His overall career probably doesn't warrant that much of a spotlight (especially over people like Conway Twitty and Keith Whitley). More than anything Marty Stuart has sort of become the unofficial historian of country music. He knows this stuff better than almost anyone and even has one the largest country music memorabilia collections in the world. A lot of the stuff he owns is displayed in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Country Music Hall of Fame.
I liked Marty Stuart being a big part of it because I liked having someone as through line who could talk about all the different aspects of the genre and tie it all together. The dude has had a pretty interesting career. He married Connie Smith, was big in the bluegrass scene with Lester Flatt and then played with Johnny Cash. He then was part of the early 90s pop boom (although a small part of it) before pivoting back to making critical acclaimed, "traditional" country albums.
No doubt, I'd never diss his qualifications as a historian and authority. Probably shouldn't equate air time on the doc with impact or importance to the genre but it's hard to separate the two.
It was interesting at the very end of the final episode whose photos flashed through -- post 1996 artists that presumably would've been part of an episode 9 if there were one. Sturgill, Paisley, Urban, Faith Hill plus half a dozen others I'm forgetting.
Other random thoughts:
-- the show was a tribute to all the greatest country stars.....that were good-looking enough to become stars. Especially the women. Makes you wonder how many average looking women out there actually could out-sing Wynette or Parton but would never see the light of day in the entertainment business.
-- the show covered the half of the topic that deals with the entertainers--who are all the business decision-makers that decided who got signed and stayed signed? and decided what sound they wanted on the radio, etc. Almost every part of the subject is heavily impacted by these decisions, but you never hear a peep about who makes those decisions and why.
