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Join KERA for a Screening of ‘Country Music: A Film By Ken Burns’



 

Join us for an unforgettable evening!

Playlist

Get ready for the KERA screening of Country Music: A Film By Ken Burns with some classic country tunes:

 

In celebration of the upcoming documentary series Country Music: A Film By Ken Burns, KERA is hosting a special preview screening and discussion with the filmmakers.

Guests will enjoy a preview screening of selected clips from the series, followed by a live discussion with writer and producer, Dayton Duncan, and producer, Julie Dunfey, moderated by Krys Boyd, host of KERA’s Think.
 

» When

Thursday, September 5
7-9pm

» Where

McFarlin Memorial Auditorium
6405 Boaz Lane
Dallas, Texas 75205

» Ticketing

$10 via Eventbrite

» Parking

$10 per car at the Daniel Parking Center and Airline Parking Center garages
 


 

EVENT FAQ


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    Where is McFarlin Auditorium?

    The auditorium is on the Southern Methodist University campus and is located at 6405 Boaz Lane, Dallas, Texas, 75205. It’s on the northwestern side of the campus, just east of Hillcrest Avenue. Here’s a map:


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    How do I get to the auditorium from the parking garage?

    KERA/KXT volunteers will be on-site to help you navigate your way from your parking garage to McFarlin Auditorium.

    Reduced parking rates of $10 will be available at these two parking garages for guests who have reserved tickets to the event:

    » Airline Parking Center, 6506 Airlines Court
    » Daniel Parking Center, 3330 Daniel Avenue

    Both garages are about a five minute walk to the auditorium.

    Note that Apples Maps might give you wrong directions if you type in only the parking garage name, so it’s best to input the addresses above.

    Using Alto, Lyft or Uber? Tell the driver to take you to 6124 Bishop Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 75205.

    • Here’s a detailed parking map, and more information is here.

    SMU McFarlin parking garages in Dallas


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    Can my children attend?

    Children are welcome to attend, but ages 16 and under are required to have an adult with them. A ticket is required for every guest.


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    Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?

    We highly encourage you to bring your printed ticket(s) to facilitate event entry. If you do not have access to a printer or forget a physical copy of your ticket(s), you may show your e-ticket confirmation(s) from Eventbrite that details your name and designated aisle, section, row and seat.

    A ticket with a corresponding seat reservation is required. Purchase your ticket online here.


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    What can I bring into the event? Are there any prohibited items?

    Please feel free to bring the following items into McFarlin Auditorium:

    • Bags that are no larger than 12” x 16” x 12”
    • Binoculars
    • Seat cushions/soft-side seat-backs under 18” wide (no items with legs permitted)

    Note that all personal possessions must fit under each guest’s designated seat.

    Food and drink are not allowed inside the theater.

    For a full listing of prohibited items, please visit SMU’s website here.

    For your safety and the safety of others, guests and their possessions are subject to inspection as a condition of admittance.

    Smoking is strictly prohibited inside the auditorium. There is not a designated smoking area on campus; smokers must be at least 25 feet away from the building.


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    How long will the event last?

    We expect the program to last between 90 minutes and two hours.

    Doors open at 6:30pm, and the program begins at 7pm.


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    What’s the weather/refund policy?

    If a venue or date change does occur due to bad weather, ticket holders will be notified by 3pm on the day of the show via email and KERA’s website and social media pages.

    Tickets are non-refundable except in the event of a show cancellation.


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    How can I contact the organizer with any questions?

    If you have a question about this event, please reach out to Annie Galloway at friendsofkera@kera.org.


 

SERIES FAQ


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    What is Country Music: A Film By Ken Burns about?

    The series explores the history of a uniquely American art form. From its deep and tangled roots in ballads, hymns, minstrel music and blues performed in small settings, to its worldwide popularity, learn how country music evolved over the course of the 20th century, as it eventually emerged to become America’s music.

    The series delves into questions such as “What is country music?” while focusing on the biographies of the fascinating characters who created and shaped it.

    It features never-before-seen footage and photographs, plus interviews with more than 80 country music artists.

    From the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers and Bob Wills to Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, Charley Pride, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Garth Brooks and many more, we’ll explore stories as well as the times in which they lived.

    Country Music traces the music’s origins and its early years when it was referred to as hillbilly music and played across the airwaves on radio station barn dances.

    The series is directed and produced by Ken Burns, written and produced by Dayton Duncan and produced by Julie Dunfey.
     

    Watch clips on PBS

    Visit the Country Music page on Ken Burns’ website

    Listen to the Ken Burns: Country Music playlist on Spotify. (Sign up for a free account on Spotify to listen, or listen to clips of songs in the player at the top of this page.)


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    When will episodes air on KERA TV? When can I stream them?

    Country Music: A Film By Ken Burns premieres Sunday, September 15, at 7pm. You can watch all eight episodes on KERA or stream it at video.kera.org.

    Watch on KERA

    The first four episodes will run nightly Sunday-Wednesday, September 15-18, and the last four episodes will air nightly Sunday-Wednesday, September 22-25.

    Stream it live

    • Episodes will stream on video.kera.org timed to the television broadcast. Each episode will be available for streaming for three weeks.

    PBS Passport members will be able to stream the entire series for a period of six months.

    Episodes

    » September 15-18 at 7pm

    Sunday: “The Rub” (Beginnings-1933)
    See how what was first called “hillbilly music” reaches new audiences through phonographs and radio, and launches the careers of country music’s first big stars, the Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers.

    Monday: “Hard Times” (1933-1945)
    Watch as Nashville becomes the heart of the country music industry. The genre grows in popularity during the Great Depression and World War II as America falls in love with singing cowboys, Texas Swing and the Grand Ole Opry’s Roy Acuff.

    Tuesday: “The Hillbilly Shakespeare” (1945-1953)
    See how the bluegrass sound spreads in post-war America, and meet honky-tonk star Hank Williams, whose songs of surprising emotional depth are derived from his troubled and tragically short life.

    Wednesday: “I Can’t Stop Loving You” (1953-1963)
    Travel to Memphis, where Sun Studios artists Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley usher in the era of rockabilly. Ray Charles crosses America’s racial divide by recording a country album. Patsy Cline shows off Music City’s smooth new Nashville Sound.

    » September 22-25 at 7pm

    Sunday: “The Sons and Daughters of America” (1963-1968)
    See how country music reflects a changing America, with Loretta Lynn speaking to women everywhere, Merle Haggard becoming “The Poet of the Common Man” and audiences looking beyond race to embrace Charley Pride.

    Monday: “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” (1968-1972)
    Learn how country music responds to a nation divided by the Vietnam War, as Army captain turned songwriter Kris Kristofferson sets a new lyrical standard, and artists like Bob Dylan and the Byrds find a recording home in Nashville.

    Tuesday: “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way?” (1973-1983)
    Witness a vibrant era in country music, with Dolly Parton finding mainstream success; Hank Williams, Jr. and Rosanne Cash emerging from their famous fathers’ shadows; and Willie Nelson and Waylon
    Jennings launching the “Outlaw” movement.

    Wednesday: “Don’t Get Above Your Raisin” (1984-1996)
    Learn how “New Traditionalists” like George Strait, Randy Travis and the Judds help country music stay true to its roots. Witness both the rise of superstar Garth Brooks and the return of an aging Johnny Cash to the industry he helped create.


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    What's the best way to share my country music memories on social media?

    Use #CountryMusicPBS to share your favorite country music songs, artists and memories:

    Twitter

    Instagram

    Facebook



 


 

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