(SOFT MUSIC) ♪ I LOVE THOSE DEAR HEARTS AND GENTLE PEOPLE ♪ ♪ THAT LIVE IN MY HOMETOWN - PEOPLE WHO GROW UP HERE, WHEN YOU LEAVE, YOU THINK, "I HAVE NO CULTURE.

"I HAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE TO GO FIND IT."

BUT THAT'S NOT TRUE, WE HAVE OUR OWN INTERESTING CULTURE AND MUSICAL CULTURE HERE THAT HAS EXISTED FOR PROBABLY OVER 100 TO 200 YEARS.

- THIS IS STORY-BASED MUSIC.

IT'S MUSIC THAT IS ORIGINALLY TELLING THE STORIES OF LOCAL HISTORY, LOCAL PEOPLE, LOCAL EVENTS.

♪ THAT LIVE AND LOVE IN MY HOMETOWN ♪ (UPBEAT COUNTRY MUSIC) - WE WERE AN INCREDIBLY COSMOPOLITAN STATE.

YOU HAVE THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE STATE, THE OHIO ON THE SOUTH, THE ILLINOIS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STATE.

AND THESE WERE SUPER HIGHWAYS IN THEIR DAY.

AND THEY BROUGHT IN NEW PEOPLE, NEW IDEAS, NEW MUSIC.

- THE VERY FIRST EUROPEAN MUSIC TO COME TO ILLINOIS WAS, OBVIOUSLY, FRENCH MUSIC.

FIDDLE WAS AT THE HEART OF THE MUSIC, AND THE FIDDLE MUSIC THAT CAME CAME FROM NORTHWESTERN FRANCE IN NORMANDY AND BRITTANY.

WELL, BRITTANY AND NORMANDY HAVE SOMETHING VERY IN COMMON WITH THE BRITISH ISLES, WHICH IS THAT THAT FRENCH MUSIC THAT CAME HERE WAS HEAVILY CELTIC.

AND SO A LOT OF THE MUSIC CAME, BECAME FAST, IT BECAME DANCEABLE, IT WAS KNOWN FOR, AND IS KNOWN, I SAY IT WAS, IT IS KNOWN FOR IT'S HEART-WRENCHING BALLADS.

THE SPANISH ALSO, WHO CONTROLLED LOUISIANA AND UPPER LOUISIANA, OF COURSE, IT WAS ST.

LOUIS, THEY'RE CONNECTED WITH KASKASKIA, ILLINOIS, AND THEY'RE CONNECTED WITHIN CAHOKIA, ILLINOIS.

THEY'RE BRINGING GUITARS IN THE 1780S AND 1790S.

SO WE HAVE THE FORMATION OF FULL INSTRUMENTATION FOR BANDS GOING BACK WELL OVER 200 YEARS.

- AND THIS WAS MUSIC THAT WAS USED AS EVERYDAY ENTERTAINMENT.

IT WAS PART OF EVERY HARVEST FESTIVAL, EVERY BARN RAISING.

THEY WOULD HAVE A SQUARE DANCE VIRTUALLY ANYTIME, ANYWHERE, ANY PLACE.

- [DENNIS S.]

ANOTHER THING THAT BRINGS EASTERNERS WEST INTO ILLINOIS IS THE NATIONAL ROAD.

THEY'RE COMING IN AND THEY FAN OUT INTO CENTRAL ILLINOIS.

BUT THEY'RE COMING FROM PENNSYLVANIA, THEY'RE COMING FROM NEW YORK, THEY'LL BE COMING IN FROM OHIO.

- SO THE WATERWAYS IN ILLINOIS WERE LITERALLY THE SUPERHIGHWAYS OF THE ERA, WHEN OUR STATE IS FIRST BEING DEVELOPED.

AND MUSIC IS ALSO EXPLODING AT THIS TIME.

BUT IT ALSO TRAVELED VERY EFFECTIVELY IN A MORE ROOTS MANNER.

SO, FOR INSTANCE, ONE OF THE TECHNIQUES THAT I PLAY A GREAT DEAL OF IS CALLED BOTTLENECK SLIDE GUITAR.

THIS IS A STYLE THAT EVOLVED FROM AN OLD SLAVE INSTRUMENT CALLED A DIDDLEY STICK, A SINGLE STRINGED INSTRUMENT OF ANY SIZE OR SHAPE.

YOU JUST STRETCH A PIECE OF WIRE ON ANYTHING, TIGHT ENOUGH TO MAKE A TONE, AND THEN THEY WOULD SLIDE A STICK, A HOLLOWED-OUT HAM BONE, MAYBE THE NECK OF A BOTTLE UP AND DOWN THE STRING TO CHANGE THE PITCH.

THE EARLIEST BLUES MUSIC IS PLAYED IN THIS FORMAT.

NOW, BY, SAY THE 1880S AND 1890S, THAT STYLE HAS EVOLVED TO THE POINT WHERE THEY'RE USING BROKEN OFF BOTTLES ON GUITARS.

THIS TRAVELS UP THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AS THE MUSICIANS THAT PLAY THIS MUSIC WORK AS DECKHANDS AND ROUSTABOUTS ON THE BOATS.

IT WAS DESCRIBED AS ALMOST AN ELECTRIC SOUND, LONG BEFORE THE IDEA OF AN ELECTRIC GUITAR.

THE COUNTRY MUSICIANS ADAPT THAT STYLE, IT BECOMES THE DOBRO WE HEAR IN BLUEGRASS THE STEEL GUITAR WE HEAR IN EARLY COUNTRY MUSIC, AND IN THE 50S, THEY CREATE THE PEDAL STEEL GUITAR.

ALL OF THAT EVOLVES OUT OF THAT ORIGINAL SINGLE-STRINGED INSTRUMENT.

(SOFT MUSIC) - [ANNOUNCER] THE WLS BARN DANCE IS ON THE AIR!

(UPBEAT COUNTRY MUSIC) - [CHRIS] PEOPLE THINK OF NASHVILLE AS THE COUNTRY MUSIC CENTER.

AND IT IS THESE DAYS, BUT CHICAGO WAS IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE 20TH CENTURY.

- IN THE 1920S, THERE WAS A RISING INTEREST IN OLD-TIME FIDDLE MUSIC ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

IN 1924, ONE OF THE MANY NEW RADIO STATIONS IN CHICAGO THAT STARTED WAS WLS.

IT WAS OWNED BY THE SEARS-ROEBUCK AGRICULTURAL FOUNDATION.

SO WLS WENT ON THE AIR AND SAID, "WE'RE GOING TO SERVICE FARMERS."

AND SO THE SECOND SATURDAY NIGHT IN THE STATIONS EXISTENCE, APRIL 19TH, 1924, THEY ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WERE GONNA HAVE A NATIONAL BARN DANCE.

IN OTHER WORDS, THEY WERE GONNA BRING SOME OLD-TIME FIDDLERS INTO THE STUDIO, BROADCAST THEIR MUSIC, AND IT WAS GONNA GO OUT ACROSS THE NATION.

AND THEY TOLD PEOPLE, "ROLL YOUR RUGS BACK, CLEAR THE FLOOR, "AND DANCE TO THE SOUNDS OF OLD-TIME FIDDLING "COMING OUT OF YOUR RADIO SPEAKER."

- [ANNOUNCER] YES SIREE, TO START THINGS OFF, BOYS, LET'S REALLY RAISE THE ROOF.

LET'S HEAR THAT OLD "ALABAMA JUBILEE"!

(UPBEAT COUNTRY MUSIC) - [PAUL] OLD TIME FIDDLING WAS THE FIRST SOUND THAT BECAME DEFINITIVE FOR THE "NATIONAL BARN DANCE," BUT, QUICKLY, IT BECAME A VARIETY SHOW.

IT INCLUDED MORE CITIFIED ARTISTS AS WELL AS COUNTRY ARTISTS.

- AND EARLY COUNTRY MUSIC WAS THE RURAL HAYSEED HILLBILLY.

BUT NO BOY WANTS TO GROW UP TO BE A HILLBILLY OR A MOUNTAINEER.

BUT EVERY BOY WANTED TO GROW UP TO BE A COWBOY!

- IN THE 1930S, COWBOY MOVIES BECAME ALL THE RAGE.

THE IMAGES OF A COWBOY AND THE FREEDOM OF "HOME ON THE RANGE" WORKED PERFECTLY WITH COUNTRY MUSIC AND MANY ARTISTS BEGAN TO ADOPT A WESTERN PERSONA.

GENE AUTRY WOULD LEAD THE WAY.

- AUTRY WAS IN OKLAHOMA, SO THEY BRING HIM INTO WLS TO START PERFORMING.

AND HE DRESSED LIKE A COWBOY, BUT HE DIDN'T SING COWBOY SONGS, REALLY, UNTIL 1933.

AND THAT IS GONNA LEAD HIM, EVENTUALLY, TO HOLLYWOOD AS THE FIRST SINGING COWBOY STAR.

THOSE SINGING COWBOYS POPULARIZED COUNTRY MUSIC AND MADE IT NATIONAL WITH A GOOD IMAGE.

GENE AUTRY NEEDED A COMEDIAN AS WELL AS A MUSICIAN AS PART OF HIS SHOW, HIS LIVE SHOW.

- HE SAID, "BOYS, I NEED AN ACCORDION PLAYER.

"CAN YOU, KNOW ANYBODY THAT CAN PLAY ACCORDION?"

HE SAID, "WELL, THERE'S A GUY DOWN AT TUSCOLA, ILLINOIS.

"HE PLAYS ACCORDION, HE'S PRETTY GOOD."

"SO GIVE ME HIS PHONE NUMBER."

SO GENE AUTRY CALLS SMILEY BURNETTE UP ON THE PHONE, "THIS IS GENE AUTRY."

"I BET THIS IS GENE AUTRY," SMILEY KIND OF LAUGHED.

AND SAID, "NO, IT IS, I NEED AN ACCORDION PLAYER.

"WOULD YOU CONSIDER, I'LL PAY YA SO MUCH A WEEK.

"WOULD YOU CONSIDER PLAYING FOR ME?"

SMILEY SAID, "I'LL BE THERE."

