Blue Ridge PBS - Featured Programs

Join us for these featured programs

	60s LIVE! - My Generation, My Music
	American Soundtrack: Doo Wops Greatest Hits
	Andre Rieu: Live in Vienna
	Berlin Celebration Concert
	Best of the Joy of Painting
	Billy Joel: The Stranger Live
	Brain Fitness Program
	Classic Gospel: Special Edition
	Great Performances - Vivere: Andrea Bocelli Live in Tuscany

	Great Performances: Pavarotti - A Life in Seven Arias
	John Denver: A Song's Best Friend
	Martha Speaks
	My Music: The British Beat
	My Music, My Generation: The 60s
	PBS Convention Coverage - A NewsHour Special Report
	Sinatra: Vegas Live from Caesars Palace

60s LIVE! - My Generation, My Music

Saturday, September 13 at 8:00 p.m.
The popular MY MUSIC series presents an extra-special three-hour event focusing on the eternally hip hit-making artists from the second half of the 1960s. THE 60s LIVE! - MY GENERATION, MY MUSIC is a treasure-trove of essential folk-rock, rhythm and blues and pop classics that still resonate with baby boomers.

Leading off the celebration of the peace and protest decade are the New Rascals, who perform their chart-topping trio of blue-eyed soul smashes "People Got to Be Free" (1968), "Groovin'" (1966) and "Good Lovin'" (1966). Roger McGuinn of the Byrds reprises his legendary folk-rock group's rendition of Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man," one of 1965's biggest hits. The lasting influence and popularity of British rock is represented by the Zombies with their top-10 smash "She's Not There" and Eric Burdon of the Animals with the rebellious "It's My Life."

From the softer side of the 60s, the Association reunites to present the million-selling standard "Never My Love." Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. of the original Fifth Dimension offer their top-of-the-chart take on the late Laura Nyro's "Wedding Bell Blues." For the first time on television, Jackie DeShannon revisits her era-defining masterpiece, the Burt Bacharach-Hal David ballad "What the World Needs Now Is Love"; Blood, Sweat & Tears fuse pop with jazz on their golden great "You Made Me So Very Happy."

The 60s psychedelic sounds are represented by Vanilla Fudge's "You Keep Me Hangin' On" and the infamous "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vidda" by metal pioneers Iron Butterfly. A number of essential vintage performance clips are also featured by 60s stalwarts the Lovin' Spoonful ("Do You Believe in Magic"), the Miracles ("The Tracks of My Tears"), Barry McGuire ("The Eve of Destruction") and the Mamas and the Papas ("California Dreamin'").

Hosted by "Mama" Michelle Phillips, of the Mamas and the Papas, and the Smothers Brothers, Tommy and Dick Smothers, THE 60s LIVE! remembers and rejoices in an unforgettable time of profound change and in music that remains relevant today. The program is part of the goal to preserve vital American music legacies on the MY MUSIC series, exclusively on PBS.

American Soundtrack: Doo Wops Greatest Hits

DOO WOP'S GREATEST HITS presents the most popular and nostalgic songs from that timeless era. Loaded with joyful lyrics, great backbeats and soothing harmonies, this music still touches the heart and soul of an entire generation. Vocal groups were a prime component of the emerging rock 'n' roll movement in the mid-1950s. The Platters, one of the era's most beloved and enduring acts, kick off the retrospective with their million-selling smash from 1955, "The Great Pretender." More memorable chart-topping classics follow, including the haunting "Blue Moon" by Pittsburgh vocal group the Marcels and the jubilant "Chapel of Love" by the Dixie Cups. The Skyliners, a Pittsburgh vocal group legend, reprise their 1959 smash "Since I Don't Have You" and the Dreamlovers from Philadelphia present "When We Get Married," a top-10 hit from 1961. R&B duo Johnnie and Joe reunite for their 1959 top-10 hit "Over the Mountain, Across the Sea."

One of doo wop's all-time most romantic ballads, "I Only Have Eyes for You," is performed by the Flamingos, who took the tune to the top 20 in 1959. The legendary Jerry Butler offers his very first hit from 1958, "For Your Precious Love." Another love song for the ages, "Heart and Soul," is rendered with soaring harmonies by the Cleftones. What were called "girl groups" back in the day are represented by Rosie and the Originals with the 1960 top-10 hit "Angel Baby" and the Shirelles, performing their number one hit from 1962, "Soldier Boy."

Andre Rieu: Live in Vienna

Andre Rieu and the Johann Strauss Orchestra and Choir perform on the square in front of the Hofburg Palace in the heart of Vienna. The concert includes compositions by famous Viennese composers Johann Strauss, Franz Lehar, Emmerich Kalman, W.A. Mozart, Robert Stolz and others. Joining the musicians are the Ballet of Vienna State Opera, the Vienna debutantes from the Elmayer Dance School, the Platinum Tenors and sopranos Carmen Monarcha, Carla Maffioletti, Mirusia Louwerse and Suzan Erens.

