Century of Country - Season 1

← Back to All Seasons of Century of Country
A Celebration of Country

1 - A Celebration of Country

Air Date: January 5, 2002

The birth of country music through the 1920s, from its rural roots in fiddle music to early legends including the Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers.

A Night at the Opry

2 - A Night at the Opry

Air Date: January 12, 2002

A look at the venerable Grand Ole Opry show and how it has inspired generations of country music artists.

Singing Cowboys

3 - Singing Cowboys

Air Date: January 19, 2002

The romantic myth of the singing cowboy captured the imaginations of Hollywood and Nashville thanks to superstars like Gene Autry and Roy Rogers.

Bluegrass & Western Swing

4 - Bluegrass & Western Swing

Air Date: January 26, 2002

Bluegrass gave rise to stars like Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs and Ricky Skaggs, while Western swing created legends from Bob Wills to Hank Thompson.

The Women's Movement

5 - The Women's Movement

Air Date: February 2, 2002

Female trailblazers Kitty Wells, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette broke new ground and redefined the role of women in country music.

Honky Tonk Nights

6 - Honky Tonk Nights

Air Date: February 9, 2002

An examination of the hard-living soul of honky tonk music through the lives of pioneers like Hank Williams, Ernest Tubb and Lefty Frizzell.

Rockabilly: The Music That Rocked Country

7 - Rockabilly: The Music That Rocked Country

Air Date: February 16, 2002

The birth of rockabilly in the ‘50's and the ascendance of Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins.

Nashville: The City That Music Built

8 - Nashville: The City That Music Built

Air Date: February 23, 2002

Nashville ... Music City USA ... became the center of country music entertainment worldwide and home to a multi-billion dollar industry.

On The Road: A Star's Life

9 - On The Road: A Star's Life

Air Date: March 2, 2002

Contemporary stars of this Century of Country tell their tales of life on the road, and off.

Hello, Dolly! Country Moves Into the 70s

10 - Hello, Dolly! Country Moves Into the 70s

Air Date: March 9, 2002

Dolly Parton, country's first superstar, and the rise of pop-influenced country music by Charlie Rich, Kenny Rogers, Anne Murray and others.

Bakersfield and the Outlaws

11 - Bakersfield and the Outlaws

Air Date: March 16, 2002

Buck Owens' musical movement in Bakersfield, Calif. paved the way for country outlaws like Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Merle Haggard.

Urban Cowboy: Country Goes to Town

12 - Urban Cowboy: Country Goes to Town

Air Date: March 23, 2002

In 1980, the hit movie Urban Cowboy brought new listeners -- by the millions -- to country music. The lush sounds of Kenny Rogers to the new-traditionalist swagger of Dwight Yoakam brought country music to town.

Whole World's Gone Country: The 90s and Beyond

13 - Whole World's Gone Country: The 90s and Beyond

Air Date: March 30, 2002

A look at the hugely popular crossover country artists, as well as the new traditionalist movement in the 1990s. It also focuses on the multi-media mega-hits that have helped to take country music from the hills and hollows to the world in less than a century.