Country Music The Hillbilly Shakespeare (1945 - 1953) (Season 1, Episode 3)
TV-14
TV Episode | 113 min | Documentary, Music

Primary photo for The Hillbilly Shakespeare (1945 - 1953)

Country Music

The Hillbilly Shakespeare (1945 - 1953) (Season 1, Episode 3)

TV-14

TV Episode | 113 min | Documentary, Music

Country music adapts to the cultural changes of post-war society. Bill Monroe and Earl Scruggs transform string band music into Bluegrass. Out of the bars comes a new sound and songs about drinking, cheating, and heartbreak: Honky Tonk.

Director

Ken Burns

Writer

Dayton Duncan

Producers

Ken Burns | Dayton Duncan | Julie Dunfey

Cinematographer

Buddy Squires

Editor

Craig Mellish

See all filmmakers & crew (57)

Edit Released

Updated Sep 17, 2019

Release date

Sep 17, 2019 (United States)

Awards

Series awards

1 win & 2 nominations

Contacts

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Cast	+ Add Cast
45 cast members

Name	Known for
Peter Coyote Narrator Narrator See fewer	Bitter Moon (1992)
Bill Anderson Self Self See fewer	Missing (1982)
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Del Bryant Self Self See fewer	Convoy (1978)
June Carter Cash Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	The Johnny Cash Show (1969)
Anita Carter Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Stagecoach (1986)
Carlene Carter Self Self See fewer	Maverick (1994)
Helen Carter Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Walk the Line (2005)
John Carter Cash Self Self See fewer	Walk the Line (2005)
Rodney Crowell Self Self See fewer	Raw Deal (1986)
Charlie Daniels Self Self See fewer	Coyote Ugly (2000)
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Ranger Doug Self (as Douglas B. Green) Self (as Douglas B. Green) See fewer	Sweet Dreams (1985)
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E. Jimmy Key Self Self See fewer	Country Music (2019)
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Brenda Lee Self Self See fewer	Joy Ride (2001)
Les Leverett Self Self See fewer	Give Me the Banjo (2011)
Don Maddox Self Self See fewer	The Marty Stuart Show (2008)
Bill C. Malone Self Self See fewer	Country Music (2019)
John McEuen Self Self See fewer	Man Outside (1987)
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Shannon Pollard Self Self See fewer	That News Show News Desk (2014)
Jeannie C. Riley Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Lean on Pete (2017)
Earl Scruggs Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
Jeannie Seely Self Self See fewer	Honeysuckle Rose (1980)
Ricky Skaggs Self Self See fewer	Raw Deal (1986)
Connie Smith Self Self See fewer	The Marty Stuart Show (2008)
Hazel Smith Self Self See fewer	Century of Country (1999)
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Kitty Wells Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	The Blues Brothers (1980)
E.W. 'Bud' Wendell Self Self See fewer	Country Music (2019)
Hank Williams Jr. Self Self See fewer	Gravity (2013)
Hank Williams Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	The Last Picture Show (1971)
Holly Williams Self Self See fewer	Country Music (2019)
Mac Wiseman Self Self See fewer	Ranch Party (1957)
Dwight Yoakam Self Self See fewer	Sling Blade (1996)