- [CHRIS] GENE AUTRY AND SMILEY BURNETTE BECAME PARTNERS DURING THE "NATIONAL BARN DANCE," BUT THEIR COLLABORATION WOULD BECOME EVEN MORE LEGENDARY IN THE YEARS TO COME.

- AUTRY HAD BEEN TRYING TO GET INTO THE MOVIES.

AND HE FINALLY GETS A CALL TO BE A GUEST IN A KEN MAYNARD MOVIE.

AND THEY'RE DRIVING FROM CHICAGO OUT TO L.A.

AND I THINK SMILEY WAS ASKING ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY HE COULD GET FOR A SONG (LAUGHS).

AND SO HE'S LAYING IN THE BACKSEAT OF THE CAR AND WRITES "RIDING DOWN THE CANYON," WHICH IS A CLASSIC WESTERN SONG.

♪ RIDIN' DOWN THE CANYON, WATCH THE SUN GO DOWN ♪ ♪ PICTURE THAT NO ARTIST E'ER COULD PAINT ♪ ♪ WHITE FACED CATTLE LOWIN' ON THE MOUNTAIN SIDE ♪ ♪ I HEAR A COYOTE WHINING FOR ITS MATE ♪ - [CHRIS] SMILEY BURNETTE WENT ON TO HAVE A GREAT CAREER IN TV AND MOVIES AFTER HIS YEARS WITH GENE AUTRY.

HE WOULD HAVE A STARRING ROLE IN "PETTICOAT JUNCTION," "GREEN ACRES," AND WOULD MAKE APPEARANCES ON "THE GRAND OLE OPRY" AND THE "LOUISIANA HAYRIDE."

- [PAUL] THE WHOLE ARRAY OF MUSIC THAT WAS HEARD ON THE "NATIONAL BARN DANCE," OF COURSE, INCLUDED A GREAT DEAL OF COUNTRY-TINGED PERFORMERS.

SOME CAME FROM OTHER STATES, SOME CAME FROM ILLINOIS.

- ONE OF MY FAVORITES WAS LULA BELLE AND SCOTTY THAT SANG "HAVE I TOLD YOU LATELY THAT I LOVE YOU?

", A GREAT DUET.

- [PAUL] ANOTHER EARLY PERFORMER IN THE LATE 20S WAS PIE PLANT PETE.

HE WAS FROM GALLATIN COUNTY IN THE FAR SOUTH OF THE STATE.

HE LEFT BEHIND A NUMBER OF RECORDINGS FROM HIS DAYS AT WLS.

♪ COME WHAT MAY FOR THAT MOUND ACROSS THE WAY ♪ ♪ OVER YONDER, OVER THERE - JENNY LOU CARSON, WHO WAS BORN IN DECATUR, ILLINOIS, WAS A POPULAR PERFORMER ON "THE BARN DANCE."

SHE PERFORMED AN ACT WITH HER SISTERS CALLED THE THREE LITTLE MAIDS.

IN 1945, SHE BECAME THE FIRST WOMAN TO WRITE A COUNTRY MUSIC HIT.

HER SONG, "JEALOUS HEART" WAS RECORDED BY TEX RITTER AND STAYED ON THE COUNTRY MUSIC CHARTS FOR 23 WEEKS.

♪ JEALOUS HEART, NOW I'M THE LONELY ONE ♪ - WITH ALL THE RADIO BROADCASTS, THE LIVE THEATER PERFORMANCES, THE TOURING ARTISTS BUREAU, THE "NATIONAL BARN DANCE" WAS A DOMINANT INSTITUTION IN WHAT WAS BECOMING KNOWN AS COUNTRY MUSIC.

A SHOW STARTED IN NASHVILLE IN 1925 COPYING THE "NATIONAL BARN DANCE."

THERE WAS AN ANNOUNCER FROM WLS WHO WAS HIRED BY WSM IN NASHVILLE, GEORGE D HAY, WHO HAD BEEN THE ANNOUNCER ON THE EARLY "BARN DANCE."

SO WHEN HE GOT DOWN TO NASHVILLE, HE STARTED HIS OWN ON WSM.

AND THAT SOON BECAME KNOWN AS "THE GRAND OLE OPRY."

(AUDIENCE CHEERING) - [GEORGE] WELCOME TO THE "GRAND OLE OPRY," WITH ROD BRASFIELD MINNIE PEARL, AND STARRING RED FOLEY!

- WLS TOOK A TUMBLE IN 1946 WHEN RED FOLEY LEFT AND JOINED THE "GRAND OLE OPRY."

THE "NATIONAL BARN DANCE" SPONSOR WAS ALKA-SELTZER, WHICH GOT THEM ON THE NETWORK.

AND WHEN THEY LOST FOLEY, THEY LOST ALKA-SELTZER, THEY LOST THE NETWORK.

SO THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE DECLINE, THE SHARP DECLINE FROM CHICAGO BEING THE CENTER FOR COUNTRY MUSIC.

- IT HELD IT'S OWN GROUND, BUT THE "GRAND OLE OPRY" IN NASHVILLE HAD GAINED A LOT AND HAD BECOME QUITE A LARGE INSTITUTION.

IT LASTED WELL INTO THE 1950S WITH A LOT OF GREAT PERFORMERS, WAS ON THE AIR INTO 1960, WHEN THE STATION WAS SOLD AND THE NEW OWNERS OF WLS WERE GONNA TURN IT INTO A ROCK 'N' ROLL STATION.

♪ WLS, THE WINDY CITY - MY NAME IS JOHN PENNELL.

I GREW UP ON A FARM OUTSIDE OF URBANA ON RAY STREET AND I MOVED HERE IN 1998, AND I'VE BEEN HERE EVER SINCE.

WELL, I MOVED DOWN HERE TO BE A SONGWRITER.

- MY NAME'S GRAHAM EDWARDS, I LIVE IN CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS.

I'M ORIGINALLY FROM ABERDEEN, SCOTLAND.

I SPENT MOST OF MY CAREER IN LOS ANGELES AS A SONGWRITER AND RECORD PRODUCER.

- GRAHAM AND I MET IN JANUARY 2019 AT MY HOUSE IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

OUR GOAL WAS TO WRITE A BLUEGRASS SONG.

IT'S INTERESTING, BECAUSE GRAHAM AND I COME FROM COMPLETELY DIFFERENT MUSICAL BACKGROUNDS.

♪ TELL ME ♪ WHY'D YOU HAVE TO GO AND MAKE THINGS SO COMPLICATED ♪ - [GRAHAM] I CO-WROTE AND PRODUCED "COMPLICATED, "SK8ER BOI" AND "I'M WITH YOU" FOR AVRIL LAVIGNE.

I CO-WROTE "REMEDY" FOR JASON MRAZ, I'VE WORKED WITH KORN ON A COUPLE OF THEIR ALBUMS.

I'VE ALSO WORKED WITH KATY PERRY.

- I'M THE BLUEGRASS AND COUNTRY WRITER.

♪ AND IT'S TOO LATE TO CRY 'CAUSE WE LEFT IT ALL BEHIND ♪ ♪ TOO LATE TO CRY 'CAUSE THERE'S NOTHIN' ♪ - [JOHN] I WROTE "MEAT AND POTATO MAN" WITH HARLEY ALLEN FOR ALAN JACKSON, EVA CASSIDY, AND THEN SOME SONGS THAT ALISON KRAUSS RECORDED INCLUDING "EVERY TIME YOU SAY GOODBYE," "TOO LATE TO CRY" AND "JACOB'S DREAM."

- WHEN JOHN AND I HAD OUR FIRST WRITING SESSION THAT MORNING, I FELT I WAS OUT OF MY DEPTH.

EVEN THOUGH I'VE WRITTEN A LOT OF POP SONGS AND ROCK SONGS FOR OTHER PEOPLE, THIS WAS MY FIRST ATTEMPT AT WRITING A BLUEGRASS SONG.

I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO SITTING DOWN ACROSS THE TABLE FROM JOHN AND JUST PLAYING A FEW IDEAS AND SEEING HOW WE CLICKED.

SOMETIMES IT CAN CLICK, SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T, YOU KNOW.

♪ DO, DO, DO, DO ♪ DO, DO, DO, DO ♪ DO, DO, DO, DO - I PUT A FEW IDEAS TOGETHER TO PLAY JOHN WHEN I CAME.

AND I PLAYED ONE THING ON ACOUSTIC AND HE WENT, "THAT'S KIND OF A BLUEGRASS VIBE.

"WE'LL START THERE."

- YEAH, THAT'S KIND OF BASICALLY IT, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

(SOFT MUSIC) - [JOHN] I TOOK THE IDEA THAT GRAHAM PRESENTED AND WORKED WITH IT TO GIVE IT A MORE COUNTRY BLUEGRASS FLAVOR.

(SOFT MUSIC) - THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

- YEAH.

I REALIZED PRETTY QUICKLY THAT THIS WAS JOHN'S STORY WHEN WE GOT INTO THE LYRICS.

AND HE WAS WRITING ABOUT HIS LIFE, WHICH WAS BASED IN ILLINOIS, KENTUCKY, YOU KNOW, THE ADJACENT STATES.

BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN MY STORY, ANY MUSICIAN'S STORY, FOR THAT MATTER.

- ROLLING DOWN A COUNTRY ROAD, FIDDLE IN THE BACKSEAT, PRAIRIE WINDS WHISTLE OUT A LONESOME TUNE.

CORN FIELDS AND RUSTIC BARNS CALLING, CALL, CALLING FROM MY MEMORY TO A TIME WHEN.

SOMETHING.

- AT THE END OF OUR FIRST WRITING SESSIONS, THE SONG WAS DEFINITELY TAKING SHAPE.

BUT IT WAS CLEAR THAT WE HAD TO DEFINE THE DIRECTION A LITTLE MORE.

- WE CAME UP WITH A SONG THAT WAS KIND OF THE IDEA.

BUT I THINK IT WAS OKAY, BUT WE NEVER REALLY FELT, I DON'T THINK WE FELT LIKE IT WAS THE END, THAT WE HAD MORE TO DO.

