Read the full story, published by the Hopkins Center for the Arts.

America’s favorite cinematic historian, Ken Burns, presents a preview, on July 13, of his newest series about this distinctively American art form. The team behind The Civil War, Lewis and Clark, and The Vietnam War now turns to new questions about the history that binds us: What is country music and where did it come from?

From Appalachia to Texas, from Nashville to California, this sweeping, multi-episode series is filled with fascinating characters and unforgettable musical moments from legends such as Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, and Emmylou Harris.