Griff's Great American South (2025) Season 1 Episode 1
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Short filmTranscript
00:00This beautiful landscape is home to awe-inspiring barbecue, frightening whiskey, and the overwhelming Dolly Parton.
00:19Welcome to Tennessee.
00:20So there we have it. In a few seconds, I'm going to be dangling, hanging above a state which, when the General Assembly met in 1965, and they needed a saying to sum up this state, they decided on America at its best.
00:44Okay, and you're wearing an extra sort of bag. What's that?
00:47So this is our parachute. This is our backup plan.
00:50Right.
00:51I have never thrown a parachute. We're not starting today.
00:54God help me.
00:57The Great American South.
01:02From the Atlantic to the Gulf, and a few points in between, in a runabout sort of way, come with me, exploring its rich, its wondrous, and, let's face it, its sometimes troubled history.
01:14Rejoicing in the spiritual.
01:18And the creative.
01:22Now I have faith in welding.
01:24Wrapping myself in legend and myth.
01:27That's like a sort of American Gothic novel.
01:29Stuffing myself with southern food.
01:32And what is your secret?
01:34Me.
01:35I want to explore America, where the crawdads sing.
01:44By land, by air, by water.
01:48It promises to be uplifting, exciting, and very beautiful.
01:53I'm going with Griff.
01:54Yes, ma'am.
01:55The Great American South.
01:57I've changed my bag!
01:58Ours for the taking.
02:00Safe travels.
02:00I suddenly get the feeling I'm quite intimate with you.
02:25A little bit, yeah.
02:27It's about a 15-minute hug.
02:28Three, two, one.
02:37We're free.
02:43We've just released it.
02:47And we're flying, as it were, on our own volition.
02:52One of the reasons I've come up with, to have a look at the mountains.
03:00And Timbersea is bounded by mountains.
03:05Like the Appalachian, like the Blue Ridge Mountains, and also the Cumberland Plateau.
03:11And half of the state is high, hilly, and mountainous.
03:17It's got the highest peaks in the southeast, and where the rain falls, rivers begin.
03:22The capital, Nashville, Music City, on the Tennessee River, is just one of five inland ports serving three huge rivers.
03:30There's an awful lot of fresh water to go with your Tennessee whisky.
03:36There's a sense with the Tennessee drawl, that Tennessee shack, that the idea of moonshine up in the mountains,
03:44and everybody sort of feels that this is an area of hoax.
03:48But don't talk about this.
03:51Be in awe.
03:53Because this state is the original home of bluegrass, soul, and country.
04:00Tennessee has basically produced the music that has defined not only my lifetime, but the whole of the 20th century.
04:16It's awe-inspiring to be in Tennessee.
04:23OK, we're coming in to land now.
04:28This is the moment.
04:35And my physiotherapist will be proud of me.
04:41I'm off into Tennessee now.
04:42Well, enjoy the rest of Tennessee, and go Vols.
04:45Go Vols.
04:46I certainly will.
04:47I knew what that meant, but I'd better find out.
04:50This is the centre of the American South.
04:54It's bordered by no fewer than eight other states.
04:57But is it what it claims to be?
04:59Middle America, average US, the American Southern experience, moonshine and backwoods, and blackberry cobbler.
05:07Like the original European settlers, I've come over the Appalachian Mountains to have a look.
05:13And I'm starting in a city which is a gateway to the wonders of Tennessee.
05:18So I'm in Chattanooga now, and yes, there really is a place called Chattanooga, where the choo-choo went to.
05:28Hey, morning.
05:29Hi.
05:30I'd like a double espresso, please.
05:31Hi.
05:31Good for you.
05:32Thank you so much.
05:34I'm just looking through, get a handle on Tennessee.
05:39They have all sorts of living insignia.
05:42They have a state amphibian, for example, which is a Tennessee cave salamander.
05:48And a state reptile, the eastern box turtle.
05:53But it's beginning to give a sort of idea of the nature of Tennessee, I think.
06:00They even have a tartan, which is the Tennessee state tartan.
06:07Nobody's wearing it today that I can see.
06:09And most importantly, because this is the South, they have a state firearm, the Barrett M-82.
06:22Hello, guys.
06:23Oh, hi.
06:24Do you mind me trying to ask you a few questions?
06:27First of all, I need to know, are you Tennessee people?
06:31We grew up in South Mississippi.
06:33South Mississippi.
06:35Yes.
