09/15/2024
I was told it didn’t exist. I was even told it didn’t exist by personnel who literally worked on this. However, after almost 30 years of scouring radio stations, contacts in the industry and countless other outlets, I found what I considered to be the Holy Grail of Country music - Drake-Chenault’s 52 hour History of Country Music.
The show was produced by Drake-Chenault in 1982 and is a COMPREHENSIVE look at country music from its roots through 1982, the year the show was released. In a major coup, this 52 hour special is narrated by the legendary Ralph Emery. If you are enjoyed the PBS Ken Burns documentary 'Country Music - A Film By Ken Burns,' you will LOVE this!
Everything covered by the special is covered in these 52 hours and then some. While watching I thought to myself, if only Ken had reached out to us. Why? Because many quotes I have heard made secondhand by others in his documentary is made in first person here so it just adds another dimension.
For example, in the final days of Hank Williams' life, Hank Sr. is quoted by Hank, Jr. as having told Minnie Pearl that 'sometimes you just can't see the light.' This radio documentary has Minnie Pearl telling the story firsthand. The beauty of this is that in 1982, many of the legends that had since passed by the time Ken began his work were still alive and their own voices here. ��The set I found was the only known set known to exist!! To me, this is a priceless, one-of-a-kind piece professionally produced. Keep in mind, it was Drake-Chenault that produced the legendary 52 Hour History of Rock & Roll that was originally released in 1978 and updated for release in 1981. As far as content, I have not captured the detail so much as to document every single song but here are the titles of the 52 hours of PURE GOLD!��Working to convert this to digital was a true joy!!��Hour 1 - Hank Williams�Hour 2 - Early Years, Hits from the early years through 1939, Jimmy Rodgers, Carter Family, Red Foley, Ernest Tubb, Hank Snow�Hour 3 - Eddy Arnold, Lefty Frizzell, Webb Pierce, Hits of the 1940's & 1950's�Hour 4 - Hank Thompson, Kitty Wells, Carl Smith, Faron Young�Hour 5 - Jim Reeves, Ray Price�Hour 6 - Elvis Presley�Hour 7 - Hits of 1956-1959�Hour 8 - Johnny Cash�Hour 9 - Sonny James, Jerry Lee Lewis�Hour 10 - Marty Robbins�Hour 11 - Brenda Lee, Don Gibson, Mel Tillis�Hour 12 - George Jones�Hour 13 - Buck Owens, Bill Anderson�Hour 14 - Hits of 1960-1963�Hour 15 - Patsy Cline, Dottie West, Bobby Bare�Hour 16 - Porter Wagoner, Hank Williams, Jr.�Hour 17 - Johnny Horton, Roger Miller, David Houston, Jack Greene, Jim Ed Brown�Hour 18 - Willie Nelson�Hour 19 - Loretta Lynn�Hour 20 - Merle Haggard�Hour 21 - Hits of 1964-1965, Chet Atkins, Hits of 1966-1967�Hour 22 - Statler Brothers�Hour 23 - Charley Pride�Hour 24 - Glen Campbell, Lynn Anderson�Hour 25 - Waylon Jennings�Hour 26 - Tammy Wynette�Hour 27 - Johnny Cash Pt. 2�Hour 28 - Johnny Paycheck, Tom T. Hall�Hour 29 - Hits of 1968-1970�Hour 30 - conway Twitty�Hour 31 - Conway Twitty, Anne Murray�Hour 32 - Barbara Mandrell�Hour 33 - Willie Nelson Pt. 2�Hour 34 - Dolly Parton�Hour 35 - Freddie Hart, Donna Fargo, Charlie Rich�Hour 36 - Hits from 1971-1975�Hour 37 - Johnny Rodriguez, Tanya Tucker, Moe Bandy, Joe Stampley�Hour 38 - Loretta & Conway, Loretta Lynn Pt. 2�Hour 39 - Ronnie Milsap�Hour 40 - Crystal Gayle, Mickey Gilley�Hour 41 - Don Williams�Hour 42 - Merle Haggard Pt. 2�Hour 43 - T.G. Sheppard, Gatlin Brothers�Hour 44 - Hits Of 1974-1979�Hour 45 - Waylon Jennings Pt. 2�Hour 46 - Johnny Lee, Kendalls, Emmylou Harris, Gene Watson, John Conlee�Hour 47 - Kenny Rogers�Hour 48 - Oak Ridge Boys, Charlie Daniels Band, John Anderson�Hour 49 - Eddie Rabbitt, Bellamy Brothers, Alabama�Hour 50 - Hits of 1980-1982�Hour 51 - George Jones Pt. 2�Hour 52 - Time Sweep Every #1 From 1971-1982
