The documentary Open Country will screen at the Onyx Downtown at the Nevada Theatre on Wednesday, October 2, at 7 pm. Filmmakers Glenda Drew and Jesse Drew exemplify Marshall McLuhan’s famed quote, “The medium is the message,” by not just bringing clarity to the storied history of country music but by using the film itself as a tool to raise funds for community music and employ local musicians to open for each screening. In this case, KVMR is the benefactor of this fundraising event, and local artists Brendan Phillips and Cedar Hennings will perform before the film. A Q&A with filmmaker Jesse Drew will follow the film.
Open Country traces the history of what is now called country music back to its roots in diverse cultures as far-flung as Africa, Hawaii, and yes— Switzerland—the home of yodeling. Known originally in the United States as ‘hillbilly music’ then folk music, and around the time of McCarthyism, rebranded as country music, whatever you call it, this music is deeply woven into American life. Many musicians regarded today as country musicians, such as Hank Williams, considered themselves folk musicians.
Come see the film and gain insights into a chapter of American history that saw a music that originated to give a voice to workers, workers’ rights, and the under-represented to becoming co-opted into a culture that leans towards conservatism while proclaiming, “traditional values,” under a guise of American chauvinism, hinted racism, bigotry and the support of the Confederate flag.
“In the 1950s, McCarthyism played a prominent role in the extraction of Country-Western from that of folk music, with its left-wing associations with artists like Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger.”—from Open Country Film website
Nevada County residents will be pleased to find Utah Phillips among the notable musicians interviewed for this film, which was 20 years in the making. His footage is not alone in being preserved for posterity. Renowned musician and inspiration for San Francisco’s Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, Hazel Dickens is also included, along with Pete Seeger and less expected featured interviews with Billy Bragg and Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, among many others. Dickens received the National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, the United States’ highest honor in the folk and traditional arts.
Come out and see an eye-opening documentary and hear a performance by local musicians Brendan Phillips and Cedar Hennings at this KVMR fundraiser.
From the Filmmakers:
“We are only releasing Open Country for an in-person audience. It will not be streamed or on any on-line platform. It is meant to be experienced in-the-flesh. This will be an event worth attending in person, to help build community and bring people together. It is already a proven crowd-pleaser!”—Glenda Drew & Jesse Drew, Open Country Film
Co-presented by The Onyx Downtown and KVMR.
WHAT: Film “Open Country Film” 90 minutes, G
WHEN: 7 PM, Wednesday, October 7, 2024
WHERE: The Onyx Downtown at the Nevada Theatre, 401 Broad Street, Nevada City
TICKETS: https://www.theonyxtheatre.com/events/25551-open-country/
TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Proceeds benefit KVMR and the local musicians who provide music before the film. This movie screens at the Nevada Theatre, 401 Broad Street, Nevada City, on Wednesday, October 2, at 7 pm. Tickets are $10. Q&A w/Filmmaker Jesse Drew. Visit theonyxtheatre.com for tickets and details.
ABOUT GLENDA DREW AND JESSE DREW
Glenda Drew is a Professor of Design at UC Davis, specializing in digital media, and Jesse Drew is a Professor of Technocultural Studies at UC Davis. They combined their talents, passion for music, and deep American roots to produce this film, which includes and preserves rare footage of American folk and country artists.