06:35Right, so what did you make of Tennessee?
06:37Yeah, Tennessee is, you have access to mountains, to rivers, to mountain biking, to walking.
06:44It was just, there's so much to do.
06:47You're here and within two hours.
06:48Two hours from, you're within an arm's reach of almost anything you want to do.
06:53So tell me about Chattanooga.
06:54I love Chattanooga.
06:55I think Chattanooga is a really small, big town.
06:59Everybody that lives in Chattanooga does the city stuff.
07:02So we have a small soccer team, but everybody goes.
07:06You know, there's events on Saturdays, and it seems like the whole city's there.
07:09All right, tell me what a vol is.
07:11What's a vol?
07:11Tennessee Volunteers.
07:12Yeah.
07:13What does that mean, volunteers?
07:15So, Tennessee sent infantrymen to the War of 1812.
07:21You know, they sent like...
07:22The War of 1812?
07:24Yeah.
07:25That sounds a long time ago.
07:26It sure is.
07:27We volunteered our men to, we love our history.
07:31Well, can I say you've both been wonderful spokespeople for Tennessee and the South.
07:36You're right.
07:37Yeah, we've been here a whole lot.
07:39I'll never leave.
07:40Don't see us leaving anytime soon.
07:42I'm not leaving.
07:42No desire to visit the frozen North.
07:45Absolutely not.
07:47Good.
07:48Thank you for your help.
07:49Neither Casey nor Leslie, though they've travelled a lot, have ever left the southern states.
07:56Why would you leave this climate, lifestyle and sheer natural beauty?
08:01For a landlocked state, though, Tennessee is awash with more than 60,000 miles of rivers and streams.
08:08And much of it lies here in the enormous Tennessee River Valley.
08:14All this water enabled this state to become a green energy powerhouse in the 1930s, long before anyone had ever heard of climate change.
08:27So, um, this lake is bounded by another dam to the north, is it?
08:32Yes, yep.
08:33And then there are 49 dams combined on the Tennessee River and all of its tributaries.
08:38A lot of hydroelectric power and water storage in the state of Tennessee.
08:43The hydro system was built to counter the Great Depression as part of Roosevelt's New Deal in 1933.
08:50It brought electricity, flood control, improved waterway navigation, economic modernisation and me in a canoe.
08:59This is an extraordinary record here because we're talking about a green source of energy.
09:07It is.
09:08And we pair it with other energy sources as well.
09:12It's not widely known that the secretive Manhattan Project based itself here, out of the way of attack, but accessible in Tennessee.
09:23Many of the experiments were powered by hydroelectricity, and it gave this state early access to nuclear power as well.
09:33The area is a long way from the shack in the mountains down home Dolly Parton image most people play with.
09:41So, Griff, let's start aiming.
09:45Do you see that black and yellow striped wall?
09:48Yeah.
09:48We want to be aiming.
09:50That's the lock wall there.
09:52Okay, we'll get going.
09:54To get to the lower part of the river, we're taking our tiny canoes through a huge lock.
10:00They run 24 hours a day.
10:03You just call ahead and let them know that you're coming.
10:06They're going to open up these giant block gates just for two blokes in kayaks.
10:13Yep, they sure will.
10:14The enormous river system links into the Ohio and then the Mississippi.
10:20It's still a vital shipping route today.
10:23That's quite alarming.
10:32There's about seven Olympic-sized swimming pools worth of water floating out of this lock right now down to the river.
10:39You could not help but be impressed at how quickly this bath empties.
10:43How deep are we going to go then, Zach?
10:45We'll probably travel about 55 feet down today.
10:49And the experience is like sinking into a well.
11:00Oh, it's opening.
11:09And the way is clear for us to go out and join the lower river.
11:14Oh, they're shutting the gates behind us.
11:20Let's start feeling it back up from the top.
11:22Right.
11:24The river route was as important a path for opening up the west of America as canoe wagon train.
11:36This is bad.
11:37You're just helping me ashore here and I should get my feet wet.
11:40And I emerge dry shot.
11:46Right.
11:47Now, this is the bit where I tip up completely.
11:56Disappointed?
11:58I expect you are.
12:02Don't worry.
12:04Still plenty of time for me to fall on my arse.
12:06I'm heading west.
12:18Well, here we are.
12:20We're in America's dream car now.
12:21This is our Ford pickup.
12:241971.
12:25But for the last 35 years, the Ford pickup has been the most popular car in America.