AND THEN THINGS KIND OF SEEPED IN OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

♪ CORN FIELDS AND RUSTIC BARNS ♪ CALL OUT FROM MY MEMORY ♪ A FRONT PORCH SWING ON A SUNNY AFTERNOON ♪ - THE EXPLOSION OF RADIO AND TV IN THE 1960S AND 70S OPENED THE DOORS FOR ILLINOIS MUSICIANS TO HAVE MORE CAREERS IN MUSIC, AND NOT JUST AS PERFORMERS.

BILL PUTNAM FROM DANVILLE, ILLINOIS WAS ONE OF THE EARLY PIONEERS OF RECORDING.

HE WAS THE FIRST TO INVENT THE MODERN RECORDING CONSOLE AND ALSO THE FIRST TO USE ARTIFICIAL REVERB IN COMMERCIAL RECORDING.

AROUND THE SAME TIME, A MAN NAMED JERRY MILAM SET UP ONE OF THE BEST RECORDING STUDIOS IN THE MIDWEST OUTSIDE OF PEORIA.

♪ LOOK AT THE WONDER OF IT - THE ONLY REAL STUDIOS WAS IN THE BIG CITY.

BUT EVEN IN THAT TIME, THEY WERE FAIRLY CRUDE.

BUT I WENT HOME ONE NIGHT, AND I SAID TO MARY, I SAID, "MAN, I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THAT RECORDING A TRY."

SO I START DIGGING AROUND AND START LOOKING AT WHAT BROCHURES I COULD FIND AND STUFF AND STARTED PIECING TOGETHER SOME EQUIPMENT.

WORD GOT AROUND THE AREA WHAT WE WERE DOING, AND IT REALLY PIQUED A LOT OF PEOPLE'S INTEREST.

AND I MET A FELLOW FIVE MILES SOUTH PEKIN, IN SOUTH PEKIN AND I TOLD HIM WHAT I WANTED TO DO.

AND HE SAID, "HEY, JERRY, I'VE GOT 40 ACRES "SITTING OUT HERE JUST WEST OF SOUTH PEKIN.

"I'D LIKE TO GET THAT DEVELOPED "AND I HAVEN'T HAD A BITE ON THE PROPERTY YET."

HE SAID, "HOW ABOUT I GET YOU AN ACRE "RIGHT ON THE FIRST CORNER?"

(UPBEAT MUSIC) A LOT OF PEOPLE THOUGHT I WAS REALLY INSANE.

(LAUGHS) THEY THOUGHT, "WHAT IS THIS GUY REALLY DOING "AND WHY WOULD HE WANNA COMPETE "AGAINST A PLACE LIKE NASHVILLE?"

THOUGH I LOVE DOING COUNTRY, WE DIDN'T HAVE NEAR AS MUCH BUSINESS IN THAT AS WE DID IN POP ROCK AND GOSPEL.

♪ JESUS KEEPS TAKING ME HIGHER AND HIGHER ♪ ♪ HIGHER, HIGHER - THEY STARTED COMING IN FROM FAR AND WIDE AFTER A WHILE.

AND WE HAD GROUPS FROM MICHIGAN, ALL OVER, THAT STARTED DRIVING IN.

♪ ONE DAY AT A TIME - [CHRIS] ANOTHER PEORIA NATIVE, CRISTY LANE, WOULD JUMPSTART HER CAREER AT GOLDEN VOICE.

- WE DID HER VOCAL TEST AND THAT CONVINCED LEE AND HER THAT, YES, YOU COULD MAKE A CAREER AT THIS.

SO THAT'S HOW THEY GOT OFF AND RUNNING.

- [CHRIS] CRISTY LANE WOULD HAVE MULTIPLE HITS IN THE 1970S AND A NUMBER ONE HIT IN THE EARLY 80S, WITH THE SONG, "ONE DAY AT A TIME."

FRED NEWELL FROM ASHLAND, ILLINOIS DID SOME OF HIS VERY FIRST RECORDINGS AT GOLDEN VOICE.

- FRED WAS A GUITAR PLAYER FROM SOUTHERN ILLINOIS, AND HE WAS THAT TECHNICAL KIND OF PLAYER.

AND HE EVENTUALLY MOVED TO NASHVILLE AND PLAYED ON MANY, MANY HITS.

- [CHRIS] GOLDEN VOICE WOULD RECORD REO SPEEDWAGON, DAN FOGELBERG AND STEVE GIBSON, WHO WOULD GO ON TO BE A MAJOR RECORD PRODUCER AND WOULD SERVE AS MUSIC DIRECTOR FOR THE "GRAND OLE OPRY".

- I SHOCKED MARY ONE DAY, I WENT HOME AND SAID, "YOU KNOW, I THINK, MARY, THERE'S AN EMERGING MARKET HERE "IN BUILDING STUDIOS."

I SAID, "I THINK I'M GONNA SELL IT "AND I THINK I'M GONNA GO INTO PRO-AUDIO "AND DO THAT FULL-TIME."

AND WE EVENTUALLY SOLD THE STUDIO TO OUR EMPLOYEES.

BUT A COUPLE OF YEARS OR A NUMBER OF YEARS AFTER THAT, THE STUDIO WAS TORCHED AND BURNED DOWN.

WE WERE ALL IN A NEW INDUSTRY THAT WAS TRYING TO GROW AND EMERGE AND IT'S THE REASON WE DIDN'T TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS AND SIGN GUEST BOOKS AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF BECAUSE WE'RE JUST ALL HACKING TOGETHER TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING.

♪ WELL I KNOW ♪ I'M YOUR BOY - IT'S TIME FOR "POSSUM HOLLER RFD."

(LAUGHS) - [CHRIS] RIGHT AS JERRY MILAM WAS BEGINNING HIS WORK, A MAN IN QUINCY, ILLINOIS WAS DEVELOPING WHAT WOULD BECOME ONE OF THE VERY FIRST COUNTRY MUSIC TV SHOWS IN THE NATION.

IT WAS CALLED "THE POSSUM HOLLER OPRY," AND IT AIRED ON WGEM-TV.

- THEY NEEDED TELEVISION PROGRAMS IN THE LATE 50S, EARLY 60S.

EVERYTHING WAS LIVE, EVERYTHING THEY HAD PRODUCED ALL HAD TO BE LIVE TELEVISION.

AND THEY NEEDED IDEAS FOR PROGRAMS.

MY FATHER, RICHARD WILLIAM ELSENPETER, KNOWN BY MOST PEOPLE AS TOBY DICK ELLIS, HE ALWAYS LOVED THE IDEA OF COUNTRY-WESTERN VARIETY PROGRAMS.

SO THAT WAS HIS PITCH TO CHANNEL 7, AT THE TIME.

AS MY FATHER SAID, "WITH IT, YOU CAN HAVE CONCERTS "WHO BRING IN ROCK MUSIC, YOU CAN HAVE CONCERTS "WHO BRING IN CLASSICAL MUSIC.

"AND YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE PEOPLE COME TO THOSE PROGRAMS.

"BUT IF YOU WANT TO SELL OUT, DO COUNTRY."

- GOT OUT IN THE ROAD.

- REX, REX ALLEN!

AH, REX!

(AUDIENCE APPLAUDS) - AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT "POSSUM HOLLER" LOVED DOING IS THEY WOULD HAVE NATIONAL PERFORMERS THAT WOULD COME IN.

WE HAD REX ALLEN, WAS ON THE SHOW, WE HAD MINNIE PEARL THAT WAS ON THE SHOW, WE HAD ROY ORBISON.

BUT THERE WAS SO MUCH GREAT LOCAL TALENT THAT THEY WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE LOCAL TALENTS WITHIN THE AREA.

AND THAT WAS THE CORNERSTONE OF "POSSUM HOLLER OPRY," WAS TO BE ABLE TO DRAW THAT HUGE TALENT THAT WAS IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY THAT PEOPLE COULD CONNECT TO, YOU KNOW, "THAT'S MY SON, THAT'S MY NEPHEW."

SO THEY WOULD TUNE INTO THE SHOW BECAUSE THEY KNEW PEOPLE.

♪ OH THEM'S WEEPING AND WAILING IN MUDVILLE ♪ ♪ AND THE BUMS IN THE BLUE ROOM AGREE ♪ - IT HAD SUCH A HUGE FOLLOWING THAT IF IT PLAYED OPPOSITE OF THE WORLD SERIES OR THE SUPERBOWL, IT HAD BETTER RATINGS.

IT RAN FROM MOTHER'S DAY 1960 THROUGH MOTHER'S DAY 1970.

WITHIN A YEAR, "HEE HAW" CAME OUT.

IT JUST AMAZES ME THAT A LOCAL TELEVISION SHOW THAT WENT OFF THE AIR 40 YEARS AGO, PEOPLE STILL REMEMBER, PEOPLE STILL SAY, "I REMEMBER WATCHING THAT, THAT WAS A GREAT SHOW."

- HAVE A GOOD WEEK, NEIGHBOR.

GOD BLESS YA, ONE AND ALL.

(UPBEAT COUNTRY MUSIC) - [CHRIS] ONE OF THE MUSICIANS WHO APPEARED ON THE "POSSUM HOLLER OPRY" GOT HIS START AT A RADIO STATION IN CLINTON, ILLINOIS.

AND HE WOULD GO ON TO BE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT INNOVATORS IN COUNTRY MUSIC.

- [ANNOUNCER] THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO SAY WELCOME TO THE "JOHN HARTFORD SHOW" FOR THIS SATURDAY MORNING.

- THERE WAS A PLACE IN CLINTON, ILLINOIS, THAT PLAYED COUNTRY MUSIC.

THEY WOULD PLAY LIVE MUSIC BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH RECORDS TO FILL ALL THAT TIME.

ON THAT SHOW ALSO WAS A DJ THAT WAS THERE, HIS NAME WAS JOHNNY HARTFORD.

- JOHN HARTFORD ISN'T ACTUALLY TECHNICALLY FROM ILLINOIS, BUT HE SPENT A LOT OF TIME HERE.

HE WAS FASCINATED WITH THE STEAMBOATS AND THE RIVER WAYS.

HE WAS ACTUALLY A LICENSED PILOT.