World-famous waltzes and melodies in LIVE IN VIENNA include Strauss' "The Beautiful Blue Danube" and "Gold and Silver," Lehar's "Lips Are Sealed" and "Song of the Volga," Stolz' "Trees Are Blooming in Vienna," Mozart's "A Little Night Music" and many other sparkling selections. Viewers - and listeners - may imagine themselves in the romantic 19th-century Vienna!

The Berlin Celebration Concert

"I feel this is the heaven-sent moment to sing 'Freiheit' (freedom) wherever the music indicates 'Freude' (joy). If ever there was an historic time to take an academic risk in the name of human joy, this is it, and I am sure we have Beethoven's blessing."
- Leonard Bernstien

Conducted by Leonard Bernstein, THE BERLIN CELEBRATION CONCERT is an historic performance marking the fall of the Berlin Wall. Performed on Christmas Day 1989 in the former East Berlin, the concert unites an international cast of celebrated musicians and vocalists for a moving performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. The program is introduced by JoAnn Falletta, music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.

Best of the Joy of Painting

Saturday, September 6 at 5:00 p.m.

Blue Ridge PBS honors "The Joy of Painting" and the legendary Bob Ross with a special presentation of three memorable episodes, accompanied by a live broadcast of Ross students creating paintings in our own studio.

Learn how to enroll in classes taught by a Bob Ross certified instructor during special workshops coming to this region. Please join us!

Bob Ross

Billy Joel: The Stranger Live

In honor of the 30th anniversary of the Hicksville, New York native's breakthrough album The Stranger, WLIW New York presents the U.S. broadcast premiere of Billy Joel's 1978 British concert debut - a live television performance on The Old Grey Whistle Test .

During the appearance, the legendary singer/songwriter played a set of now-classic hits, including "Only the Good Die Young," "Movin' Out," "She's Always a Woman" and "Just the Way You Are," which earned 1978 Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Joel and his band also performed "New York State of Mind" and "Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)" off 1976's Turnstiles as well as Piano Man stomper "Ain't No Crime." Now, 30 years later, the one-time UK broadcast finally premieres stateside.

Brain Fitness Program

This program presents a workout to help viewers get their brains in better shape. The Brain Fitness Program is based on neuro-plasticity, the ability of the brain to change and adapt - even rewire itself. In the past two years, a team of scientists has developed computer-based stimulus sets that drive beneficial chemical, physical and functional changes in the brain. Dr. Michael Merzenich of the University of California San Francisco and his colleagues around the world have been leading this effort; he brings the research findings, along with a scientifically based set of brain exercises, to PBS viewers in this innovative and life-altering program. Peter Coyote narrates.

Classic Gospel: Special Edition

Sunday, September 7 at 2:00 and 7:00 p.m.

Tune in to see how you can get tickets for the Bill Gaither & the Homecoming Friend Lovin' Life Concert at the Roanoke Civic Center in December!

This special hosted by gospel pioneer Bill Gaither features the harmony and spirit of gospel music as performed by the pioneering and contemporary greats of this distinctly American musical genre. Some 20 gospel favorites are performed by artists including George Beverly Shea, Larnelle Harris, CeCe Winans, Sandi Patty, Vestal Goodman and the Gaither Vocal Band.

Great Performances - Vivere: Andrea Bocelli Live in Tuscany

Superstar Andrea Bocelli returns to his native Italy for a concert of his greatest hits, along with the debut of new songs.

Taped at a specially constructed theater on the slopes of the ancient hill town of Lajatico in Tuscany, Bocelli is joined by special guests Chris Botti, Heather Headley, Kenny G., David Foster, Lang Lang, Eliza, Laura Pausini and Sarah Brightman for an evening of romantic favorites.

Great Performances: Pavarotti - A Life in Seven Arias

Saturday, September 6 at 8:00 p.m.
When Luciano Pavarotti died in September 2007, the world lost one of the greatest voices in all of music. In celebration of Pavarotti's peerless vocal talent and extraordinary international impact, this performance documentary looks back over his legendary career, utilizing the arias with which he was most closely associated as a narrative framework.

The seven arias, and the chapters they represent in the singer's life, are:

"Che gelida manina," from Puccini's La Boheme, the opera that marked Pavarotti's debut, shown here in a rare 1965 performance from Modena with Mirella Freni.
"Pour mon ame," from Donizetti's La Fille du Regiment, the work he toured with Joan Sutherland. Its famous aria and nine astronomical high notes he detonated from the stage at Covent Garden earned him the sobriquet King of the High Cs.
"Panis Angelicus," the haunting Cesar Franck work he sang as a youth in Modena with his father. The duet affords a visit to his beloved hometown and a chance to recall friends there and participation in the city's renowned Rossini Chorale.
"Questa o quella," from Verdi's Rigoletto, marking the beginning of the Pavarotti media blitz.
"Nessun dorma," from Puccini's Turandot, the aria he makes his own and immortalizes in the first Three Tenors concert.
"E lucevan le stelle," from Puccini's Tosca, underscores the last years and final Met performance.
"Ingemisco," from the Verdi Requiem.