12:38And if you wonder why in those 1940s films, they go a little bit like this the whole time.
12:43It's just to keep the car on the road before power steering.
12:47And we're coming in to Nashville, Tennessee.
13:01Welcome to Music City, the home of country.
13:10Start right here.
13:11If you want to be a country music star, everybody else certainly did.
13:16But never forget, there are more guitars here than there are people.
13:22And more people who can really play guitar than you could ever imagine.
13:26Standing at the crossroads, wondering which way to go
13:33The past is behind me, future isn't off the road
13:41The music never stops.
13:44We've got country.
13:47We've got old-timey country.
13:49We've got bluegrass.
13:51We've got punk country.
13:53We've got country rock.
13:54On this street, if it ain't country, it ain't music.
14:01Woo!
14:02Let's go and make some sweet, sweet memories
14:07Think of every dream you had and make it true
14:13It's important to realise
14:16That when Alison Krauss sings about making it on Broadway
14:23She doesn't mean Broadway in New York
14:26She means this Broadway here in Nashville
14:30It's Las Vegas with steel guitars
14:41This place has been known as Music City since the 1870s
14:49When a group of former enslaved people from Nashville's Fisk University
14:54Went on a world tour
14:56The Fisk Jubilee singers impressed audiences everywhere
15:01Including one Queen Victoria of England
15:05She declared, you must come from a city of music
15:10And it's been Music City ever since
15:13Artists have come here to write, play and record
15:17And presumably to impress the crowned heads of Europe
15:21From the 1930s, they probably stayed somewhere like this
15:27Look at this
15:32Huge
15:33Jacuzzi
15:35This is a real country and western style motel
15:38I'm intending to lay my head where many a country legend
15:43Has done so before me
15:45I just hope the pillow isn't as old as Roy Rogers
15:50We've always got to remember
15:53That the southern states are at the heart of what it means
15:58To be an American
15:59The motel was started up somewhere in California
16:02And swiftly got a reputation which was a little bit shaky
16:06Because there were an awful lot of people using motels
16:10For assignations in the afternoon
16:12But it was a Tennessee man
16:15Who thought that they needed a more wholesome image
16:18And so invented the Holiday Inn
16:32Give me all your love, I'll take it
16:37Put your hand in mine, we'll make it
16:39And you can have my heart on one condition
16:43You don't break it
16:45So you may think
16:48That Broadway
16:50Is the centre of music
16:52In Nashville
16:53And after all
16:54The likes of Johnny Cash
16:55Chris Christopherson
16:57Started off in honky tonks on there
17:00But the real centre
17:01Of the music business
17:03In Nashville
17:04Is here
17:06On Music Row
17:07Just about every single building
17:15On this block and in this area
17:17Was either a studio
17:18Or an agency
17:20Bob Dylan recorded all along the watchtower
17:23Just over there
17:24At Columbia
17:25But the most famous studio
17:27Is RCA Victor
17:28Dolly Parton created Jolene here
17:31And Elvis Presley
17:32Cut over 240 songs
17:35In Studio B
17:36But there's not a sign
17:39Of honky tonk
17:40It's quiet
17:42As it should be
17:43Around studios
17:44And the business
17:46Of making a lot of money
17:48The music industry in Nashville
17:51Generates around
17:53Nine billion dollars
17:55A year
17:56And it just keeps growing
17:58But Smashville
18:01Or NashVegas
18:03Has not always been
18:04An equal opportunity
18:06Employment slot machine
18:07I'm on my way
18:09To meet a country music
18:10Disruptor
18:11A talent scout
18:12And promoter
18:13For black
18:14Country artists
18:16Hello
18:18Hi I'm Griff
18:19I'm Holly
18:20Holly
18:20Really good to meet you
18:21So nice to have you
18:22I've come to you
18:24I've come to you
18:24To ask you
18:25First of all
18:26Why was it that
18:28Certain types of music
18:30Were determined as being
18:33Black music
18:34And some types of music
18:35Were being determined
18:36As being white music
18:38By record companies
18:40And yet they all had their origins
18:42In black music
18:43Yeah
18:44So back in the 1920s
18:46Billboard magazine
18:47Started publishing music charts
18:48On the back of their magazine
18:49They'll post like the top 10
18:51Or 20 or so songs
18:52In the country
18:53And they noticed
18:54That black people
18:55Were starting to get
18:56On those music charts
18:57Because people were
18:58Consuming that music
18:58And they didn't want
18:59Black and white people
19:00In the same charts
19:01So they separated it
19:02And it became
19:03Two charts
19:04One was hillbilly music
19:05Which became country music
19:06And one was race records
19:08Which eventually
19:09Became R&B music
19:10And so that separation
19:12Based on race
19:13Has been ingrained
19:15In the industry
19:16Of country music
19:16Since the very very beginning
19:18And so what happened
19:19You started
19:20Black Opry
19:21As how did you start
19:23And how did it work
19:24I started looking
19:24For people that made
19:25Country music
19:26That were outside
19:27Of the norm
19:27I was looking for
19:28Queer country artists
19:29And black country artists
19:30And any people of colour
19:31That were making country music
19:33Up till now
19:33We've done over
19:34300 shows
19:36And we play everything
19:37From dive bars
19:38To huge festivals
19:39It's so much fun
19:40I get to listen to music
19:42For a living
19:42Essentially
19:43I mean I don't get
19:45To go hang gliding
19:45But
19:46Well there's plenty
19:47Of time for that
19:48Look at me
19:48I mean I'm hang gliding
19:50That's the first time
19:50I've been hang gliding
19:51Like that
19:52I'm 70
19:52Are you really?