"GENTLE ON MY MIND" WAS A VERY UNUSUAL SONG FOR COUNTRY MUSIC, ESPECIALLY THE THEMES IT TALKED ABOUT.

AND HER RELEASED IT HIMSELF AT ONE POINT WITH NO REAL INTEREST.

GLEN CAMPBELL THEN RECORDED THE SONG AND IT BECAME A HUGE HIT.

♪ IT'S KNOWING THAT YOUR DOOR IS ALWAYS OPEN ♪ ♪ AND YOUR PATH IS FREE TO WALK ♪ (UPBEAT COUNTRY MUSIC) ♪ THAT MAKES ME TEND TO LEAVE MY SLEEPING BAG ROLLED UP ♪ ♪ AND STASHED BEHIND YOUR COUCH ♪ - I WOULD SAY THAT MY LIFE IN MUSIC HAS BEEN A STEADY THING OF TRYING TO TEACH MY HANDS AND MY FEET AND MY MOUTH TO REPRODUCE THE SOUNDS THAT I HEAR IN MY HEAD.

♪ IN THE BACK ROADS BY THE RIVERS OF MY MEMORY ♪ ♪ AND KEEPS YOU EVER GENTLE ON MY MIND ♪ - A LOT OF HIS ALBUMS THAT HE DID ARE REALLY KIND OF LIKE FORWARD THINKING.

SOME PEOPLE MIGHT CALL IT JUST ANOTHER VERSION OF ALT-COUNTRY.

- HE FELT FREE TO BE FUNNY, BE SERIOUS, TO SING ABOUT LITTLE ODD, OUT-OF-THE-WAY THINGS, TO DO FUNNY VOICES AND (POPS CHEEKS) (SPEAKS GIBBERISH).

(ROBBIE BREATHES FORCEFULLY) HE JUST DID WHATEVER HE WANTED TO DO, AND HE DID AN OLD THING IN TOTALLY HIS OWN VOICE AND IN A MODERN WAY.

THAT'S AN UNUSUAL THING TO LEARN.

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ALLOWED TO DO WHATEVER.

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ALLOWED TO BE YOURSELF.

- JOHN, BEING FROM THE ST.

LOUIS AREA, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT ALT-COUNTRY, WHO ELSE COMES FROM THE ST.

LOUIS AREA?

WHO ELSE COMES FROM BELLEVILLE BUT UNCLE TUPELO?

(UPBEAT COUNTRY MUSIC) - THIS IS DEDE SCHOFIELD WITH "CRITICAL MASS" TALKING HER WITH JAY, GOT JEFF AND MIKE, BETTER KNOWN AS UNCLE TUPELO.

- APPARENTLY THERE WAS A HUNGER FOR COUNTRY MUSIC THAT WAS LIKE KIND OF RAW AND THROATY AND A LITTLE BIT RAUCOUS AND OUT OF TUNE.

- UNCLE TUPELO IS CERTAINLY THE CORE OF THE ALT-COUNTRY COMMUNITY.

- [DENNIS S.]

THEY LOVE ROCK BUT THEY ALSO LOVED COUNTRY.

AND THEY WERE TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE BOTH CONNECT.

♪ THIS WORLD OF TOIL AND TROUBLE ♪ ♪ MY HOME'S IN HEAVEN, I'M GOING THERE ♪ - MIDWESTERN ARTISTS LIKE JOHN PRINE, STEVE GOODMAN, AND THEN UNCLE TUPELO, THEY ALL EMBRACED WORKING CLASS THEMES.

AND IF THEIR MUSIC BECAME SOCIAL AND POLITICAL, THEY HAD NOTHING TO LOSE BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T GETTING MAINSTREAM RADIO PLAY.

AND WHEN THEY DID LATER ON, IT WAS BECAUSE THE COMMERCIAL RADIO COULD NO LONGER IGNORE THEM.

- THAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE MUSIC SCENE THAT COMES OUT OF THE GREATER ST.

LOUIS AREA, YOU KNOW, BELLEVILLE, ALTON.

THERE'S A MIX OF MUSIC THAT'S HAPPENING THERE, BLUES, JAZZ, ROCK, WESTERN SWING, HARDCORE COUNTRY.

WHEN YOU'RE RAISED IN THAT TYPE OF AREA, YOU HAVE A LOT OF FODDER FOR A GOOD SONG.

(UPBEAT COUNTRY MUSIC) - UP IN CHICAGO, TWO FRIENDS THAT HAD A SERIOUS INTEREST IN MUSIC BEGAN TO NOTICE ACTS LIKE UNCLE TUPELO, ACTS THAT TOOK TRADITIONAL COUNTRY SONGS AND FOLK SONGS AND REINTERPRETED THEM IN THEIR OWN UNIQUE WAY.

THEY'D NAME THEIR NEW RECORD LABEL BLOODSHOT RECORDS.

- SO WHEN WE WERE FIRST PUTTING TOGETHER THE IDEA OF BLOODSHOT, WE WERE GOING TO ALL THESE DIFFERENT CLUBS AND WE WERE SEEING ALL THESE BANDS, YOU KNOW, PRE-INTERNET, THAT WERE PLAYING TO EIGHT, 10, 12 PEOPLE AT DIFFERENT CLUBS IN DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS WHO DIDN'T NECESSARILY KNOW ABOUT ONE ANOTHER.

AND WE JUST WROTE DOWN ON A COCKTAIL NAPKIN ALL THE BANDS THAT WE WERE SEEING THAT WERE TOUCHING ON THESE ROOTS MUSIC FORMS IN THEIR VARIOUS WEIRD WAYS.

AND PUT TOGETHER THIS LIST AND JUST STARTED CALLING PEOPLE.

WE FOUND ROBBIE FULKS OUT OF THE PHONE BOOK.

FULKS COMMA ROBBIE.

♪ I'VE THE MUSTANG LOADED ♪ I'VE GOT A WRONG TO RIGHT ♪ I'VE GOT A NEW RED BULLET ♪ LET'S KILL SATURDAY NIGHT - HOW DOES ONE TALK ABOUT ROBBIE FULKS WITHOUT NOT GETTING REALLY ANGRY THAT HE IS NOT A HOUSEHOLD NAME ACROSS THIS COUNTRY?

HIS ALMOST ENCYCLOPEDIC KNOWLEDGE OF, NOT ONLY SINGER/SONGWRITERS, BUT TROPES AND TRENDS AND MINOR TRENDS AND OFFSHOOTS OF MINOR TRENDS THAT GO THROUGHOUT ROOTS HISTORY IS JUST UNBELIEVABLE.

AND HE WILL TAKE ANY OF THESE FORMS AND WRITE SOMETHING IN IT THAT WILL MAKE IT SEEM ABSOLUTELY TIMELESS AND COMPLETELY HIS OWN.

- SO THERE'S THIS IDEA OUT THERE THAT COUNTRY MUSIC IS LAME AND SQUARE AND UNINTERESTING AND UNMUSICAL.

THERE IS ALSO CONTINUALLY, ON A PARALLEL TRACK, THIS ALTERNATIVE VERSION OF COUNTRY MUSIC THAT YOUNG PEOPLE CAN GRAVITATE TO.

AND IT PROVIDED A WINDOW FOR A LOT OF THEM INTO WHAT I WOULD THINK OF AS THE REAL THING.

IN THE 60S, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE JOHNNY CASH AT SAN QUENTIN WAS SUCH A WINDOW FOR ME.

IN THE EARLY 70S FOR SOMEBODY ELSE, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN GRAM PARSONS.

IN THE 80S IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN RANK AND FILE OR THE LONG RYDERS.

AND THEN IN THE 90S, I GUESS PEOPLE LIKE ME PROBABLY PROVIDED THAT WINDOW FOR SOMEBODY ELSE.

- WHEN HE FIRST STARTED TO FIND SUCCESS WITH THE FIRST COUPLE OF RECORDS HE PUT OUT WITH US, MAJOR LABELS CAME KNOCKING AND THE FIRST THING THEY WANNA DO IS TRY AND CONTAIN THIS TALENT THAT THEY'RE WORKING WITH AND PUT THEM IN A MORE MARKETABLE BOX.

AND THE QUICKEST WAY TO GET ROBBIE TO NOT DO SOMETHING IS ASK HIM TO DO IT.

♪ I'VE GOT THE MUSTANG LOADED ♪ I'VE GOT A WRONG TO RIGHT ♪ I'VE GOT A LITTLE RED BULLET ♪ LET'S KILL SATURDAY NIGHT ♪ KNOCK IT OUT OF ITS MISERY - MOST PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THEY WANT THEIR MUSIC TO BE EASILY DIGESTIBLE.

THEY WANT IT TO BE FUN AND BREEZY AND THE BACKGROUND TO DO WHATEVER.

AND ROBBIE IS GONNA CHALLENGE YOU.

- REALLY JUST ALWAYS FELT LIKE A LONE WOLF ALL MY LIFE.

NOT NECESSARY IN A PROUD WAY, BUT JUST, THAT'S WHO I AM, YOU KNOW, NOT A JOINER.

(UPBEAT COUNTRY MUSIC) (AUDIENCE APPLAUDS) (SOFT MUSIC) ♪ ROLLIN' DOWN AN ILLINOIS BACK ROAD ♪ ♪ SKAGGS AND RICE ON THE RADIO - WE DID THE FIRST DEMO FOR THE SONG AT GRAHAM'S STUDIO IN CHAMPAGNE.

MY WIFE, JULIE, SANG AND PLAYED GUITAR.

♪ RUSTIC BARNS CALL OUT DOES IT GO UP?

- THAT DOESN'T GO, YEAH.

- I DON'T THINK JULIE KNEW SHE WAS GONNA BE SINGING THIS SONG THAT DAY.

SHE WAS TOLD OVER BREAKFAST THAT (LAUGHS)-- - WELL, I TOLD HER TO QUIT DOING THE DISHES.

(JOHN LAUGHS) - I KNOW, I KNOW.

SHE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT.

- WE NEED YOU.

♪ I'VE BEEN AROUND THIS WORLD - WE HAD IDEAS THAT WE HAD ALREADY TOSSED AROUND, AND I SAID, "SING THIS FOR US SO WE CAN GET, "SO I CAN HEAR IT BACK."

