramblers
6. Fox Chase – DeFord Bailey
7. Blue Yodel Number 9 (Standin’ On The Corner) – Jimmie Rodgers
8. Wildwood Flower – The Carter Family
9. In the Jailhouse Now – Jimmie Rodgers
10. Comin’ Round the Mountain – Uncle Dave Macon and Sam McGee
11. Pretty Polly – The Coon Creek Girls
12. B. Blues – Jimmie Rodgers
13. Mountain Dew – Grandpa Jones and His Granchildren
14. Home on the Range – Gene Autry
15. I Want to Be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart – Patsy Montana and the Prairie Ramblers
16. Tumbling Tumbleweeds – Sons of the Pioneers
17. Keep on the Sunny Side /I’m Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes – The Carter Family
18. The Great Speckled Bird – Roy Acuff
19. Whoa Babe – Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys
20. New San Antonio Rose – Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
21. Wabash Cannon Ball – Roy Acuff and His Smoky Mountain Boys
22. Mule Skinner Blues – Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys

CD 2

1. Honky Tonkin’ – Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys
2. It’s Mighty Dark to Travel – Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys
3. New Mule Skinner Blues – Maddox Brothers and Rose
4. I’ll Hold You in My Heart (Till I Can Hold You in My Arms) – Eddy Arnold and his Tennessee Playboys
5. Foggy Mountain Breakdown – Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys
6. Molly and Tenbrook – The Stanley Brothers
7. Lovesick Blues – Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys
8. I Saw the Light – Hank Williams
9. Hey, Good Lookin’ – Hank Williams
10. It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels – Kitty Wells
11. I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry – Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys
12. Jambalaya – Little Brenda Lee
13. New Step It Up and Go – Maddox Brothers and Rose
14. I Walk the Line – Johnny Cash & the Tennessee Two
15. Crazy Arms – Ray Price
16. Bye, Bye Love – The Everly Brothers
17. The Long Black Veil – Lefty Frizzell
18. El Paso – Marty Robbins
19. Night Life – Ray Price
20. Hello Walls – Faron Young
21. I Fall to Pieces – Patsy Cline
22. Ring of Fire – Johnny Cash
23. Crazy – Patsy Cline
24. I Can’t Stop Loving You – Ray Charles

CD 3

1. Dang Me – Roger Miller
2. I’ve Got a Tiger by the Tail – Buck Owens
3. Don’t Come Home A’ Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ On Your Mind) – Loretta Lynn
4. Coal Miner’s Daughter – Loretta Lynn
5. Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’ – Charley Pride
6. Hungry Eyes – Merle Haggard and the Strangers
7. Mama Tried – Merle Haggard and the Strangers
8. Harper Valley P.T.A. – Jeannie C. Riley
9. Don’t Touch Me – Jeannie Seely
10. Folsom Prison Blues – Johnny Cash
11. Stand by Your Man – Tammy Wynette
12. She Thinks I Still Care – George Jones
13. You Ain’t Going Nowhere – The Byrds
14. Me and Bobby McGee – Kris Kristofferson
15. Help Me Make It Through the Night – Sammi Smith
16. Sunday Morning Coming Down – Kris Kristofferson
17. Okie From Muskogee – Merle Haggard and the Strangers
18. Man in Black – Johnny Cash
19. Girl from the North Country – Bob Dylan with Johnny Cash
20. Grand Ole Opry Song – The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
21. Will the Circle Be Unbroken – The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

CD 4

1. Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way – Waylon Jennings
2. Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8) – Dolly Parton
3. Jolene – Dolly Parton
4. I Will Always Love You – Dolly Parton
5. We’re Gonna Hold On – George Jones and Tammy Wynette
6. Texas Cookin’ – Guy Clark
7. If I Needed You – Townes Van Zandt
8. I Can’t Stop Loving You – Johnny Rodriguez
9. I’ve Been a Long Time Leaving (But I’ll Be A Long Time Gone) – Waylon Jennings
10. Love Hurts (Live) – Gram Parsons and the Fallen Angels
11. Boulder to Birmingham – Emmylou Harris
12. Bluebird Wine – Emmylou Harris
13. Whiskey River – Willie Nelson
14. Miles and Miles of Texas – Asleep at the Wheel
15. Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain – Willie Nelson
16. Good Hearted Woman – Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson
17. Family Tradition – Hank Williams, Jr.
18. Seven Year Ache – Rosanne Cash
19. Pancho and Lefty – Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard
20. He Stopped Loving Her Today – George Jones

