A 30-second trailer sets the tradition-honoring mood for Ken Burns' upcoming eight-episode, 16-hour docu-series Country Music. The quick snippet offers some idea of how much Burns relied on country music stars, more so than scholars, to help tell the genre’s story.

Garth Brooks, Ray Benson, Rodney Crowell and Emmylou Harris represent the lifers willing to share their immense historical knowledge and musical passion with Burns' crew. Additional participants range from Dolly Parton and other living legends to a new generation of roots-minded artists, represented here by Rhiannon Giddens.

That impressive list of narrators is only a snapshot of the talents involved with the series. Additional participants from different generations include the late Merle Haggard, noted memorabilia collector Marty Stuart and Old Crow Medicine Show's Ketch Secor.

Country Music will premiere on Sept. 15 with the episode "The Rub (Beginnings, 1933)." Future episodes will be titled "Hard Times (1933-1945)," "The Hillbilly Shakespeare (1945-1953)," "I Can't Stop Loving You (1953-1963)," "The Sons and Daughters of America (1964-1968)," "Will the Circle Be Unbroken? (1968-1972)," "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way? (1973-1983)" and "Don't Get Above Your Raisin' (1984-1996)."

The lengthy, ambitious series uses just part of the interview footage shot by Burns' team. The filmmaker has donated more than 174 hours of additional footage to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

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