19:54Yeah
19:54Get out of here
19:55Hey
19:56You're doing real good for something
19:57You better come on the whole
19:58Of the rest of this trip
19:59I'm going with Griff
20:00A young country
20:03Country singer
20:04Is coming to audition
20:05For Holly
20:06I've volunteered
20:07To help
20:08But I think
20:09I may be a bit more nervous
20:11Than the artist
20:12Are you excited
20:13To hear some music?
20:14Yeah I am
20:15I want you to do
20:16For your best Simon Cowell
20:17You've got the accent
20:18And everything
20:18So how do you do
20:20How should I behave?
20:22Well
20:22I try to make sure
20:24I always find something
20:26Positive about
20:26Whatever they're doing
20:27Right
20:28Because the other thing is
20:29I don't necessarily
20:30Have to like it
20:31I'm listening to hear
20:32If I can imagine
20:34That someone else
20:34Would like it
20:35Hello
20:36This is my friend Griff
20:38Hi Griff
20:39Nice to meet you
20:40Thank you so much
20:41For coming
20:42Of course
20:42It's my pleasure
20:43Have a seat
20:44I would love to
20:45Chat with you
20:45For a little bit
20:46Where are you from?
20:47I'm from here
20:48You're from here
20:49Yeah I'm from Pleasant View
20:50I live here all this time
20:50Oh my gosh
20:51Like born and raised
20:52Here in Nashville
20:53Have you played anywhere
20:54Around town?
20:56I've played
20:56I guess I can say
20:57The big ones
20:57I've played
20:58Grand Ole Opry before
20:59But I was 16
21:00When I played
21:01I've played the Ryman
21:02So you've been doing
21:03This a long time
21:04Yeah for a minute
21:05Because I was on
21:06American Idol
21:06When I was 15
21:07And so I kind of
21:08Did a whole lot of
21:09You know the Nashville
21:11Hit a lot of the bases
21:13Yeah
21:13There
21:13But after Idol
21:15I had a lot of people
21:16Trying to pull me
21:17In different directions
21:18Saying that it wasn't marketable
21:19So I had quite a
21:21Like difficult time
21:23Trying to figure out
21:24What it is that I wanted to do
21:25But this last year
21:27I finally decided
21:27That I was 100%
21:29Just going to go for it
21:30In country music
21:31Because your identity
21:31Is not a hindrance
21:32To what you want to do
21:33And I hope you don't
21:34Feel that way
21:34No I mean I
21:36Used to feel
21:37I guess a bit discouraged
21:38But now it only makes
21:40The fire hotter
21:42Well do you mind
21:43Playing for us?
