A companion resource to Ken Burns's documentary Country Music, Roots & Branches of Country Music invites readers to explore the diverse origins, influences, and offshoots of the genre. Gospel tent revivals, British ballads, travelling minstrel shows, and banjo traditions dating back to ancient Egypt are all among the "roots" of American country music, and it has since spread its "branches" from honky tonk to rockabilly to "countrypolitan." On the page linked above, readers can scroll to the Explore sections to find clickable tiles. Images and a summary of each root or branch can then be found by clicking "Read More." To see behind-the-scenes clips from the film, readers can navigate to the top of the page and click "Extras," then "Video Extras." The "Extras" menu also includes other resources of interest, such as a "Country Music Timeline" and a selection of lesson plans for grades 6-12 ("Classroom"). The project is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and PBS, along with other donors that are listed in the page footer.
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