Episode Three covers a lot of ground, but as the title indicates, the heart and soul of this episode is Hank Williams.
During this time period, electric instruments are brought into the fold and honky tonk is born. Ernest Tubb kicks the era off, but attention soon turns to the Hillbilly Shakespeare. The rise of Hank Williams is greatly detailed, as is his tragic death.
In between, other legends emerge. Eddy Arnold’s clean cut image and smooth vocal stylings turn him into a superstar. Flatt & Scruggs break away from Bill Monroe & the Bluegrass Boys and further develop the burgeoning style of bluegrass. Maddox Brothers & Rose revamp their sound to include a harder edged honky tonk sound.
Little Jimmy Dickens turns his short stature and sense of humor into a successful career hawking wares and eventually becoming a country star. Maybelle Carter revamps the Carter Family to feature her talented daughters. Chet Atkins and his legendary guitar make an auspicious debut. And Kitty Wells makes an early feminist statement answering back to Hank Thompson, and becomes the genre’s first female superstar.
Did you watch episode three? Let us know what you thought of it in the comments.