From his humble origins in Modena, Italy, "A Life in Seven Arias" follows "The King of the High C"'s meteoric rise, spanning his London debut in La Boheme , his triumph in La Fille du Regiment and his iconic rendition of "Nessun dorma." In addition to a treasure trove of classic Pavarotti performances, also featured are new and archival interviews with many of the tenor's friends and colleagues, including Dame Joan Sutherland, Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras and Juan Diego Florez.

John Denver: A Song's Best Friend

One of the world's best-known and best-loved performers, John Denver earned international acclaim as a songwriter, performer, actor, environmentalist and humanitarian. His music has spanned three decades, 30 albums, outlasted countless musical trends, and garnered numerous musical awards and honors. Today, millions of fans, old and new, enjoy the work of this extraordinary performer.

JOHN DENVER: A SONG'S BEST FRIEND is a touching look at the man and his legacy, focusing on his most famous songs, with background and insight from those closest to him. The program features interviews with his ex-wife Annie, producer and arranger Milt Okun, manager Hal Thau, conductor and composer Lee Holdridge, and band members Pete Huttlinger and John Somers.

In selections from his popular 1970s television specials, and rare footage from concerts including Sing Australia! (1984 and 1994) and Red Rocks (1973 and 1982), Denver performs cherished classics including "Sunshine On My Shoulders," "Country Roads," and "Rocky Mountain High," as well as other beloved favorites including "Perhaps Love," "Thank God I'm a Country Boy," and "This Old Guitar."

Martha Speaks

Weekdays at 6:00 a.m. starting September 1
Based on the best-selling children's book series by Susan Meddaugh, the MARTHA SPEAKS animated TV series follows the adventures of Martha, a loveable dog whose appetite for alphabet soup gives her the ability to speak. Using her newfound abilities, Martha gets jobs, wears disguises, foils bad guys, wins contests and orders lots of steaks. A dog's breakfast of messes and hilarious entanglements ensue for Martha, her family and the unsuspecting people of her town who make up the comic heart of the series. Being a talking dog, Martha lives in a vocabulary-rich environment. The educational goal of the series is to bolster the vocabulary of 4 to 7-year-olds within the context of great stories in engaging, comical ways. Around and in between the half-hour's two 11-minute stories are a variety of animated interstitials that reinforce the vocabulary. Sit. Stay. Watch out world; here comes Martha! Martha Speaks is part of PBS KIDS Raising Readers, designed to use media to help young children, especially those from low-income families, build the skills they need to learn to read.

My Music: The British Beat

In February 1964, a young English rock 'n' roll quartet called the Beatles arrived on U.S. shores, kicking off a musical explosion that took the country by storm - and reverberates to this day. PBS revisits the time when the nation's airwaves grooved to the swinging sounds of London in MY MUSIC: THE BRITISH BEAT. Britain's first lady of song, Petula Clark, hosts this all-star reunion of some of the best of the British Invasion and performs her #1 million-seller "Downtown." Beloved duo Peter and Gordon reunite for the first time in nearly four decades to perform their hits "World Without Love" and "I Go to Pieces." Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent of the Zombies (pictured at right) bring back the British psychedelic pop sound with the Brit-rock anthems "Time of the Season" and "She's Not There."

THE BRITISH BEAT includes numerous #1 Billboard hits such as "Wild Thing" by the Troggs, "To Sir With Love" by Lulu and "Game of Love" by Wayne Fontana, original lead singer of Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders, who also reprises the favorite "A Groovy Kind of Love." An archival performance of her 1966 worldwide smash "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" pays tribute to the late Dusty Springfield, while vintage clips from "The Ed Sullivan Show" provide era-defining moments from the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.

My Music, My Generation: The 60s

The MY MUSIC series returns to Blue Ridge PBS with an exciting retrospective that focuses on hip, hit-making artists from the second half of the 60s. Leading off the celebration of the peace and protest decade are the New Rascals, who perform their chart-topping pair of blue-eyed soul smashes "People Got to Be Free" (1968) and "Groovin'" (1966). The dynamic Dennis Tufano of the Buckinghams brings back another number-one rocker, "Kind of a Drag," and Ohio's state song singer, Rick Derrenger, returns to the stage to perform his frat-rock anthem "Hang On, Sloopy," which features extended lyrics edited from the songs original 1965 release.

