简介：BBCTWOtravelstheLostHighwayanduncoversthestoryofcountrymusiconajourneytotheheartofAmericaandthemusicthathascometodefineit. Fromthemakersoftheaward-winningseriesDancingintheStreetandWalkOnBycomesanothermajorheritagemusicserieschartingthehistoryofcountrymusicinthewordsofitsgreatestperformersandproducers,musiciansandsongwriters. 2003seesthe50thanniversaryofthedeathofHankWilliams,themosticonicfigureincountryandoneofthemostreveredsongwritersofalltime. Andcountryiscurrentlyenjoyingaremarkablerenaissancefuelledbytheinternationalsuccessofthemulti-millionsellingsoundtracktotheCoenBrothersmovieOBrotherWhereArtThou. Thisbluegrassrevival,whichhasbrilliantlysucceededinre-inventingthemusicforacontemporaryaudience,hasbeenledbyperformerssuchasEmmylouHarris,AlisonKraussandGillianWelch,allofwhomfeatureinLostHighway. SeriesEditor,MichaelPoole,said:"Countryisnowsomeofthecoolestmusicaroundbutthere'sstillthispopularmisconceptionthatit'sjustaboutline-dancingandbighats. "Infactcountryisareallyrichandvariedmusicthatconstantlysurprisesyouwithitsdepthandrange.It'salsoafascinatingwaytoseehowAmericahasnegotiatedwaveafterwaveofsocialchange. "Country'sinfluencecanbefeltineverygenreofpopularmusicanditisfulloflargerthanlifecharacterswhosestorieswebringtolifeinLostHighway. "It'salwaysbeenthemusicthroughwhichAmericatalkstoitself-andnowitisincreasinglyfindingpopularityoutsideAmerica,mostrecentlyseeninthemassiveworld-widesalesforthesoundtracktoOhBrotherWhereArtThouandthecontinuedchartpresenceofperformerslikeShaniaTwain." Atatimeofuncertaintyandchange,countrymusicisbeingembracedagainbecauseitoffersadeepsenseofrootedness. Thelongingitexpresseshasalwaysbeenaboutbelongingandit'soneofthekeywaysordinaryAmericanshavemadesenseoftheircountryandthemselves. Thisfour-partserieswillmakesenseofthepeopleandthelandscapesofcountrymusic,andtheamazingvarietyanddepthofthisgenreanditsperformers. Uniquely,itwillusemusicalreconstructionandspeciallyrecordedperformancefromleadingartiststoallowitsaudiencetoexperiencethemusicinanew,freshandaccessibleway. LostHighwaywillchartthehistoryandgrowthofcountrymusicfromitsrootsinmountainmusic,throughbluegrasstotheemergenceofHankWilliamsandhonkytonk,theriseofthepopfriendlyNashvilleSound,theextraordinaryemergenceoffemaleperformerstopositionsofdominanceintheindustryandthesuccessofnewerformsofthegenrefromcountryrocktoalt.country. ItincludesexclusivecontributionsfromEmmylouHarris,AlisonKrauss,GillianWelch,HankWilliamsIII,KrisKristoffersonandDollyPartonamongstothers. LostHighway:TheStoryofCountryMusicisproducedbyWilliamNaylor;theserieseditorisMichaelPoole.…