21:44I would love to
21:44We're not here to judge you
21:47Already been there
21:49Done that
21:49It's not the X factor
21:51You know
21:51We're not going to
21:52Hold up any signs
21:53I promise
21:53We're just here to hear you
21:55It's fantastic
21:55Okay yeah
21:56I would love to
21:57Okay well I guess
22:01I'll play the song
22:02That I am releasing
22:03For the first time
22:04My family's been begging me
22:05To release it forever
22:06And it's called
22:07Champagne Rampage
22:08And it's about
22:09What would happen
22:10If your ex showed up
22:11To your wedding
22:11Oh amazing
22:13She rolled in on five inch red heels
22:25Look and wound up as a hornet on four wheels
22:27Everybody said
22:29Oh no
22:29Oh no
22:30Who invited his ex-girlfriend
22:32She made a beeline
22:34Shade to the bar
22:36A little tornado
22:37When in the dark
22:38Everybody said
22:40Look out
22:40Look out
22:41Look out
22:41We all know how it's gonna end
22:43She's going on a champagne rampage
22:46Just about to ruin that wedding
22:49She's hitting them bubbles
22:51About to have trouble
22:53Need the maid of honor on the double
22:55What you call the groom ain't okay
22:57May the little flower girl run away
23:00You're gonna read it in the morning
23:02In the paper on the front page
23:05Champagne Rampage
23:08He's gonna take the honeymoon
23:10By himself
23:11Oh I guess it's just as well
23:14Gonna wind up drunk on a plane
23:17Having a first class
23:19Champagne Rampage
23:22I love that
23:26Brilliant
23:28Fantastic
23:29Thank you
23:30Being around Nashville
23:31Right
23:32Do you feel
23:33I'm in an area
23:36Where there are a lot of talented musicians
23:39Is that an inspiration to you
23:41Or a problem to you
23:43Oh it's never a problem
23:45Nashville's always been more of a collaborative effort
23:48And you can learn something from everyone
23:50I don't see it advantageous to be
23:52I guess jealous or bitter towards others
23:55When we all have our own path
23:57Thank you for coming out
24:00Of course
24:01Nice to meet you
24:03Thank you for coming
24:04Very good to meet you
24:05Okay
24:06Did I go vol then?
24:09No I'm not sure
24:10I'm just glad I didn't get my guitar out
24:12Well it's not too late
24:15No no no
24:16I'm never getting you out on this program again
24:18I can say that
24:19Nashville often makes it into another top 30
24:27For global city traffic congestion
24:29I feel I need something more nimble than my old Ford pickup
24:33But still nicely wobbly
24:36I'm ready to volunteer
24:38Hi Eric
24:39How are you doing?
24:39Here we are
24:39We're just setting that up now
24:41This is the one that I want Eric
24:43Because we're here to illustrate that Tennessee is the best of America
24:49I'll be out with that
24:50How's that?
24:52It actually looks good
24:53Okay
24:53Yeah
24:54So I'm going to have you start off going backwards
24:55So lean back, a little pressure on the heels
24:57There you go
24:59Lean forward, pressure on the toes
25:00And then light pressure back on the heels to stop
25:03There you go, like that
25:05Okay
25:06And then back to the right
25:07Follow me all the way around
25:08Do you have a dance team?
25:11No
25:11No
25:12This would be a terrible dance move to do
25:14I'm feeling good
25:16But of course we're not actually in the street now
25:19With me running out of control
25:20Yeah
25:21I'll be in front of you
25:22Yeah
25:22Safety, safety, safety
25:25Okay
25:26That's the Ryman building
25:32That is the Ryman, yes
25:33Most famous for being home of the Grand Ole Opry
25:35So it's important to understand
25:37That the Grand Ole Opry
25:38Is not really a place
25:41Correct
25:42The Grand Ole Opry is a show
25:45Yes
25:45A radio show
25:47And for a significant amount of time
25:49It was there in that tabernacle
25:52Yes
25:52The Grand Ole Opry has recorded a radio broadcast
25:56Every Saturday
25:57For over 5,000 consecutive Saturdays
26:01That is mega country
26:04Radio established Mid-South, Middle America, Nashville
26:07As the country music capital of the world
26:11Yeah, it was there from 1943 to 1974
26:16Well that is country music
26:17Yeah, absolutely
26:18Whatever happened after that is new country
26:21Yeah, absolutely
26:21Yeah
26:22Which way are we going?
26:24Oh, follow me
26:24Okay
26:25So we're going to ride over these names
26:29We're going to ride gently
26:31Because, wow
26:33I'm just going to ride over Elvis Presley's star
26:37Okay
26:41Hank Williams
26:43Jimi Hendrix
26:47Do people come to sort of celebrate their star being put down?