CD 5

1. Don’t Get Above Your Raisin’ – Ricky Skaggs
2. On the Road Again – Willie Nelson
3. Amarillo by Morning – George Strait
4. Somebody Should Leave – Reba McEntire
5. Diggin’ Up Bones – Randy Travis
6. Why Not Me – The Judds (Wynonna and Naomi)
7. Honky Tonk Man – Dwight Yoakam
8. Streets of Bakersfield – Dwight Yoakam with Buck Owens
9. Where’ve You Been – Kathy Mattea
10. I’m No Stranger to the Rain – Keith Whitley
11. Go Rest High on That Mountain – Vince Gill
12. Guitar Town – Steve Earle
13. She’s In Love With the Boy – Trisha Yearwood
14. Tennessee Flat Top Box – Rosanne Cash
15. Get Up John – Emmylou Harris & the Nash Ramblers
16. Uncle Pen – Ricky Skaggs
17. I Still Miss Someone – Rosanne Cash
18. Will the Circle Be Unbroken – The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Various Artists, Country Music – A Film By Ken Burns (The Soundtrack) (2-CD Edition) (Sony/Legacy Recordings, 2019) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

CD 1

1. Can the Circle Be Unbroken (Bye and Bye) – The Carter Family
2. Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8) – Jimmie Rodgers
3. Fox Chase – DeFord Bailey
4. I’m Thinking Tonight of My Blues – The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
5. Mountain Dew – Grandpa Jones and His Granchildren
6. I Want to Be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart – Patsy Montana and the Prairie Ramblers
7. New San Antonio Rose – Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys
8. Wabash Cannon Ball – Roy Acuff and His Smoky Mountain Boys
9. Honky Tonkin’ – Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys
10. It’s Mighty Dark to Travel – Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys
11. New Mule Skinner Blues – Maddox Brothers and Rose
12. Foggy Mountain Breakdown – Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys
13. It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels – Kitty Wells
14. I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry – Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys
15. Crazy Arms – Ray Price
16. The Long Black Veil – Lefty Frizzell
17. El Paso – Marty Robbins
18. Ring of Fire – Johnny Cash
19. Crazy – Patsy Cline
20. I Can’t Stop Loving You – Ray Charles
21. Coal Miner’s Daughter – Loretta Lynn
22. Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’ – Charley Pride
23. Hungry Eyes – Merle Haggard and the Strangers

CD 2

1. Stand by Your Man – Tammy Wynette
2. You Ain’t Going Nowhere – The Byrds
3. Me and Bobby McGee – Kris Kristofferson
4. Girl from the North Country – Bob Dylan with Johnny Cash
5. Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way – Waylon Jennings
6. Jolene – Dolly Parton
7. Boulder to Birmingham – Emmylou Harris
8. Whiskey River – Willie Nelson
9. Pancho and Lefty – Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard
10. He Stopped Loving Her Today – George Jones
11. Don’t Get Above Your Raisin’ – Ricky Skaggs
12. Somebody Should Leave – Reba McEntire
13. Why Not Me – The Judds (Wynonna and Naomi)
14. Streets of Bakersfield – Dwight Yoakam with Buck Owens
15. Where’ve You Been – Kathy Mattea
16. Go Rest High on That Mountain – Vince Gill
17. I Still Miss Someone – Rosanne Cash
18. Will the Circle Be Unbroken – The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Various Artists, Country Music – A Film By Ken Burns (The Soundtrack) (2-LP Edition) (Sony/Legacy Recordings, 2019)  (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Tracklisting TBA

Various Artists, Country Music – A Film By Ken Burns (The Soundtrack) (1-CD Edition Wal-Mart Exclusive Edition) (Sony/Legacy Recordings, 2019) (Walmart.com)

1. Can the Circle Be Unbroken (Bye and Bye) – The Carter Family
2. In the Jailhouse Now – Jimmie Rodgers
3. Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8) – Jimmie Rodgers
4. Wabash Cannon Ball – Roy Acuff and His Smoky Mountain Boys
5. Foggy Mountain Breakdown – Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys
6. I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry – Hank Williams with His Drifting Cowboys
7. Crazy – Patsy Cline
8. Coal Miner’s Daughter – Loretta Lynn
9. Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’ – Charley Pride
10. Folsom Prison Blues – Johnny Cash
11. Mama Tried – Merle Haggard and the Strangers
12. Stand by Your Man – Tammy Wynette
13. Me and Bobby McGee – Kris Kristofferson
14. Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way – Waylon Jennings
15. I Will Always Love You – Dolly Parton
16. Whiskey River – Willie Nelson
17. He Stopped Loving Her Today – George Jones
18. Don’t Get Above Your Raisin’ – Ricky Skaggs
19. Go Rest High on That Mountain – Vince Gill
20. I Still Miss Someone – Rosanne Cash