♪ PLAYED AND SANG THE SONGS I KNEW ♪ ♪ UNTIL MY FINGERS BLED ♪ I LEARNED 'EM ALL ON THOSE BACK ROADS I CALL HOME ♪ - THEN WE WENT TO A STUDIO IN NASHVILLE AND DEMOED AGAIN.

AND WE CHANGED THE KEY OF THE SONG.

- [ JOHN] WE WENT TO MARK RUBEL'S STUDIO.

I DID WORK WITH HIM AT POGO STUDIOS IN CHAMPAIGN.

- THE PROCESS OF DEMOING SOMETHING REALLY IS JUST THE PROCESS OF RECORDING IT.

I OFTEN TRY NOT TO USE THE WORD DEMO, WHICH IS SHORT FOR DEMONSTRATION, BECAUSE WE NEVER KNOW WHICH RECORDING'S GONNA END UP BEING THE FINAL ONE.

IT'S LIKE ANY OTHER RECORDING, WE'RE TRYING TO GET IN SOMEONE'S MIND AND IMAGINATION AND BRING IT INTO THE WORLD SO OTHER PEOPLE CAN EXPERIENCE IT.

- [JOHN] JULIE PUT DOWN TWO MORE GUITARS AND THEN I PLAYED THE BASS.

- I WAS A LITTLE CONFUSED, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO DRUMMER.

- YOU DON'T HAVE A BASS DRUM TO SYNC IT TO?

- BUT, BLUEGRASS, YOU DON'T EVER PLAY WITH A DRUMMER ANYWAY.

IN FACT, YOU PREFER NOT TO.

- JOHN WAS LIKE, "THIS IS HOW BLUEGRASS IS, BUDDY.

"IT'S, YOU KNOW, THIS IS HOW WE DO IT.

WE DON'T NEED A DRUMMER, WE DON'T NEED A CLICK, "IT'S ALL NATURAL."

AND I WAS LIKE, "OKAY, LET'S SEE HOW THAT GOES, THEN."

AND IT WENT BRILLIANT.

- I ASKED MY FRIEND, JEFF WHITE, WHO PLAYED IN UNION STATION, AND HE CAME AND PLAYED GUITAR AND MANDOLIN AND SANG SOME HARMONIES.

♪ I'VE BEEN AROUND THIS WORLD A TIME OR TWO ♪ ♪ RAMBLED ON THOSE MOUNTAIN TOPS IN THE COLD KENTUCKY ♪ (UPBEAT MUSIC) ♪ PLAYED EVERY SONG I KNEW UNTIL MY FINGERS BLED ♪ ♪ I LEARNED 'EM ALL ON THOSE BACK ROADS I CALL HOME ♪ (UPBEAT COUNTRY MUSIC) - I MEAN, THE NEXT STEP IS TO GET THE SONG RECORDED.

- THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU, THY SO MUCH, IT'S A PLEASURE.

- I THINK THAT MANY MUSICIANS WILL BE ABLE TO RELATE TO THE SONG, BECAUSE IT'S PRETTY MUCH OUR STORY.

IT'S ALL THE CRAZY CHARACTERS AND THE FUN STUFF THAT YOU RUN INTO IN THE STRANGE PLACES THAT YOU GET TO GO.

REALLY, I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS TO BE INVOLVED IN MUSIC IS TO GATHER STORIES AND THEN TELL THEM TO EACH OTHER ON THE WAY TO THE NEXT GIG.

(AUDIENCE CHEERING) ♪ HELLO ILLINOIS (AUDIENCE CHEERING) - I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL ONE DAY FROM ONE OF OUR GOOD FORMER MEMBERS UP BY FISHER WHO SAID THAT HIS DAUGHTER WAS WORKING FOR THE NASHVILLE NETWORK IN NASHVILLE AND THAT THEY WERE PLANNING SOME KIND OF A BIG CONCERT IN CHAMPAIGN.

(AUDIENCE CHEERING) ♪ HELLO AMERICA (AUDIENCE CHEERING) - [DENNIS R.]

SO I SAID, "HEY, THAT SOUNDS LIKE "A GREAT IDEA, I'D LOVE TO HELP OUT."

- THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH, AND WELCOME TO FARM AID, THE CONCERT FOR AMERICA!

♪ ON THE ROAD AGAIN ♪ I JUST CAN'T WAIT TO GET ON THE ROAD AGAIN ♪ ♪ THE LIFE I LOVE IS MAKIN' MUSIC WITH MY FRIENDS ♪ ♪ AND I CAN'T WAIT TO GET ON THE ROAD AGAIN ♪ - WHOLE THING CAME TOGETHER IN ABOUT SIX WEEKS.

IT WAS SO QUICK.

I THINK THAT THEY REALIZED THAT THE BREADBASKET OF THE US COMES RIGHT THROUGH CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

I THINK THEY REALIZED THAT MEMORIAL STADIUM WAS THERE, JUST, EVERYTHING CROSSED AT THE RIGHT TIME.

♪ ON THE ROAD AGAIN ♪ LIKE A BAND OF GYPSIES - WHAT IT DID FOR THIS AREA, AND ACTUALLY FOR THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, WAS TO SHOW PEOPLE THAT AGRICULTURE HAS A STAKE IN THE ECONOMY AND IN COUNTRY MUSIC.

♪ ON THE ROAD AGAIN ♪ I JUST CAN'T WAIT - AND HERE'S WILLIE NELSON UP THERE, DIRECTING 80,000 PEOPLE, AND HE'S ENJOYING HIMSELF, THE CROWD'S ENJOYING THEMSELF.

I'D BEEN WORKING FOR THREE, FOUR WEEKS ON TRYING TO GET ALL THIS BACKGROUND INFORMATION, ALL THIS PUT TOGETHER.

AND I SAID, "YEAH, THIS IS WHY WE DID IT."

(LAUGHS) IT WAS GREAT.

(UPBEAT COUNTRY MUSIC) - I ACTUALLY SOLD T-SHIRTS AT FARM AID, AT THE VERY FIRST FARM AID.

A FRIEND OF MINE WAS DOING MERCH, AND I'M A STARVING GUITAR PLAYER/SONGWRITER LIVING IN NASHVILLE.

AND HE SAID, "DO YOU WANNA COME UP "TO CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS AND SELL T-SHIRTS?"

AND I WAS LIKE, "HECK, YES."

- [ANNOUNCER] WOULD YOU PLEASE WELCOME BLUE CHAIR REVIVER RECORDING ARTIST, DAVID LEE MURPHY!

(UPBEAT COUNTRY MUSIC) - WELL, I'M DAVID LEE MURPHY, AND I'M FROM SOUTHERN ILLINOIS, A SMALL TOWN CALLED HERRIN.

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS WAS JUST A GREAT PLACE TO GROW UP AND JUST BE A KID.

AND I FEEL REAL FORTUNATE THAT'S WHERE I GREW UP.

I THINK I WENT TO MY HIGH SCHOOL GUIDANCE COUNCILOR, YOU KNOW, AND THEY MAKE YOU GO IN THERE, AND THEY'RE ALL, "WHERE ARE YOU GONNA GO TO COLLEGE?"

AND I SAID, "I THINK I'M GONNA GO TO CALIFORNIA."

AND SHE CALLED MY DAD.

(LAUGHS) I JUST WAS GONNA DO SOMETHING ELSE.

BUT I WAS, IN THE BACK OF MY MIND, IT WAS THAT I WAS GONNA MAKE MUSIC.

I'VE HAD SONGS RECORDED BY KENNY CHESNEY, THOMPSON SQUARE, JAKE OWEN, HANK JR., JASON ALDEAN, BIG GREEN TRACTOR.

AND THEN I HAD MY ALBUM, "OUT WITH A BANG."

AND WE HAD "PARTY CROWD" AND "DUST ON THE BOTTLE" AND ALL THAT STUFF.

WHO'S FEELING GOOD OUT THERE?

IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD, THERE'S JUST A HEART AND SOUL KIND OF REALITY OF MIDDLE AMERICA, YOU KNOW.

AND I THINK, I JUST GO BACK TO THAT WELL FOR MY INSPIRATION FOR MY SONGS.

I THINK THERE'S JUST A CRAZY, YOU JUST GOTTA HAVE A CRAZY BELIEF THAT I'M GONNA LAY ALL THE CHIPS ON THE TABLE AND I'M GOING FOR IT.

AND, WIN OR LOSE, I'M GONNA DO EVERYTHING I HAVE TO DO.

AND THAT'S WHAT I DID.

AND, I MEAN, I'VE MANAGED TO MAKE A LIVING DOING IT AND DOING SOMETHING I LOVE TO DO.

♪ SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO SAY IT'S A FUN DREAM COME TRUE.

- [MAN] ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR.

(UPBEAT COUNTRY MUSIC) - MY NAME'S KENDELL MARVEL AND I'M FROM SOUTHERN ILLINOIS, A LITTLE PLACE CALLED WEST END, WHICH IS ON ROUTE 34 BETWEEN GALATIA AND THOMPSONVILLE.

MY DAD WAS A COAL MINER.

I STARTED PLAYING MUSIC WHEN I WAS ABOUT 10.

MY DAD WOULD TAKE ME OUT AND HE'D GET FREE BEER IN THE BARS AND I'D GET TIPS.

AND I WAS KINDA HOOKED FROM THEN ON.

♪ THINK IT'S TIME ♪ TO LET THIS TRAIN FLY OFF THE TRACKS ♪ I REALIZED PRETTY QUICK THAT IF YOU WANTED TO HAVE A CAREER IN MUSIC, YOU WAS GONNA HAVE TO WRITE YOUR SONGS, BECAUSE NOBODY WAS GONNA GIVE ME THEIR HIT SONGS, YOU KNOW.

THEY WAS GONNA GIVE THEM TO GEORGE STRAIT OR TIM MCGRAW OR SOMEBODY ELSE.

FINALLY MADE THE TREK DOWN HERE FOR GOOD IN JULY OF 1998, WROTE MY FIRST HIT SONG THE DAY THAT I MOVED HERE.