26:53Absolutely, yeah
26:53If they're alive, they're here
26:54And it's a big celebration
26:56And have you seen
26:57Have you been here when people have
26:58Yep
26:58I came down here a couple years ago
27:00Tim McGraw, Faith Hill were inducted
27:02And Reba was here to induct them
27:04So, yeah
27:05Got to see Reba
27:06Yeah, it was pretty cool
27:07Yeah
27:08And I'm smiling
27:10I'm nodding
27:11I've never heard of any of those names
27:13Hendrix
27:15Elvis Presley
27:16These are names that
27:17Even for a sort of out-of-touch
27:19Old fart like me
27:20These are names I know about
27:22Whoever put this walk of fame together
27:26Has undoubted taste
27:28When your heart is beating strong
27:38Then the road's where you belong
27:41There's a long and winding highway
27:44Calling your name
27:46This is the Natchez Trace
27:53It's one of the early roads
27:55And it runs all the way down
27:58To Natchez in Mississippi
28:00It was based on Native American pathway
28:05700 years ago
28:08Nashville was the largest Native American city in existence
28:12It had a population of 400,000 people
28:16Today, their descendants
28:19Are hungry to establish a new festival
28:21To preserve Native traditions in the region
28:24After centuries of erasure
28:26Trenton has volunteered to appear at Indigenash
28:31And I'm standing by to watch him rehearse
28:34This is a Northern Plains grass dance
28:41Traditionally, the words would stomp down the tall grasses
28:46Into a circle
28:47So the drum could be placed in the center
28:49The drum is the heartbeat
28:51Of all of our songs
28:54Crying in the sky
29:03Oh, I're just losing them
29:04I'm standing by to watch me
29:05Episode 45
29:05Oh, I'm standing by to play
29:09To hearalo
29:09Ballad of music
29:10And aack-ass bunt
29:11Oh, I'm standing by to play
29:11To hearalo
29:12Queen and aack-ass bunt
29:13Who'sれない
29:13Who'sれない
29:14Who'sれない
29:15Who'sれない
29:15Who'sれない
29:15Who'sれない
29:15Who'sれない
29:16Who'm flattering
29:17Who'sitsu
29:18Who's necesit
29:20Who's pertaining
29:21Hey, I'm gonna be here.
29:31Fantastic.
29:35Congratulations. That was just amazing.
29:38That was so expressive and fluid and moving.
29:42This comes with not only tradition but honor.
29:46There's very sacred things that we hold over.
29:49The feathers that we wear, these are bald eagle feathers
29:54that were given to me by my father.
29:57I'm here today because of all of the efforts
30:00of the seven generations that came before me.
30:02And so it's my duty, it's my responsibility
30:08to prepare a way for the next seven generations,
30:11to not see past just myself,
30:14but to look to the future, to our governments,
30:18to our arts, to our languages.
30:22To our heritage.
30:23To our heritage.
30:24Yeah. So I wish you luck with this, with the festival.
30:28Congratulations.
30:30One man who argued against the forced removal of Native Americans
30:34became a Tennessee legend himself.
30:37He was a frontiers man, a politician, and a military volunteer.
30:41And his name became known around the world,
30:44especially to TV-watching six-year-olds like me.
30:48Davey, Davey Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier.
30:56I've come to the State Museum to get a handle on one of Tennessee's great heroes.
31:03And mine.
31:04Richard.
31:08Good morning, sir.
31:09Good morning. Very good to meet you.
31:10Welcome to the museum.
31:11Well, it's very nice to be here. What a beautiful place.
31:13Yes, sir.
31:14So you can show me some Davey Crockett?
31:16Yes, sir.
31:17We do have some displays of Davey Crockett upstairs here.
31:19Okay, let's go.
31:20All right.
31:21Is that Davey Crockett?
31:23That is David Crockett.
31:24Yeah.
31:25But this is him in his political career,
31:27as he served in the Tennessee General Assembly,
31:30and he served in the United States Congress as well.
31:32So when he sort of Mr. Deeds goes to Washington's sort of character
31:35from the backwoods...
31:36A little bit.
31:37A little bit.
31:38When he went off to the Capitol,
31:39he generally wore a suit, more like the Statesman you would see.
31:42Of course.
31:43My record of Davey Crockett goes like this.
31:45He killed his first bar before he was three.
31:49Was he really a bear hunter?
31:52He was a bear hunter.
31:53He's sort of single-handedly credited
31:55with almost decimating the black bear population in West Tennessee.
31:59250.
32:00Yes.
32:01Over the course of...
32:02I read that he shot in one year.
32:03So he was quite good.
32:04That's a lot of loading your musket.
32:05Yes.
32:06Yes.
