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PBS documentary maker Ken Burns is examining the roots of country music and how it has changed through the present day for a multi-episode series on public broadcasting.
Country fans have a wait ahead of them, though. PBS said that Burns’ country music project isn’t set to air until 2018.
The noted documentarian has several other projects in the works for PBS, including one on the Gettysburg Address that will air this spring, and films on the Roosevelts, Jackie Robinson and Vietnam.
The country series explores the question, “what is country music.” It will track the careers of the Carter family, Jimmie Rodgers, Bob Wills, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and others.
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To mark his return to touring after a dozen years, country superstar Garth Brooks will play two stadium shows in Dublin, Ireland's Croke Park, where he had performed sell-out shows in 1997.
The “Garth Brooks Comeback Special Event” will take place July 25 and 26 in anticipation of a world tour that’s slated to get under way later this year.
Brooks retired from touring in 2001, saying he wanted to devote himself to his three daughters until each was ready to go to college. He accepted an offer from hotel magnate Steve Wynn to appear periodically at his Wynn Encore Theatre in Las Vegas for a four-year solo residency because he was able to schedule those performances around his daughters’ school activities.
Now he’s returning to action, having recently released an eight-disc box set, “Blame It All on My Roots,” inspired by the Las Vegas performances in which he shared with audiences the music that inspired and influenced him growing up.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Actress Piper Laurie is 82. Actor Seymour Cassel is 79. Actor John Hurt is 74. Singer Steve Perry (Journey) is 65. Bassist Teddy Gentry of Alabama is 62. Actress Linda Blair is 55. Actress Diane Lane is 49. Country singer Regina Nicks of Regina Regina is 49. Rap DJ-actor Jazzy Jeff is 49. Singer Marc Gay of Shai is 45. Actress Katie Finneran ("The Michael J. Fox Show") is 43. Actor Balthazar Getty is 39. Actor Christopher Kennedy Masterson ("Malcolm in the Middle") is 34. Singer Willa Ford is 33. Actress Beverley Mitchell ("Seventh Heaven") is 33. Guitarist Ben Moody of The Fallen (and Evanescence) is 33. Actress-singer Phoebe Strole ("Glee") is 21. Actress Sami Gayle ("Blue Bloods") is 18.
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