I'VE BEEN REALLY FORTUNATE TO JUST GET IN THE RIGHT ROOM AT THE RIGHT TIME.

AND I'VE HAD HITS ON GEORGE STRAIGHT, GARY ALLEN, JAKE OWEN, WRITTEN A LOT OF STUFF FOR CHRIS STAPLETON, JAMEY JOHNSON, BLAKE SHELTON.

TRACE ATKINS, HE'S CUT NINE OR 10 OF MY SONGS.

I MEAN, IT'S A GREAT FEELING TO HEAR ONE OF YOUR SONGS ON THE RADIO, YOU KNOW, AND HEAR OTHER PEOPLE PERFORMING YOUR SONGS.

BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S A FEELING LIKE THAT YOU GET LIKE YOU DOING IT LIVE.

♪ AND GO GET BY WITH SOME WILD-EYED HONEY ♪ ♪ THAT WON'T CUT ME NO SLACK FROM A SONGWRITER, THAT'S WHAT THEY DO, THEY TRY TO GET ON THE RADIO, YOU KNOW.

AND I WAS THAT GUY FOR 20 YEARS.

AND I'D STILL LIKE TO BE ON THE RADIO, BUT I DON'T WANNA HAVE TO WRITE CLICHE-WRITTEN SONGS TO GET ON THE RADIO.

SO I REFUSE TO DO IT.

I WANNA SAY SOMETHING, YOU KNOW.

I WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL SOMETHING.

THAT'S WHAT MUSIC'S ABOUT.

IF YOU WANNA FIND GOOD COUNTRY MUSIC, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE DOING IT, IT'S OUT THERE.

MARVEL, PRICE, THERE'S A LOT OF COOL GIRLS COMING ON RIGHT NOW.

VERY LITTLE OF IT IS ON THE RADIO.

(SOFT MUSIC) ♪ I ROLLED OUTTA TOWN ♪ ON THE UNPAVED ROAD ♪ I WAS $57 ♪ FROM BEING BROKE WHEN I WAS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MY GRANDMOTHER AND MOTHER HEARD ME SINGING JUST A CHRISTMAS SONG, AND THEY CAME IN THE ROOM AND THEY WERE LIKE, "WE DIDN'T KNOW YOU COULD SING LIKE THAT!

"DO IT AGAIN, DO IT AGAIN!"

SO I THINK RIGHT AROUND THAT POINT WAS WHEN I REALIZED THAT I HAD CONTROL OVER MY VOICE.

(SOFT MUSIC) ♪ TIMES, THEY WERE TOUGH I AM FROM ALEDO, ILLINOIS.

IT'S A SMALL FARMING TOWN IN THE NORTHWEST PART OF THE STATE.

MY MOTHER WAS A TEACHER, MY DAD WAS A FARMER UNTIL I WAS ABOUT TWO, THREE YEARS OLD.

AND THEN THE FARMING CRISIS OF THE 1980S CAME IN, AND THEY LOST THE FARM.

♪ TIME I'LL LET THEM TAKE WE WOULD DRIVE AROUND ON THE BACK ROADS IN ILLINOIS, ME AND MY FRIENDS, AND I THINK BECAUSE OF THE BOREDOM AND BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF THINGS TO DO, THAT WAS KIND OF WHAT INFLUENCED ME TO PICK UP A GUITAR AND TO START WRITING SONGS.

I WENT TO COLLEGE FOR TWO YEARS.

AFTER MY SOPHOMORE YEAR OF COLLEGE, I DECIDED THAT I WAS GONNA MOVE TO NASHVILLE.

♪ BRING MY MOMMA HOME SOME WINE ♪ ♪ TURN BACK THE CLOCK ON THE CRUEL ♪ ♪ HANDS OF TIME WHEN I FIRST MOVED TO TOWN, BASED ON WHAT I WAS HEARING ON COUNTRY RADIO, I JUST DID NOT THINK I HAD A CHANCE, BECAUSE I WASN'T GOING TO WRITE THOSE TYPES OF SONGS.

BUT I ALWAYS LOVED ABOUT COUNTRY THE STORY SONGS, THE REAL GRIT AND THE SONGS ABOUT DIVORCE, SONGS ABOUT DEPRESSION AND HEARTACHE.

AND AS TIME WENT ON, MY LIFE WAS SLOWLY BECOMING A SAD COUNTRY SONG, AT LEAST THE FAILURES.

MY HUSBAND AND I LOST A CHILD, I BATTLED A LITTLE BIT WITH ALCOHOLISM, I WENT TO JAIL.

THOSE THINGS, IT'S ALL, YOU KNOW, BECAME MATERIAL AND BECAME FODDER FOR WHAT I STARTED WRITING.

PEOPLE WOULD SAY ALL THE TIME, "WHEN ARE YOU GONNA "JUST MOVE BACK, WHEN ARE YOU GONNA KIND OF GIVE IT UP?"

BUT WE JUST KEPT MAKING RECORDS, AND MY HUSBAND AND I BOTH WORKED A MILLION ODD JOBS IN THE MEANTIME.

WE WERE REALLY FEELING DOWN IN THE DUMPS.

AND MY HUSBAND CAME INTO THE KITCHEN ONE DAY AND HE WAS LIKE, "I'M GONNA SELL THE CAR "SO YOU CAN MAKE THIS COUNTRY RECORD."

WE TOOK THE MONEY AND WE WENT TO SUN IN MEMPHIS AND MADE THIS RECORD.

I THOUGHT, "SOMEONE'S GONNA BITE ON THIS, IT'S SO GOOD."

AND I'D NEVER BEEN MORE SURE OF ANYTHING IN MY LIFE.

BUT WE JUST KEPT GETTING NO AFTER NO AFTER NO.

FINALLY, I HEARD THAT THIRD MAN RECORDS WANTED TO HEAR THE ALBUM, AND I SENT IT TO THEM.

AND, THANK GOD, THEY PUT IT OUT, (LAUGHS) 'CAUSE THAT WAS, IT WAS KINDA THE END OF THE LINE FOR US.

♪ 'CAUSE ALL I WANNA DO ♪ IS MAKE A LITTLE CASH ♪ 'CAUSE I'VE WORKED ALL THE BAD JOBS, ♪ ♪ BUSTIN' MY ASS ♪ I WANNA BUY BACK THE FARM ♪ AND BRING MY MOMMA HOME SOME WINE ♪ ♪ AND TURN BACK THE CLOCK ON THE CRUEL ♪ ♪ HANDS OF TIME I THINK, FOR THE MOST PART, I WAS TURNING PEOPLE ONTO COUNTRY MUSIC THAT PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE LIKED IT OTHERWISE.

- IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY HEARD OF HER, LET'S INTRODUCE MARGO PRICE.

SHE'S UP FOR A GRAMMY FOR BEST NEW ARTIST NEXT MONTH.

- A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE PERPLEXED BY THE SUCCESS AND HOW IT WAS WORKING.

THE MUSIC BUSINESS IS ALWAYS CHANGING AND I THINK THAT THAT WAS REALLY ONE OF THE BIG TURNING POINTS, WAS PEOPLE SEEING THAT YOU DON'T NEED TO HAVE A HIT ON COMMERCIAL RADIO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO FIT INTO A MOLD AND BE A MODEL OR, YOU KNOW, HAVE ALL THIS PLASTIC SURGERY AND LOOK A CERTAIN WAY AND SOUND A CERTAIN WAY.

IT BECAME VERY HIP, AGAIN, TO BE AN OUTLAW.

♪ MY MOMMA HOME SOME WINE ♪ TURN BACK THE CLOCK ON THE CRUEL ♪ ♪ HANDS OF TIME IT HURT SOMETIMES TO READ NASTY THINGS THAT PEOPLE WROTE ABOUT ME BUT, REALLY, WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT, I'M IN MY 30S AND I KNOW WHO I AM AND I DON'T REALLY GIVE A (BEEP) WHAT ANYBODY THINKS.

♪ OOH ♪ HANDS OF TIME (SOFT MUSIC) (LIGHT MUSIC) - QUITE HONESTLY, I HAD THE MOST WONDERFUL PLACE TO GROW UP THAT I CAN THINK OF.

IT'S A SMALL TOWN WHERE ALL THE NEIGHBORS WERE KIND OF LOOKING OUT FOR ALL OF THE LITTLE KIDS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND EVERY EVENING IN THE SUMMER, WE WENT ACROSS THE STREET TO WHERE MY NEIGHBOR WAS PLAYING GUITAR ON HIS FRONT PORCH.

♪ MY OLD FRIEND SAID TO ME ♪ I AIN'T BEING WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO BE ♪ THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, MY FIRST REAL FEELING OF WHAT COUNTRY MUSIC WAS.

AND IT GAVE ME KIND OF A QUEASY FEELING, BUT ALSO A LOT OF EXCITEMENT, JUST THE WHOLE, "BOY, IT'S GONNA BE REALLY INTERESTING TO BE A GROWNUP."

LATER ON, WHEN MY SISTER WENT AWAY TO SCHOOL, SHE STARTED TEACHING ME SOME GUITAR WHEN WOULD SHE'D COME HOME ON THE WEEKENDS.

THEN I STARTED SAVING MY BABYSITTING MONEY, BOUGHT MYSELF A 12-STRING.

ONCE I GOT MY 12-STRING, I WAS OFF AND RUNNING, I PLAYED IT CONSTANTLY.

♪ DON'T LET THIS BE THE REASON YOU WOULD WALK AWAY ♪ I HAD A BIG REVELATION MY SENIOR YEAR IN COLLEGE.

I PLAYED IN ALL SORTS OF PLACES AND I JUST KEPT, EVERY TIME I WOULD HEAR ABOUT ANOTHER ONE, I WOULD DRIVE A LITTLE FURTHER.

I CAME BACK, AND I REALIZED THAT I HAD ALSO LET MY STUDIES IN THE JEWELRY LAB FALL.

AND MY PROFESSOR SAID, "OKAY, I KNOW YOU REALLY LOVE "THIS MUSIC, AND I KNOW YOU'RE DOING A GOOD JOB, "BUT YOU'RE NOT IN THE STUDIO ENOUGH HOURS A WEEK.

