Arkansas PBS > Engage > Pressroom > AETN to host free preview screenings of 'Country Music' in Fayetteville
Posted 16 Aug 2019
The Arkansas Educational Television Network will partner with the Fayetteville Roots Festival for a free preview screening of Ken Burns' "Country Music" Saturday, Aug. 24, at 11 a.m., at the Fayetteville Public Library, 401 W. Mountain St.
A panel discussion will immediately follow the screening. Panelists include Grammy Award-nominated singer-songwriters Rhiannon Giddens and Darrell Scott, Americana duo The Honey Dewdrops, and AETN Marketing and Engagement Director Julie Thomas. Kyle Kellams, KUAF news director and "Ozarks at Large" producer, will moderate.
An additional free preview screening will be held Sunday, Aug. 25, at 1 p.m., at the Fayetteville Public Library.
"Country Music," an eight-part, 16-hour documentary film series directed by Burns and produced by Burns and his long-time collaborators Dayton Duncan and Julie Dunfey, will premiere on AETN Sunday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m.
"Country Music" explores crucial questions – "What?is?country music?" and "Where did it come from?" – while focusing on the biographies of the fascinating trailblazers who created and shaped it – from the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers, Bill Monroe and Bob Wills to Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, Charley Pride, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Garth Brooks and many more – as well as the times in which they lived. Much like the music itself,?the film tells unforgettable stories of hardships and joys shared by everyday people.
AETN is telling many of Arkansas's country music stories, shining a light on the rich country music history of the state. Profiles of prominent Arkansas country artists and figures, along with performances, interviews and more, will be featured on AETN's social media pages, as well as each night before the broadcast of "Country Music." After the broadcast each night, AETN will air "Talkin' Country" with host Bob Robbins, Arkansas radio icon and 105.1 The Wolf morning personality, along with country music experts Charles Haymes, country music journalist and vice president of the Arkansas Country Music Awards, Jon Raney, chief engineer at Raney Recording Studio, and other special guests, discussing each night's episode. Country music-focused programming, including a special edition of "Exploring Arkansas," performances from "AETN Presents: On the Front Row" and more, will also be featured throughout September.
Additional information about AETN's local "Country Music" campaign, including all the ways to watch, locally-produced content and more is available at aetn.org/countrymusic.
In advance of the premiere, PBS will debut a two-hour special, "Country Music: Live at the Ryman, a Concert Celebrating the Film by Ken Burns," Sunday, Sept. 8, at 7 p.m. Hosted by Burns, the show features performances and appearances by celebrated musicians Dierks Bentley, Rosanne Cash, Rhiannon Giddens, Vince Gill, Kathy Mattea, Marty Stuart, Dwight Yoakam and more.
"Country Music" will stream for free on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS Video App, available on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Chromecast. The first four episodes will be available timed to the Sunday, Sept. 15, premiere and the second four timed to the broadcast of episode 5 on Sunday, Sept. 22 (each episode will stream for a period of three weeks). PBS station members will be able to stream the entire series via Passport for a period of six months beginning Sunday, Sept. 15.
Funding for "Country Music" is provided by Bank of America, the Annenberg Foundation, the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, Belmont University, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Rosalind P. Walter and by members of 'The Better Angels Society,' including: The Blavatnik Family Foundation, the Schwartz/Reisman Foundation, the Pfeil Foundation, Diane and Hal Brierley, John and Catherine Debs, the Fullerton Family Charitable Fund, the Perry and Donna Golkin Family Foundation, Jay Alix and Una Jackman, Mercedes T. Bass, Fred and Donna Seigel, Gilchrist and Amy Berg, James R. Berdell Foundation, David Bonderman, Deborah P. and Jonathan T. Dawson, Senator Bill and Tracy Frist, Susan and David Kreisman, Rocco and Debby Landesman, Lillian Lovelace, John and Leslie McQuown, Mindy's Hope Foundation, the Segal Family Foundation, Michelle Smith. Major funding was provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and PBS.
"Country Music" is a production of Florentine Films and WETA, Washington, DC.
The Arkansas Educational Television Network is Arkansas's only statewide public media network, which enhances lives by providing lifelong learning opportunities for people from all walks of life. AETN delivers local, award-winning productions and classic, trusted PBS programs aimed at sharing Arkansas and the world with viewers through the distinct channels AETN PBS, AETN Create, AETN PBS KIDS, AETN World and AETN AIRS on SAP. Audiences can also watch on several digital platforms, and members with AETN Passport have extended on-demand access to a rich library of public television programming. AETN depends on the generosity of Arkansans and the State of Arkansas to continue offering quality programming. Additional information is available at aetn.org. AETN is broadcast on KETS (Little Rock), KEMV (Mountain View), KETG (Arkadelphia), KAFT (Fayetteville), KTEJ (Jonesboro) and KETZ (El Dorado).