We Five of the folk music craze in the mid 60s reunite to sing "You Were on My Mind," while Roger McGuinn of the Byrds reprises his legendary folk-rock group's rendition of Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man," one of 1965's biggest hits. From the softer side of the 60s, the Association reunites with two million-selling standards, "Cherish" and "Never My Love." Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. (shown on left)of the original Fifth Dimension offer their top-of-the-chart take on the late Laura Nyro's "Wedding Bell Blues."

For the first time on television, Jackie DeShannon revisits her era-defining masterpiece, the Burt Bacharach-Hal David ballad "What the World Needs Now Is Love." The 60s "psychedelic sounds" are represented by Vanilla Fudge's "You Keep Me Hangin' On" and the infamous "In-a-Gadda-Da-Vidda" by metal pioneers Iron Butterfly. In a lighter vein, Ron Dante, voice of the Archies, closes with the bubblegum monster "Sugar, Sugar," 1969's top hit. With introductions by "Mama" Michelle Phillips of the Mamas & the Papas, MY GENERATION - THE 60s remembers and rejoices in an unforgettable time of profound change and music that remains relevant today.

PBS Convention Coverage - A NewsHour Special Report

Democratic National Convention:
Monday-Thursday, August 25-28, 8:00 p.m.
Republican National Convention:
Monday-Thursday, September 1-4, 8:00-11:00 p.m.

PBS' convention coverage, anchored by Jim Lehrer of THE NEWSHOUR WITH JIM LEHRER, will include extended uninterrupted coverage of podium activities and speeches; reporting from the floor of the convention; newsmaker interviews; political analysis and historical perspective. NEWSHOUR senior correspondents Gwen Ifill, Ray Suarez, Judy Woodruff and Margaret Warner will join Lehrer. Political analysis will be provided by New York Times columnist David Brooks and syndicated columnist Mark Shields. Presidential historians Michael Beschloss and Richard Norton Smith will add historical perspective; Andy Kohut, president of the Pew Research Center, will update viewers with the latest polling information.

With so many voters turning to the Internet for their news, The NewsHour will also devote extensive resources to convention coverage online, including original reporting and video footage created exclusively for the Online NewsHour . With an eye on the issues at play in battleground states, Online will capture first-hand perspectives of state delegations and other voices from the convention floor, as well as the unique perspectives of the NewsHour's senior correspondents and guests. The Online NewsHour will post video, audio and other multi-media reports as well as allow site users to ask questions of experts and correspondents. Editors will also be publishing photos on the NewsHour's Flickr account, updating the NewsHour Twitter feed for up-to-the-minute observations and collaborate with NPR to constantly update an NPR/NewsHour/PBS interactive election map. While PBS convention coverage will be interspersed with analysis, interviews and commentary, The NewsHour will focus its coverage on podium activities to provide viewers with a real sense of what is going on inside the convention halls.

PBS goes behind the headlines throughout the summer and fall with the "PBS Vote 2008" election line-up, offering Americans a unique opportunity to explore the Presidential elections. PBS' trusted news brands and personalities bring viewers in-depth information and insight into the issues and candidates. PBS' election coverage will be led by THE NEWSHOUR WITH JIM LEHRER, WASHINGTON WEEK WITH GWEN IFILL AND NATIONAL JOURNAL, NOW ON PBS, BILL MOYERS JOURNAL and TAVIS SMILEY, and enhanced by programming from other trusted PBS sources, including AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, FRONTLINE, NIGHTLY BUSINESS REPORT and P.O.V.. PBS.org's election hub page, pbs.org/vote2008 , will provide further perspectives.

Sinatra: Vegas Live from Caesars Palace

Frank Sinatra, more than any other performer, turned Las Vegas into "The Entertainment Capital of the World." SINATRA: VEGAS LIVE FROM CAESARS PALACE presents a previously unreleased concert performance from May 5, 1978 with many Sinatra favorites such as "All of Me," "The Lady is a Tramp," "Didn't We," "Maybe This Time," "My Kind of Town," and "My Way."

For more program information visit our Programs A-Z page
and see clips from your favorite PBS programs.

The Blue Ridge PBS Primetime Calendar is available as an Adobe PDF File.
Click below on the month of your choice.

August September

Also available are the Blue Ridge PBS Daytime and Blue Ridge PBS HD Schedules in an Adobe PDF File.
August September

Late-Breaking World News and Events May Result in Schedule Changes

Interact With PBS!

PBS has companion websites for more than 450 PBS programs and Specials,
interviews with filmmakers, educational support materials, original content, forums and more!
An exciting new online adventure awaits you every day at www.PBS.org.

Blue Ridge PBS: Enriching people's lives by providing educational, informational and cultural programming that fills a unique role as a positive and lifelong resource for the communities we serve.