"AND SO, WHAT IS YOUR CHOICE?"

AND I JUST STARTED CRYING AND SAID, "I THINK I'M GONNA BE A SINGER."

AND HE SAID, "THAT'S FINE."

JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT EVERY ONE OF THOSE THINGS SAID, "YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT PATH, KEEP GOING."

♪ AND NOW YOU'RE READY TO WALK OUT ♪ ♪ YOU'RE READY TO RUN ♪ TALK TO ME, CAN'T YOU SEE I STILL HEAR THOSE VOICES IN MY EAR, YOU KNOW, I STILL HEAR THE FIRST GUY WHO GAVE ME A JOB SINGING FOR $7 IN THE GALLERY IN NORMAL, ILLINOIS.

♪ DON'T LET THIS BE I FEEL LIKE NOW, WHEN I'M ONSTAGE, I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO COME TO HEAR ME THAT I TRY HARD TO GIVE THEM EVERYTHING I CAN AND I TRY REALLY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY FEEL LIKE I'M THERE IN THAT SONG, EVEN THOUGH I'VE SUNG IT THOUSANDS OF TIMES, LIKE I'M GIVING THIS MOMENT TO YOU, AND HOPEFULLY, YOU'LL GIVE SOMETHING BACK TO ME AND WE'LL BE COMMUNICATING.

(CROWD CHEERING) (CROWD CLAPPING) - YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL, YOU GUYS.

(UPBEAT COUNTRY MUSIC) - I HEARD ABOUT THIS FIDDLE PLAYER, SHE WAS 10 YEARS OLD, SHE WAS WINNING FIDDLING CONTESTS OVER AT SPRINGFIELD AT THE STATE FAIR, AND ALSO DOWN IN MOUNT VERNON WINNING THE CONTESTS.

SO, "SHE'S FROM CHAMPAIGN, WHY DON'T I JUST LOOK HER UP?"

AND SO I TOOK MY GUITAR AND FOUND WHERE SHE LIVED ON HILL STREET AND KNOCKED ON THE DOOR, AND HER MOTHER, LOUISE, CAME TO THE DOOR.

AND I SAID, "I WOULD JUST LIKE TO HEAR ALISON PLAY FIDDLE.

"AND I BROUGHT MY GUITAR IN, AND WOULD THAT BE ALL RIGHT?"

SO THAT'S WHAT I DID, AND I SAT DOWN WITH HER.

AND SHE'S 10 YEARS OLD, YOU KNOW, THAT'S PRETTY YOUNG.

BUT SHE SURE COULD PLAY THAT "BOIL THEM CABBAGE DOWN" AND "RAGTIME ANNIE" AND THEM GOOD OLD SQUARE DANCE.

"AND IF I PUT HER ON THE STAGE SHOW, "I KNOW THAT WOULD BE A HIT."

AND I SAID, "NEXT TUES NIGHT, WE'RE GONNA PRACTICE "OVER HERE AT MIKE'S BARBER SHOP IN URBANA.

"SO WHY DON'T YOU COME OVER IF YOU WANT TO."

"YEAH, SHE'D LIKE TO TRY THAT."

AND HER MOTHER WAS FOR IT TOO.

I PUT MY GUITAR AWAY AND I JUST STARTED TO WALK OUT THE DOOR, AND SAID, "ALISON, DO YOU SING?"

"I HAVEN'T TRIED YET."

SO I LEFT "YOUR CHEATIN' HEART" AND "I SAW THE LIGHT" AS A RECORDING WITH HER.

SO BY THAT NEXT TUES NIGHT, SHE HAD LEARNED THOSE TWO SONGS.

AND SHE PLAYED THE FIDDLE WITH US, THE OLD HOEDOWN SONGS.

WE HAD STAGE SHOWS ALL OVER, WENT TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES.

IT WAS THREE YEARS.

IF YOU FIND TALENT, YOU CAN POINT THEM IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT THEY STILL HAVE TO MAKE IT ON THEIR OWN.

- I WAS WORKING AT TANDY LEATHER AND I WAS MAKING THIS LEATHER STUFF FOR PEOPLE.

AND THIS DRUMMER, THIS JAZZ DRUMMER NAMED JEFF STITELY ASKED ME IF I COULD MAKE THIS CYMBAL CASE FOR HIM.

AND I MADE IT AN I GAVE IT TO HIM.

AND WE'RE SITTING IN THE LOBBY OF THE MUSIC BUILDING, HE SAYS, "HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT "THIS YOUNG GIRL NAMED ALISON KRAUSS?"

AND I SAID, "YEAH, I THINK MY MOM TOLD ME ABOUT HER."

AND HE GOES, "WELL, SHE'S REALLY TALENTED."

AND HE'D BEEN GIVING HER PERCUSSION LESSONS, DRUM LESSONS.

AND I SAID, "OH," AND HE GOES, "HERE, I'LL GIVE YOU HER NUMBER."

SO HE GAVE ME HER NUMBER.

AND SO WE GOT TOGETHER IN THE MUSIC BUILDING AND THEN WE PLAYED.

SHE WAS 12 AND SHE COULD PLAY THE FIDDLE.

AND I SAID, "THAT'S GREAT."

AND I REMEMBER TALKING TO HER ON THE PHONE BEFORE WE DID THIS, SHE GOES, "YOU KNOW, I SING TOO."

AND I GO, "WELL, NELSON AND I, WE GOT THE SINGING."

I'M THINKING I'M TALKING TO A 12-YEAR-OLD, YOU KNOW, THE SCREAMING.

SAID, "NO, WE'VE GOT IT COVERED."

HAD NO IDEA (LAUGHS), I MEAN, I LOOK BACK ON IT NOW AND I GO, "HOO!"

ANYWAY, SO WE GET DONE PLAYING AND SHE GOES, "WELL, DO YOU WANNA HEAR ME SING?"

AND I SAID, "SURE."

AND WE STARTED PLAYING AND AS SOON AS SHE OPENED HER MOUTH, I MEAN, I'M SITTING THERE GOING LIKE THIS, AND I GO, I JUST STOPPED.

I JUST REMEMBER NELSON KIND OF HITTING HIS MANDOLIN GOING, (GUITAR STRUMS) "YOU'RE GOOD."

(LAUGHS) ♪ LOOK AT THE SKY, BABY ♪ WHAT DO YOU SEE ♪ LOOKS LIKE THE TEARS THAT I'VE CRIED ♪ - [JOHN] WE PLAYED, DID A LOT OF GIGS JUST AROUND THE AREA, JUST WHENEVER, WHOEVER WANTED TO.

- JOHN WAS VERY PASSIONATE, ALWAYS SO PASSIONATE, USED TO PRACTICE LIKE 12 HOURS A DAY, YOU KNOW.

IT WAS, WE LOVED IT.

- [JOHN] WE'D GET IN A VAN AND OFF WE'D GO.

- HE WAS SUCH A GREAT PERSON TO LEARN WITH AND FROM BECAUSE HE LOVED IT SO MUCH.

HE USED TO POUND ON, WE'D DRIVE AROUND IN THE CAR AND HE'D POUND ON THE DASH, "THAT WAS SO GOOD, "HELL, IT'S AMAZING!"

AND HE'D JUST POUND AND POUND LIKE THIS.

- AND WE WOULD JUST GO, "OH, THERE'S A JAM SESSION, "LET'S GO, OH, LET'S GO."

I MEAN YOU DROP EVERYTHING.

"TAKE OUT THE GARBAGE."

"NO, I'M GONE."

AND YOU GO AND YOU PLAY AND YOU MEET ALL THESE PEOPLE AND YOU LEARN MORE SONGS AND YOU JUST KEEP DOING IT, IT JUST KEEPS FEEDING ON ITSELF.

- WE JUST LOVED TO PLAY.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY HAD ANY REAL BIG DREAMS OTHER THAN DOING A GOOD JOB.

- THE WHOLE THING WAS JUST LIKE A FEVER.

- MY MOM ALWAYS SAYS THE REWARD FOR HARD WORK IS HARD WORK.

AND IT'S TRUE, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE SOME SATISFACTION OF FEELING LIKE YOU DID A GOOD JOB.

♪ THERE'S A RESTLESS FEELING KNOCKING AT MY DOOR TODAY ♪ ♪ THERE'S A SHADOW HANGING 'ROUND MY GARDEN GATE ♪ WHEN YOU WORK LATE OR YOU DON'T STOP TILL YOU'RE POUNDING YOUR OWN DASH, IN YOUR HEAD, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST DON'T STOP TILL IT'S AT WHATEVER LEVEL YOU THINK THAT, WHATEVER THAT THRESHOLD IS OF GOOD, YOU DON'T STOP.

I'M GLAD THAT WHO I WAS RIDING AROUND WITH WAS POUNDING AND SCREAMING ON THE DASH.

(LIGHT MUSIC) (AUDIENCE CHEERING) (AUDIENCE CLAPPING) - WELL, AS A SONGWRITER, YOU'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO CAN IDENTIFY WITH THE SONG AND THE MATERIAL AND THE SONG LYRICS IN A SONG THAT YOU'VE WRITTEN.

OBVIOUSLY, SINCE THIS IS ABOUT ILLINOIS, IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE TO FIND SOMEONE FROM ILLINOIS TO DO IT.

THERE ARE SO MANY GREAT ARTISTS FROM ILLINOIS, BUT MO PITNEY REALLY STOOD OUT.

♪ I STOPPED OFF AT THE GROCERY STORE ♪ ♪ TO PICK UP A FEW THINGS MY NAME IS MO PITNEY AND I WAS BORN IN A HOSPITAL IN ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS AND GREW UP IN A TOWN CONNECTED TO ROCKFORD CALLED CHERRY VALLEY.

COUNTRY MUSIC KIND OF FOUND ME MORE THAN I FOUND IT.

THE PEOPLE I GREW UP AROUND, MY UNCLE, MY COUSINS, WE WERE ALL OUTDOORSMEN.

WE LOVED THE COUNTRY, WE LOVED SITTING ON THE BACK PORCH AND DRINKING SWEET TEA.

