So what exactly is a hillbilly, anyway? Well, it turns out that a lot of the folks who admittedly (and proudly) fit that description can't really say. “It's supposed to be someone who's kinda dumb,” says one, “but that's not so. There are a lot of smart hillbillies.” Offers another, “We're just people who make a livin' out here in these hills,” referring to the Ozark Mountains of Southwestern Missouri. All, however, agree that the Jed Clampett/Li'l Abner stereotypes do not apply. And when it comes to music—which is the focus of Rick Minnich's entertaining documentary—these God-fearing, tradition-loving, family-oriented folks have definitely got it goin' on. Homemade Hillbilly Jam follows three hillbilly families as they make their music—with the best of the bunch, a group called Big Smith, turning out to be very good indeed. Led by singer-songwriter Mark Bilyeu, Big Smith not only draws on the jigs and reels of their Scots-Irish heritage but also incorporates elements of everything from barbershop quartets to bluegrass, straight country, and what they call “gospel folk.” The performances here by Big Smith (and others) range from a cappella workouts (three of Bilyeu's relatives do an arrangement of “The Star-Spangled Banner” that is chillingly beautiful) to the kind of slick, middlebrow cornpone heard on the stages of various theaters in nearby Branson, MO. DVD extras include several audio-only studio performances by Big Smith that are simply first-rate. Recommended. Aud: P. (S. Graham)
Homemade Hillbilly Jam
(2007) 80 min. DVD: $24.95. First Run Features (avail. from most distributors). Volume 23, Issue 5
Homemade Hillbilly Jam
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