Ken Burns’ recent 16-hour PBS documentary film Country Music demonstrates the therapeutic value of words put to music. Some of the most powerful songs were written right after a fight, a divorce or a death as musicians worked out their issues through songs of the heart.
Pain is never fun, but growth can come through difficulty and suffering. As I watched the entire 16 hours of “Country Music,” I found myself being encouraged to embrace rather than flee pain. We each live with varying degrees of physical, emotional and relational pain.
My 16-hour immersion in country music has left me humming two songs that were prominently featured in the documentary:
Ada R Habershon’s hymn “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” was reworked by A.P. Carter and released by the Carter Family in 1935 as “Can the Circle Be Unbroken.”
Hank Williams‘ 1949 song “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” captures the pain that was a significant part of Williams’ brief life.
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