AND SO WHEN I HEARD HANK WILLIAMS SAY, "HEAR THAT LONESOME WHIPPOORWILL," HE SOUNDS, YOU KNOW, SO BLUE.

I UNDERSTOOD THAT BECAUSE THAT WAS THE NARRATIVE TO MY WHOLE LIFE, AND STILL IS.

♪ AND IF I WASN'T STANDING IN THAT STORE ♪ ♪ I MIGHT HAVE LAID RIGHT ON THAT FLOOR ♪ ♪ AND CRIED - JOHN AND I, WE LIKED THIS GUY.

HE'S A GREAT SINGER, A NEW UP-AND-COMING GUY.

- [MO] I HEARD THIS SONG FOR THE FIRST TIME ON THE DRIVE TO NASHVILLE.

- WHEN WE GAVE IT TO HIM, WHEN IT WAS PITCHED TO HIM, HIS RESPONSE SEEMED TO BE FAIRLY IMMEDIATE.

- I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT, INITIALLY, JUST THE PRODUCTION OF IT REMINDS ME OF MY PAST.

THERE WAS LINES IN IT THAT POINTED TO THE RECORDS THAT I FELL IN LOVE WITH WHEN I WAS A KID.

- HEY!

- HEY JOHN, YOU'RE HERE.

- [GRAHAM] WE TOOK A MEETING AT HIS MANAGEMENT COMPANY WITH HIM, SAT ACROSS THE TABLE FROM HIM.

- WHICH WAS FUN TO MEET THEM AND FUN TO HEAR THEIR VISION OF THE SONG.

♪ MOONLIGHT ON THE RAILROAD TRACKS ♪ ♪ I WISH I COULD RIDE IT BACK I JUST KNOW THAT THE WAY THAT I TALK AND THINK, AND A SINGER'S MOST COMFORTABLE IF HE'S SPEAKING IN HIS OWN VOICE.

SO THERE'S JUST LITTLE THINGS THAT I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE SAID DIFFERENTLY AND I JUST HOPED THAT IT WOULDN'T BOTHER THEM IF I CHANGED JUST A FEW THINGS HERE AND THERE.

AND IT JUST MADE ME A LITTLE MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THE SONG.

WAS THAT HOW SHE PHRASED IT?

♪ AINT NOTHIN' I WOULDN'T DO TO MAKE ♪ - HE'S KIND OF LIKE, I GUESS IN A WAY, ALMOST ONE OF THE BEST KEPT SECRETS.

I MEAN, HE'S THE KIND OF TALENT THAT PEOPLE SHOULD JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW.

♪ I'VE BEEN AROUND THIS WORLD A TIME OR TWO ♪ ♪ RAN ALONG THOSE ♪ - EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS GUY IS NATURAL, THERE'S NOTHING FAKE, IT'S NOT OVER-REHEARSED.

HE SINGS IT, HE MEANS IT.

♪ UNTIL MY FINGERS BLED ♪ I LEARNED 'EM ALL ON THESE BACK ROADS I CALL HOME ♪ - YOU'RE A SINGING SON OF A BITCH.

(ALL LAUGHING) HAVING SOMEONE OF THAT CALIBER WANT TO SING THE SONG MEANS A WHOLE LOT TO THE SONGWRITERS.

- YES, ABSOLUTELY.

- AND NOW I FEEL LIKE WE'VE GOT IT IN THE CAN AND WE'RE READY TO TAKE IT TO THE STUDIO AND RECORD IT.

(CRICKETS CHIRPING) (SOFT COUNTRY MUSIC) ♪ HE WAS BORN IN ILLINOIS, A MIDWEST FARMER'S SON ♪ - ILLINOIS COUNTRY IS PARTLY THE LOOK OF THE LAND, YOU KNOW.

IT'S WIDE OPEN SPACES, WE'VE GOT MOUNTAINS AND HILLS IN THE WAY SOUTHERN PARTS OF THE STATE.

BUT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF CORN FIELDS AND A LOT OF ROOM FOR OPEN THOUGHT.

SO I THINK IT'S KIND OF A LANDSCAPE LIKE THAT THAT HELPS NURTURE PEOPLE LIKE ALISON KRAUSS TO GRETCHEN WILSON, TO NAME SOMEBODY COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, TO JOHN HARTFORD.

AND ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE HAVE, THEY DON'T SOUND LIKE ANYBODY BUT THEMSELVES.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN KIND OF ONLY GET OUT IN THE COUNTRY, IN THAT SPACE TO THINK FOR YOURSELF AND TO FORM YOUR OWN PERSONA AWAY FROM OTHER PEOPLE'S IDEA OF WHO YOU SHOULD BE OR WHAT YOU SHOULD SOUND LIKE.

- ILLINOIS COUNTRY IS COMMUNITY, IT'S FAMILY.

IT IS THE ABILITY FOR PEOPLE TO CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER.

- AND IT'S THIS COMMON POINT OF CONNECTIVITY, ESPECIALLY IN THE RURAL PARTS OF THE STATE THAT I THINK MAKES THIS MUSIC SO STRONG AND SO POWERFUL.

IT STILL CONNECTS PEOPLE TO THEIR SENSE OF PLACE AND THEIR HISTORY AND THEIR OWN CHILDHOODS AND LIVES.

- PEOPLE WANNA HEAR WHAT THEY'RE LIVING.

THAT'S WHAT ILLINOIS COUNTRY IS.

- YOU'VE GOT THE PEOPLE NEW YORK, YOU GOT THE PEOPLE IN L.A., THE PEOPLE IN ILLINOIS ENDED UP BEING FLYOVER AMERICAN.

COUNTRY MUSIC GIVES FLYOVER AMERICANS A VOICE.

- WE WERE ALWAYS A COSMOPOLITAN STATE, A STATE WITH NEW PEOPLE AND NEW IDEAS AND NEW SOUNDS CONSTANTLY COMING TOGETHER AND EVOLVING.

AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, WHILE WE DON'T HAVE A UNIQUE ILLINOIS SOUND, ILLINOIS MUSICIANS CAN BE FELT IN EVERY ASPECT OF COUNTRY MUSIC, FROM CLASSIC COUNTRY TO BLUEGRASS TO ALTERNATE COUNTRY, IT'S ALL REPRESENTED BY FOLKS FROM ILLINOIS.

- COUNTRY MUSIC AS WE'VE KNOWN IT WILL NEVER DIE HERE BECAUSE THERE WILL ALWAYS BE THAT PERSON WHO HAS A SONG OR A STORY TO GET OUT.

- [JOHN] OH, THAT SOUNDS LIKE MO'S HERE.

- [MO] HOW ARE Y'ALL?

- ALL RIGHTY.

- I'M MO.

- I'M ANDREA, NICE TO SEE YOU.

- GREAT TO SEE YOU.

CHRIS, HOW ARE YA?

(DRUMS BANGING) (MANDOLIN TWANGS) I THINK WE'RE READY.

(CYMBAL HISSES) - ONE, TWO, ONE, TWO, UH.

(UPBEAT COUNTRY MUSIC) ♪ ROLLIN' DOWN AN ILLINOIS BACK ROAD ♪ ♪ SKAGGS AND RICE ON THE RADIO ♪ PRAIRIE WIND WHISTLES LIKE A LONESOME FIDDLE TUNE ♪ ♪ BEAN BLOSSOM AND RUSTIC BARNS ♪ ♪ CALL OUT FROM MY MEMORY TO A FRONT PORCH ♪ ♪ ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON ♪ I'VE BEEN AROUND THIS WORLD A TIME OR TWO ♪ ♪ RAN ALONG THOSE MOUNTAINTOPS ♪ IN THE COLD KENTUCKY SNOW ♪ PLAYED EVERY SONG I KNEW UNTIL MY FINGERS BLED ♪ ♪ I LEARNED 'EM ALL ON THESE BACK ROADS I CALL HOME ♪ ♪ MOONLIGHT ON A RAILROAD TRACK ♪ ♪ I WISH I COULD RIDE IT BACK ♪ TO THOSE FREE AND EASY DAYS SO LONG AGO ♪ ♪ WHERE FIREFLIES DANCED TO A REDBIRD SONG ♪ ♪ BY THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER IN THE ILLINOIS DAWN ♪ ♪ AIN'T NOTHIN' I WOULDN'T DO TO MAKE IT SO ♪ ♪ I'VE BEEN AROUND THIS WORLD A TIME OR TWO ♪ ♪ RAN ALONG THOSE MOUNTAINTOPS ♪ IN THE COLD KENTUCKY SNOW ♪ PLAYED EVERY SONG I KNEW UNTIL MY FINGERS BLED ♪ ♪ I LEARNED 'EM ALL ON THESE BACK ROADS I CALL HOME ♪ ♪ I'VE BEEN AROUND THIS WORLD A TIME OR TWO ♪ ♪ RAN ALONG THOSE MOUNTAINTOPS ♪ IN THE COLD KENTUCKY SNOW ♪ PLAYED EVERY SONG I KNEW UNTIL MY FINGERS BLED ♪ ♪ I LEARNED 'EM ALL ON THESE BACK ROADS I CALL HOME ♪ ♪ I LEARNED 'EM ALL ON THESE BACK ROADS ♪ ♪ I CALL HOME (CRICKETS CHIRPING) ♪ I LOVE THOSE DEAR HEARTS AND GENTLE PEOPLE ♪ ♪ THAT LIVE IN MY HOME TOWN ♪ I LOVE THOSE DEAR HEARTS AND GENTLE PEOPLE ♪ ♪ THAT LIVE AND LOVE IN MY HOMETOWN ♪ ♪ I LOVE THOSE DEAR HEARTS AND GENTLE PEOPLE ♪ ♪ THAT LIVE AND LOVE IN MY HOMETOWN ♪ ♪ I FEEL SO WELCOME EACH TIME THAT I RETURN ♪ ♪ THAT MY HAPPY HEART IS LAUGHING LIKE A CLOWN ♪ ♪ I LOVE THOSE DEAR HEARTS AND GENTLE PEOPLE ♪ ♪ THAT LIVE AND LOVE ♪ IN MY HOMETOWN