Customer Reviews

Nashville Sound

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Starting in the late 50's, there was a string of country music movies made, perhaps in reaction to the successful string of B rock and roll movies from about the same time. Most of them featured some sort of plot involving rubes getting themselves into all kinds of trouble. But these movies were not just the wacky hi-jinx of hilarious hillbillies; they were the wacky hi-jinx of hilarious hillbillies who had famous country music stars as friends. In other words, the flimsy plots and fading movie stars were just an excuse to showcase a slew of country music stars of the time. Many of the performances were lip-synched, although some were recorded live. The Nashville Sound, which was recorded in 1969, was different. Perhaps influenced by the Pennebaker documentaries of the time, this film had no flimsy plot or corny gags. Instead, it was a serious look at Nashville and the reigning country stars of the day. It's well filmed, thorough, and fascinating to watch. Much of it was filmed at the Grand Ole Opry, but you also get priceless footage such as Loretta Lynn performing for a lunch crowd of radio and record company people, Bashful Brother Oswald singing a chorus of Mountain Dew outside of Ernest Tubb's Record Shop, a rehearsal by the new-to-town Mother Earth (featuring Tracy Nelson), a performance outside Shelby Singleton's house, a recording session featuring Doug Kershaw and a young, beardless Charlie Daniels, and lots more. There is also lots of great footage of Nashville itself. All the performances are outstanding, and the film does a terrific job of capturing the essence of country music at the time-- performers, fans, and industry people. I was waiting a long time for this to come out on DVD!

I'm surprised that none of the other reviews have mentioned the visual
quality of this DVD. The movie itself is fine, very interesting, and a
great souvenir of a time when country artists were a lot more distinctive
and original than the cookie-cutter, overcommercialized stuff that passes
for "country music" now. BUT, this DVD is made from a very old print.
It's very scratchy and full of speckles, etc. You can always tell when
a new reel begins because that's when the quality goes down. The sound
is fine, but this is by far the worst-looking full price DVD I own.
However, if you are a fan of the artists featured, you'll love it anyway.

Country music doesn't get any better then this great music great artists. One of many in my DVD collection I watch over and over again. A must for any classic country music fan.

If they were big in country history you better believe they're on this DVD. Everyone from Johnny Cash to Loretta Lynn and even Dolly Parton took part in this celebration of the 44th anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry. There are amazing live performances from tons of the biggest names in country as well as interviews with them and a few new faces. They've even got old footage from way back in country history. Definitely not something you want to miss.

I loved this movie for the footage of the Grand Ole Opry in 1969, but I was led to believe that Skeeter Davis sang "End Of The World" in it. She doesn't. She's not in the movie at all.

I purchased this video for my father for his birthday. He is a big country music fan and I thought he would enjoy this blast from the past. My mother phoned me after they watched it to tell me how much they enjoyed it. However, she said that she was glad the grandkids weren't there when they played it, as there were some advertisements before the show that were RAUNCHY. She said that you wouldn't even want to fast forward through them with the kids present because of the visual content. Shame on the producer of this video for even putting that stuff on there! Buyer beware--if you're going to watch with the kids, bypass the commercials but be sure to cue it up before the kids enter the room.

I've searched for so long for this DVD. Or any like it. I'm not through looking yet either. This one has just a few of the perfect shows I've seen in my youth featuring the performers that I idolized. And I still love very much. I will never get tired of OLD REAL COUNTRY music. And I'm afraid it's about to disappear. So I'm getting all that I can while the getting is good. It was a treat to see the part with Loretta bantering with her band. She was a funny lady. The portion with Johnny Cash: I had forgotten he was ever that young and handsome. Of course when he made that appearance on the Opry, we were all still screaming for Elvis and didn't want anyone to be better than Elvis. Well, I have to say, after seeing this again of Johnny Cash singing, he was an excellent singer. I never thought that in my young days. It is such a treat to have a record of Roy Acuff balancing his Fiddle Bow on his (I use to think) nose. I see now in this DVD he actually had it in a pipe of some sort he was holding in his mouth. It was brief, but I saw it. And to see Earl Scruggs and his sons, and Lester Flatt with his new band (at the time). I remember being so sad when they broke up. And one of Charley Pride's earliest appearances at the Opry. I remember one of his first shows where he came on stage and he saw people whispering to one another, and he just said, "yes, folks, it's true, I'm Charley Pride". Or something like that. And I think he told someone that he heard someone in the audience say very loudly, "he really is". The masses back then had to be convinced the guy singing those songs on the radio was a black man. Back then we called him a Negro. Which was meant with respect. And it was as opposed to what most southerners called him. He had them standing with an ovation at the end of the show. And then there was Bill Monroe out on stage doing his jig. It is just perfect, but just not enough of it. I have to have more. I really want to find one with Don Gibson performing. I just loved watching him pick his guitar. I read in one of the books I have that Elvis heard him picking and rehearsing one day at Studio B, where they both recorded. Elvis asked Chet Atkins (who produced for both of them) who that was and Chet told him and Elvis told Chet he wanted Chet to get Don to show him how he made those licks. I believe Chet had told him that Don called it 2-finger picking. Chet asked Don and Don told Chet to tell Elvis to get his own style of picking. Chet went back and told Elvis that he'd have to talk Don into teaching it to him. He never did.
Thanks to Amazon for all these wonderful CDs and DVDs I'm finding.

Being a huge country fan i never really got in tune with my roots. Currently some of my favorites are Garth Brooks and Toby Keith but when my dad passed this on to me, it really shows you the wonders of all those old time singer/songwriters and the amazing show they put on back in the 70's era. I would definately recommend anyone continuing or is just starting to like country to pick up this dvd, since it introduces the new fans to all these great legendary artists while still entertaining the old fans. Overall one of my favorite music dvd's to date, Johnny Cash is my personal favorite(hes amazing!!!)

This item was a gift for my homebound parents. The DVD will not play. It shipped to another area of the State and cannot return until I go get the DVD in about two weeks.

GREAT PRODUCT!

FAST DELIVERY!

THANK YOU!