Country: Portraits of An American Sound

Now available on VOD, iTunes and Netflix:

an Annenberg Space for Photography feature documentary

Bridging 90 years from the Carter Family to Taylor Swift, Country: Portraits of an American Sound presents a visual history of the uniquely American phenomenon that is country music. Through the work of renowned photographers and documentarians, these untold stories and never-before-seen images offer tantalizing insights into the triumphs and travails of artists whom generations of fans love. More than 20 era-spanning stars are featured, including The Band Perry, Keith Urban, Ronnie Milsap, LeAnn Rimes, Garth Brooks, Tanya Tucker, Lee Ann Womack, Lyle Lovett, Merle Haggard, Rosanne Cash, Kenny Rogers, Bill Anderson and Charley Pride.

“We literally ‘look’ at country music and explore the image of the artist as it has changed over time,” said Steven Kochones, the film’s director and producer. “As the music evolved, so did the image, and photography opened a window into that world. By telling the stories of the photographers who took the pictures and the artists who understood the power of those images, we have strived to tell a uniquely American story in a dramatic and visually engaging way.”

In conjunction with its 2014 exhibit of the same name, the Annenberg Space for Photography commissioned Arclight Productions to make a feature-length documentary giving audiences a fresh look at country icons through the lenses of some of the world’s top photographers and filmmakers. Annenberg’s prior collaboration with documentarian Steven Kochones, Who Shot Rock & Roll, premiered at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival and was an Official Selection at 25 international festivals.

Country: Portraits of an American Sound is presented by the Annenberg Space for Photography, in association with Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History and the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum.

Photo courtesy of Arclight Productions