A Different Kind of Musical: Country Music at the Movies

The topic of the greatest country music movie is as debatable as the chicken or the egg. The issue is defining a country music movie. Perhaps it is the story of an artist, such as “Coal Miner’s Daughter.”  Maybe it is something like “The Blind Side,” which features country music icon Tim McGraw. Maybe it’s the story of a fictional singer like Dusty Chandler, as played by George Strait in “Pure Country.” 

Country music stars, such as Roy Rogers, Elvis Presley, Wille Nelson, and Dolly Parton have gone on  not only to have big music careers, but also acting careers on the big screen. The list of artists who gave television a run includes, Randy Travis, Trace Adkins, and Reba McIntyre. Merle Haggard even played a role on “The Waltons.” 

The things that make a great country music movie, to me, are simple. It’s the story line, the performance, and the music. Of course, the biggest factor when it comes to defining a great country music movie, is the inability to stop surfing when you come across it on television. 

Here is my Top Five list. It could have been 100. 

5. “Crazy Heart” (2009) 

“Crazy Heart” is the fictional story of Bad Blake, as played by Jeff Bridges, who also  played all the songs in the movie. It’s the old story of a country star who has fallen from the top to the bottom. Bad Blake was at one time the king of country music, but ends up with a drinking problem, no money, and playing bowling alleys and dive bars. But, as in so many good country music stories, he finds love. Jeff Bridges went on to win an Academy Award and Golden Globe award for his role in “Crazy Heart.”  

4. “Walk the Line” (2005) 

“Walk the Line” is the story of Johnny Cash and features Joaquin Phoenix, who won a Golden Globe, as the Man in Black. It follows Cash’s life from his time as a door-to-door salesman to meeting and marrying June Carter, played by Reese Witherspoon. Witherspoon won an Academy Award, Critics’ Choice Award, and a Golden Globe for her portrayal. 

3. “Pure Country” (1992) 

This movie had a lot of hype leading up to its release because George Strait was the biggest name in country music at the time. Sadly, the movie did not live up to the hype, returning a scant $15 million on a $10 million investment.  As hard as it is to admit, George Strait is just not an actor. The movie did, however, give Strait  a movie soundtrack, which he had never done before. It also gave him one of his more iconic songs - “I Cross My Heart.” The soundtrack has sold a staggering six million copies 

2. “Urban Cowboy” (1980) 

“Urban Cowboy” single-handedly changed country music in  1980, highlighting  pop country, eventually known as the urban cowboy movement. “Urban Cowboy” made country music cool again. This movie, for a lot of people, transcends country music movies. It showed that John Travolta was more than a one-hit wonder with “Saturday Night Fever.” Neither Travolta or his co-star Debra Winger won any awards for the movie.IIt was considered  something of a commercial disappointment after the financial success of both “Saturday Night Fever” and “Grease.” The soundtrack produced big hits for Johnny Lee, Mickey Gilley, Anne Murray, the Charlie Daniels Band, and the Eagles. 

1. “Coal Miner’s Daughter” (1980) 

This movie was based on Loretta Lynn’s autobiography of the same name. Lynn  had a big hand in the movie, ensuring it stayed true to her story. Sissy Spacek played Lynn and Tommy Lee Jones played her husband “Doo.” Sissy Spacek won an Academy Award and Golden Globe for her performance. The movie went on to give Lorretta Lynn the biggest hit of her career with the soundtrack going on to sell over 500,000 copies in just over a year. It was the first soundtrack to win the CMA Album of the Year.