TAMMY WYNETTE
Queens Of Country PAL 120 mins
Queens Of Country, BBC Documentary 25/04/05 60m M DVD
Nancy Sinatra - Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2002 60m M DVD
QUEENS OF COUNTRY
The story of six women with big hair and bigger voices who came out of the South and changed America and its music for good. The 60s and 70s were the golden age for this music - drawing from the battlefield of marriages, about the hurt and pride of raising a family, about standing by your man - or standing up to him about going crazy with love.
Meet Patsy Cline, whose weeping ballads made country music modern; Tammy Wynette, the soap opera queen, her life a chaos of divorce, violence and pills; Bobbie Gentry, the mystery queen, who quit recording 35 years ago; Loretta Lynn, the coalminers daughter who now rocks with the White Stripes; Tanya Tucker, the teen queen who made country music sexy; and Dolly Parton, who made millions singing of the world she left behind.
Apart from the "Queens" themselves, contributors include Billy Connolly, Jack White, LeAnn Rimes, Lauren Laverne, Crystal Gayle, George Jones and Elvis Costello, together with rare archive performances and, of course, the marvellous music.
NANCY SINATRA - Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2002
Nancy Sinatras first ever UK show from 2002, recorded at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Alongside classics like Get Ready, Like a Rolling Stone, You Only Live Twice and These Boots are Made for Walking, Nancy performs tracks from her album California Girl.
Til I Can Make It... PAL 60 mins
Til I Can Make It... BBC4 Documentary 14/10/05 60m M DVD
Theres never been a country singer like Tammy Wynette. Criticised by presidents wives, loved by the public. As conservative as they come, but topping the charts in the UK with a group of self-confessed art terrorists. Married five times and divorced four, dependent on prescription drugs, clinically depressed, subject to abusive relationships with violent men, mother of four children - one of whom nearly died at birth - kidnapped under mysterious circumstances. Tammys songs reflected the desperation she often felt.
But what songs they were - I Dont Wanna Play House, D-I-V-O-R-C-E and the eternal Stand By Your Man capture the plight of women in sixties middle America - women trying to hold the home together, wishing that playing house were enough to hold their husband and keep love alive. Tammy is the woman who is famous for singing stand by your man but who could never find happiness with a man herself.
Til I Can Make It On My Own explores Tammy Wynettes world with help from her family and friends, fellow musicians and fans. Contributors include husbands George Jones and George Richey, Elvis Costello, Allison Moorer, Bill Drummond of the KLF, actress Anna Chancellor and more.

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