Spotlight on History
Country Music
The LDMA is highlighting country music in Louisiana during September in honor of the premiere of Ken Burns’ Country Music on September 15th on LPB. In a state rich with diverse musical talent, it is no surprise that Louisiana has produced a number of legendary country music performers. Louisiana is also the home of the famous Louisiana Hayride show at the Shreveport Municipal Auditorium and several other well-known country music venues around the state. Start enjoying a few of our best stories on country music here:
Old South Jamboree (1979)
Tag along with Louisiana: The State We’re In to hear some classic country music on a Saturday night in Walker in Livingston Parish, including a performance by Louise Mandrell.
Classic Country Music (1982)
Learn more about the history of country music in this Louisiana: The State We’re In interview with Bill Malone, a country music historian at Tulane University.
Jimmie Davis (1982)
Watch Governor Davis, a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, discuss his songs “You Are My Sunshine” and “Nobody’s Darling But Mine” in this Louisiana Legends interview.
Mickey Gilley (1982)
View a Louisiana Legends interview with Gilley, a country music singer from Ferriday, on his music and his club’s role in starting the urban cowboy movement. See his 2012 interview here.
Making Waves: Louisiana's Radio Story (2005)
See a documentary on the history of radio in Louisiana, including the importance of the Louisiana Hayride, a country music show broadcast on KWKH in Shreveport.
Abita Springs (2006)
In this “What’s In a Name” segment from Lost Louisiana, enjoy a visit to Abita Springs in St. Tammany Parish, the home of the Abita Springs Opry at the Abita Springs Town Hall.
Start (2006)
Watch a visit to Start in Richland Parish, the hometown of country music singer Tim McGraw, in this “What’s In a Name” segment from Lost Louisiana.
James Burton (2010)
View a Louisiana Legends interview with James Burton of Shreveport, an influential country and rock guitarist who has played with Elvis Presley, Ricky Nelson, Roy Orbison, and many more.
Kix Brooks (2012)
See a Louisiana Legends interview with Brooks, a native of Shreveport, member of Brooks & Dunn, the host of American Country Countdown, and a 2019 inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Spotlight on the Louisiana Hayride (2019)
In this story from Louisiana: The State We’re In, watch Natasha Williams’ visit to the Shreveport Municipal Auditorium for a concert celebrating the legacy of the Louisiana Hayride.
To see more stories about country music, click here. You can also explore more stories on Louisiana music here.