CMA Awards Live: Greatest Moments 1968-2015

Time-Life's extensive overview of the Country Music Association's annual awards ceremony is all about the highlights, offering over 10 hours of introductions, acceptance speeches, and 127 performances, along with interviews with Roy Clark, Vince Gill, and dozens of other award winners. By starting in 1968, when the program was in black and white, and ending in 2015, country's underappreciated variety comes into clearer focus. In the 1960s, artists like Jeannie C. Reilly ("Harper Valley PTA") incorporated pop elements into their crossover sound, a trend that continues today, but there are also statements about place and class like Loretta Lynn's "Coal Miner's Daughter" from 1975, and unifying anthems such as Alan Jackson's 9/11-inspired "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)" from 2001. While most of the performers are white, there are some notable exceptions, like Freddy Fender (born Baldemar Huerta), who brought Tejano music into the mainstream with "Before the Next Teardrop Falls," and African American vocalist Charley Pride, who won the coveted Entertainer of the Year award in 1971. Of course, many of the big names are all well represented, with repeat appearances from Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and Dolly Parton, although there are no live performances by George Jones, Toby Keith, or Garth Brooks, possibly due to music rights (Jackson and George Strait do pay tribute to Jones, who passed away in 2013, with a fine cover of "He Stopped Loving Her Today"). Other unforgettable performances include Parton, Tammy Wynette, and Loretta Lynn performing "Honky Tonk Angels," and 22-year-old Miranda Lambert singing "Kerosene" as pyrotechnic flames blaze around her. Presented in mono and Dolby Digital stereo, extras include numerous featurettes, bonus interviews, and a 44-page book. Recommended. (K. Fennessy)