Country music has long been associated as a storytelling journey, but the evolution of the country sound has been made most obvious not by the music but by the image. There was a time when arenas would sparkle from all the rhinestones and when stetsons were a must-have. Then Johnny Cash brought his man in black phase into the mix, and with it a rebellion that few had seen before amongst those of that genre. Pretty soon it was all about carving out your own niche, fixing your own trademark look; whether it was Kenny Rogers and his white three-piece suits, or Tanya Tucker with her 'badgirl' catsuits and tight pants. Pictures from the mutation of country music throughout the last eight decades are perhaps some of the most telling because something about the looks of these country stars had as much of an impact as the music itself.
'Country: Portraits of an American Sound' is a music documentary following the evolution of the country image. It features interviews with a range of country stars including Bill Anderson, Garth Brooks, Roseanne Cash, Roy Clark, Merle Haggard, Brenda Lee, Lyle Lovett, Charley Pride, Leann Rimes, Kenny Rogers, Tanya Tucker, The Band Perry, Holly Williams and Keith Urban. Directed and produced by Steven Kochones, it is set to be released on video on demand on February 21st 2017.
Starring: Lyle Lovett, Garth Brooks, Bill Anderson, Rosanne Cash, Roy Clark, Merle Haggard, Brenda Lee, Ronnie Milsap, LeAnn Rimes, Kenny Rogers, Tanya Tucker, Keith Urban, Yelawolf, Lee Ann Womack, The Band Perry, Tanya Tucker, Marty Stuart