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Country Music Live at the Ryman Preview

Country Music: Live at the Ryman, A Concert Celebrating the Film by Ken Burns | Friday, February 28 at 9


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PBS Announces COUNTRY MUSIC: LIVE AT THE RYMAN, A CONCERT CELEBRATING THE FILM BY KEN BURNS

Featuring Performances by Dierks Bentley, Rosanne Cash, Rodney Crowell, Rhiannon Giddens, Vince Gill, Kathy Mattea, Ketch Secor, Ricky Skaggs, Marty Stuart, Asleep at the Wheel, Holly Williams and Dwight Yoakam

 

COUNTRY MUSIC: LIVE AT THE RYMAN, A CONCERT CELEBRATING THE FILM BY KEN BURNS, featuring many of the artists who appeared in the Ken Burns documentary COUNTRY MUSIC, will air on Friday, February 28 from 9:00-11:00 p.m. on WOUB. The concert, which took place at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium on Wednesday, March 27, 2019, was hosted by Burns and featured performances by Dierks Bentley, Rosanne Cash, Rodney Crowell, Rhiannon Giddens, Vince Gill, Kathy Mattea, Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show, Ricky Skaggs, Marty Stuart, Asleep at the Wheel, Holly Williams and Dwight Yoakam.

“In country music, we found a love for storytelling that translates everyday experiences into universal truths that we can all identify with,” said Ken Burns.

Vince Gill performs during Country Music: Live at the Ryman on March 27, 2019, in Nashville, TN. (Erika Goldring Photo)

In addition to live performances of iconic country songs, select clips from the film were highlighted throughout the evening. The event was produced by Opry Entertainment and Florentine Films, and made possible thanks to the support from Bank of America, Burns’s corporate underwriter.

The concert, which was shot live, explores country’s roots while also highlighting the diversity of musical styles and artists that fall under the country music label. Paying tribute to the genre’s eclectic, layered history, COUNTRY MUSIC: LIVE AT THE RYMAN provides viewers with a taste of everything from western swing and bluegrass to honkytonk and cowboy music.

“In country music, we found a love for storytelling that translates everyday experiences into universal truths that we can all identify with,” said Ken Burns. “We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to bring film excerpts of COUNTRY MUSIC to those areas that gave birth to this most American of art forms. Ryman Auditorium, the Mother Church of Country Music, is a character itself in our film, and hosting this concert there was a dream come true for us. We are thrilled to now share this special evening with PBS viewers across the country.”

Vince Gill and Rosanne Cash perform during Country Music: Live at the Ryman on March 27, 2019, in Nashville, TN. (Erika Goldring Photo)

“All of the talented artists who performed at the Ryman also appear in our film, as commentators or as characters or as both,” Duncan said. “But on this night, they sang and played the music they love, brought the crowd to tears and to their feet, and in one concert took us all on an unforgettable journey across time, one song at a time.”

Audience members dubbed the evening “epic,” and Rolling Stone found it full of “remarkable performances.” Highlights include Vince Gill’s “breathtaking” and “sublime” cover of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You,” Old Crow Medicine Show’s Ketch Secor and Rhiannon Giddens’ “scorching” performance of “Ruby (Are You Mad at Your Man),” and Billboard noted that Holly Williams “breathed life into” her grandfather Hank Williams Sr.’s “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry.” Viewers can also look forward to “a rousing rendition” of country’s unofficial national anthem, The Carter Family’s “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.” The concert’s full set list is below.

 

Set List:

“Ruby, Are You Mad at Your Man” – Rhiannon Giddens and Ketch Secor

“In the Jailhouse Now” – Ketch Secor

“Tumbling Tumbleweeds” – Riders in the Sky

“New San Antonio Rose” – Asleep at the Wheel

“Uncle Pen” – Marty Stuart and Ricky Skaggs

“I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” – Holly Williams

“Orange Blossom Special” – Marty Stuart

Dierks Bentley performs during Country Music: Live at the Ryman on March 27, 2019, in Nashville, TN. (Erika Goldring Photo)

“Crazy” – Rhiannon Giddens

“Hungry Eyes” – Dwight Yoakam

“Streets of Bakersfield” – Dwight Yoakam and Dierks Bentley

“Coal Miner’s Daughter” – Kathy Mattea

“Sunday Morning Coming Down” – Larry Gatlin

“Pancho & Lefty” – Rodney Crowell

“Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way” – Dierks Bentley

“I Will Always Love You” – Vince Gill

“Don’t Get Above Your Raisin’” – Ricky Skaggs

“I Still Miss Someone” – Rosanne Cash

“Will the Circle Be Unbroken” – Full Cast

 

 

 

About Ryman Auditorium 

A National Historic Landmark, Ryman Auditorium was built as a tabernacle by Captain Thomas G. Ryman in 1892, served as the home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943-74 and was completely renovated in 1994. The Ryman is open for tours during the day and at night offers a wide variety of entertainment performances, just as it has for over 125 years. The venue was voted the 2003, 2004, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 Pollstar Theatre of the Year and recently took home its sixth consecutive CMA Venue of the Year Award. Ryman Auditorium is owned by Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. (NYSE: RHP), a Nashville-based REIT that also owns and operates the Grand Ole Opry, Ole Red and 650 AM WSM. For more information, visit ryman.com.

 

About Opry Entertainment Group

Opry Entertainment Group is a division of Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. (NYSE: RHP) with an unmatched country music legacy. From the world-famous Grand Ole Opry, the historic Ryman Auditorium and legendary radio station 650 AM-WSM to exciting new ventures including Ole Red in partnership with Opry member Blake Shelton, Opry Entertainment Group’s mission is to connect audiences and artists through unforgettable experiences, set to music. The company also partners with Nashville’s beloved Bluebird Café and Wildhorse Saloon. Opry Entertainment Group continues to be one of the leading online voices in entertainment and connects fans with their favorite artists through unique content and experiential opportunities. For information on all of Opry Entertainment Group’s venues, visit opryentertainmentgroup.com.