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Country music legend Merle Haggard plays a fiddle in a cowboy hat

Country Music Icons

Hear from the singers, songwriters and musicians who have defined the sound of country music.

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42:14

Country Music Legend Merle Haggard.

Country music legend Merle Haggard. Haggard has been on the country music scene since the early sixties and has more number one hits than any country music star except Conway Twitty. Recently two tribute albums of the songs of Merle Haggard were released: Mama's Hungry Eyes and Tulare Dust. Haggard was also recently inducted to the Country Music Hall of Fame. (On 4/6/1994 we boradcast a short interview with Haggard. Today's interview is the longer version.)

Country music legend Merle Haggard plays a fiddle in a cowboy hat
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47:34

Johnny Cash: In His Own Words.

Music legend Johnny Cash. Cash has been recording albums and performing since the 1950's. Representing Cash's varied musical styles, he has been inducted into the Songwriters, Country Music, and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame. He's just released an autobiography called "Cash" (Harper) The book tour for the memoir has been cancelled due to complications with Cash's Parkinson's disease.

Country music star Johnny Cash
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06:20

Remembering Singer June Carter Cash

We remember singer June Carter Cash, who died Thursday at the age of 73. She was a Grammy-award winning singer, a songwriter, musician, actress and author. She was married to the legendary Johnny Cash, and she came from the Carter Family, the country music pioneers. June Carter Cash died of complications from heart surgery. (Original airdate: June 18, 1987.)

Obituary
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49:10

Rosanne Cash Runs Down Her Father's 'List'

When Cash was 18, her father (you know him as Johnny) presented her with a gift: a list of 100 essential country songs to help the budding singer-songwriter connect with and better understand the music that came before her. After holding on to it for the past few decades, Roseanne Cash decided to turn that gift into The List, her new album.

Interview
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21:32

Country Outlaw Waylon Jennings on the Story of His Life

Born in 1937 in Littlefield, Texas, Jennings was a disc jockey at 14, and had already formed his own band at the age of 12, making guest appearances on local station KDAV's "Sunday Party," where he met Buddy Holly in 1955. Jennings became Holly's bass player. It was Jennings who gave his seat up to the Big Bopper on the plane which crashed later killing Buddy Holly.

Interview
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41:00

Willie Nelson's Guide to Happiness

Country music singer and songwriter Willie Nelson has written a new book, The Tao of Willie: A Guide to the Happiness in Your Heart. Nelson has been performing for over 50 years. He's recorded 250 albums and appeared in 25 films. He's also the author of a number of books, including the best-sellers Willie and The Facts of Life and Other Dirty Jokes.

Musician Willie Nelson raises a finger to the sky as he plays his guitar on stage at a concert in 1994.
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33:25

Singer Emmylou Harris.

Singer Emmylou Harris. She’s been making records for over 30 years with music that transcends the country-genre she started with, encompassing folk, rock, and pop. After decades of performing others’ songs, she has a new album of her own songs “Red Dirt Girl” (Nonesuch). She wrote 11 of the 12 songs on the CD. “Red Dirt Girl” will be released September 12. It’s her first solo album since her 1995 “Wrecking Ball” record. (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES INTO THE SECOND HALF OF THE SHOW).

Singer-songwriter Emmylou Harris
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44:05

Country Music Hall of Famer Dolly Parton

She made her debut at the Grand Ole Opry in 1959. Since then shes written thousands of songs, including the hits Coat of Many Colors, Jolene, and I Will Always Love You. And shes had hits on both the country and pop charts. Parton wrote her autobiography in 1994, My Life and Other Unfinished Business. Her new all-accoustic CD is Little Sparrow

Dolly Parton sings in this image from 1976
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34:58

Bluegrass Musician Earl Scruggs

Earl Scruggs, who turned 80 on Jan. 6, originated the staccato three-finger, five-string banjo technique that became known as the "Scruggs style." He got his start playing with Bill Monroe's band in the 1940s, and then teamed up with guitarist Lester Flatt (fronting The Foggy Mountain Boys). The two penned and recorded the tune "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" which was used on the Bonnie and Clyde film soundtrack and was one of the first crossover hits of the genre.

Interview

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