Category Archives: Music

Tina Turner Is Simply the Best on HBO

“I had an abusive life. It’s a reality so you have to accept it,” says Tina Turner, as she contemplates the physical and emotional blows she absorbed as the abandoned child of sharecroppers in Nutbush, TN, and as the physically … Continue reading

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Marian Anderson’s Civil Rights Legacy Shapes Voice of Freedom on PBS

“She can sing from the top of the Washington Monument if she wants to.”–President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Quite remarkably, in 1939, President Rosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt raised their voices in support of singer Marian Anderson, repudiating the Daughters … Continue reading

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16 Hours of Ken Burns’ Country Music on PBS

“Oh, the storm and its fury broke today, crushing hopes that we cherish so dear. Clouds and storms will in time pass away. The sun again will shine bright and clear.”–from the Carter Family’s signature song, “Keep on the Sunny … Continue reading

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Remembering Perry Miller Adato 1920-2018

“I don’t think you can teach anybody anything, whether it’s about art, architecture, literature, or social issues unless you entertain them. You simply cannot lecture people.  You have to involve them emotionally: make them laugh, excite them or make them … Continue reading

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Presenting Princess Shaw Makes Its Broadcast Debut on PBS

“There are so many people with so much talent, original thinking and unique voices. Most of them weren’t born with the ‘right cards in their hand’…What are the chances that we will hear about them?”–filmmaker Ido Haar. Israeli director Ido Haar  … Continue reading

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Transgender Teen Speaks Out as a Real Boy on PBS

“I am literally a boy with the wrong body parts,” remarks 19-year-old Bennett in the hour-long documentary, Real Boy. Feeling comfortable in one’s skin is never easy, especially during adolescence. But for someone like Bennett aka Ben aka Rachael, the roadblocks … Continue reading

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The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble Debuts on HBO

“We don’t speak perfect English, but we speak perfect music.” That refrain drives Morgan Neville’s powerful feature-length documentary, The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble, debuting on HBO tonight, Monday, March 6, 2017, 8:00 – 9:35 p.m. ET/PT. … Continue reading

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HBO Debuts Bright Lights…Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds

“She’s me, and I’m her,” says actress/writer Carrie Fisher in the delicious new feature-length documentary Bright Lights. Fisher’s remark caps one of her grueling gigs at a Star Wars fan convention and refers to her breakout film role as Princess Leia. But she might as … Continue reading

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The Highwaymen Were Friends Till the End

“They had a ball together,” recalls producer/director Jim Brown about the legendary subjects of his latest film. If you’re a fan of Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings or Kris Kristofferson, you might want to kick back and spend an hour watching … Continue reading

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Mavis! Takes Us There on HBO

Need a little more sunshine in your life? If so, I encourage you to kick back and spend some quality time with Mavis!, the wonderful new documentary profile of singer Mavis Staples. You’ll come away with a smile on your face and a spring in … Continue reading

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