20 First Ladies of Country

The Carter Family, Roy Acuff and the Sons of the Pioneers belong to a select group of the earliest and most successful country recording artists. Pioneers spotlights them all doing such signature songs as Keep On the Sunny Side, Wabash Cannonball and Tumbling Tumbleweeds, alongside the influential blue-grass bands of Bill Monroe and Flatt & Scruggs. And when Grandpa Jones stomps through Good Old Mountain Dew, you won't be able to sit down.

Long, long ago, a record didn't just reach the No. 1 spot - it resided there, sometimes for months. Songs That Topped the Charts captures the biggest country hits, many of which also became significant pop singles. Check out Leroy Van Dyke's Walk On By (19 weeks at No. 1); Stonewall Jackson's Waterloo; and the Browns' The Three Bells, a country and pop chart-topper. They don't cut 'em like that anymore.

When reporter Jean Craddock interviews Bad Blake—an alcoholic, seen-better-days country music legend—they connect, and the hard-living crooner sees a possible saving grace in a life with Jean and her young son.

A broke-down middle aged Texas troubadour yearns to be remembered like the southern bluesmen before him, but his failings and self-doubt forestall his musical dreams and blind him to the open road.

Originally recorded on October 23, 1988 and edited for a 30-minute broadcast, Austin City Limits and New West Records have collaborated to release this sparkling performance given by Dwight and his early band, in its entirety. The audio has been re-mixed and re-mastered in stereo and 5.1 surround. Special guests include Buck Owens and Flaco Jimenez.

Juliano Cesar (Passos, April 29, 1960) is a singer, songwriter and Brazilian presenter. He began his career in 1985, after being pedestrian rodeos and farmer. The interior of Minas Gerais, Julian spent his nest-egg on his first album independently, which featured his performance in reworkings of hits and Chitãozinho Xororó and Millionaire and Jose Rico, among others. In the late 80s he moved to São Paulo, and in 1990 released his first album for a record deal, this time with his compositions, including "not learned to say goodbye", later covered by Leandro and Leonardo. For this disc Julian won the Sharp Award singer revelation. After five years with no record and a trip to Nashville, the mecca of country, where he maintained contact with the popes of the genre, Julian launched in 1997, his first album for Paradoxx, already fully dedicated to country music.

Johnny Cash stands among the giants of 20th century American life. But his story remains tangled in mystery and myth. This documentary brings Cash the man out from behind the legend.

Chatthong, the manager of a local Thai country music band is facing the hardest time of his life. He has to find money to pay for his massive debts and even more importantly, he has to keep from losing his band along with his money. Unfortunately, Chatthong dies from a car crash accident before he is able to get the money. Though his body is thoroughly dead, his spirit somehow lives on. Sanor, Chatthong's assistant, is the only one who knows that his boss is now dead. Afraid of losing the precious band, Sanor keeps the secret by injecting "formalin" into Chatthong's dead body fresh. Chatthong and Sanor do their best to keep the band together, and away from their debt-collecting enemies.

A look at what goes on backstage during the last broadcast of America's most celebrated radio show, where singing cowboys Dusty and Lefty, a country music siren, and a host of others hold court.

Documentary portrait of Joy McKean, Australia’s Queen of country music. Follows her performance and songwriting career, decades of touring around Australia, and her marriage of more than 50 years to fellow musician Slim Dusty.

In March 2005, Neil Young was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm. Four days before he was scheduled for a lifesaving operation, he headed to Nashville, where he wrote and recorded the country folk album Prairie Wind with old friends and family members. After the successful operation and recovery period, he returned to Nashville that August to play at the famed Ryman Auditorium, once again gathering together friends and family for this special performance.