32:08This is the 1812 war.
32:11Which, of course, Tennessee plays a large role in.
32:16We don't realize in Britain, this was another war against the British.
32:20It was.
32:21You guys came back for the second round.
32:22For the second round.
32:23It was during this war that they called the volunteers from Tennessee.
32:30Yes.
32:31And Tennessee put up.
32:32That is one of our nicknames, the volunteer state.
32:35Really, it's the Mexican War when it really kind of solidifies because of those volunteers.
32:40Pope called for 2,800, 30,000 Tennesseans volunteered.
32:4430,000?
32:45Yes.
32:46From what was a young, sparsely populated state.
32:49Yes.
32:50And David Crockett certainly lived up to the spirit of volunteering.
32:54He signed up for the Tennessee militia in 1812, served in the Creek War, and then again at the Alamo during the Texas Revolution in 1836.
33:03So, Crockett is voted out of Congress by his constituents.
33:08He has a rather famous quote.
33:10He says, you may go to hell, I will go to Texas.
33:13But Crockett perishes at the Alamo there.
33:16This is the check that was issued to Crockett's family in West Tennessee for his service at the Alamo.
33:23After his death.
33:24After his death.
33:25They said he served, he did his bit, he died, have some money.
33:29And the check is for $240.
33:32So, that was what the Republic of Texas thought was the value of Crockett's life for his service at the Alamo.
33:42Davey Crockett.
33:43Of course, he's a big person in Tennessee, so we all still have that Crockett bug in us there.
33:49Thank you very much for that.
33:50You are very welcome.
33:51Great.
33:52Well, I feel I've got closer to the idea of the volunteer, or vol, but I haven't actually been one myself yet.
34:02If Davey Crockett exemplifies an extraordinary past tradition, it's certainly still going today.
34:10More than 32% of the population formally volunteer to join up to do things in this state.
34:16One such group is made up of veterans in an organisation called The Mission Continues.
34:23I've come here, this is Blue Hole Farm, and I've come here to meet some veterans and see how the volunteer tradition is continuing.
34:35Tell me more about Blue Hole Farm then.
34:43The Mission Continues has been working here for quite some time.
34:48It's a sort of a sanctuary, not just for the animals, but for local families and children to come and experience nature and connect with the animals, connect with the land itself.
35:00Right.
35:01And, of course, myself as a veteran, I served ten and a half years in the Marine Corps.
35:03OK.
35:04Right.
35:05You...
35:06OK.
35:07Gosh, I'm going to have to stop because I've never met anybody who spent ten and a half years in the Marine Corps.
35:11Yes, sir.
35:12So I joined when I was 20 years old.
35:14And now you've come here to what is the volunteer state?
35:18Yes.
35:19Correct.
35:20And I've been told, somebody said to me, Griff, when you're here in Tennessee, you've got to try and be a vol.
35:26So now's your chance.
35:28Are you?
35:29Are you ready?
35:30No, I have.
35:31Let's get...
35:32It's time I volunteered.
35:33Josh.
35:34Josh.
35:35So you tell me, no, no, no, I know you're...
35:37Can I just say, Josh, I just feel you're more built than me,
35:40so I would have difficulty really putting the power into it, but I'll hold the pole.
35:44All right.
35:45OK, good.
35:46OK.
35:47All right.
35:48I'm going to mind my hands as well.
35:50Oh!
35:58That was more terrifying than I thought it was going to be!
36:01Yeah?
36:02I'm surrounded by Marines, infantrymen, tank commanders and intelligence staff.
36:11Woo!
36:12Let's go, let's go!
36:13Let's do this thing.
36:14We've got this thing.
36:15OK.
36:16Yeah, yeah, yeah.
36:17OK.
36:18So here today, you're fixing the fence, but you're also working on something over there.
36:26You're working on a float?
36:27Yes.
36:28What's that for?
36:29Correct.
36:30Monday is Veterans Day, and so we are going to be partaking in the Veterans Day Parade in downtown.
36:37And so we're prepping our floats with balloons and signs and getting ready to showcase.
36:43The mission continues.
36:45And we'll see that, we hope, on Monday.
36:47Yeah, absolutely.
36:48I hope to see you there.
36:49I hope to be there.
36:50This is something I want to see.
36:52I want to join in.
36:53I want to get some feeling for.
36:54Fantastic.
37:11Nashville at night is just relentlessly loud.
37:15Every building seems to have four floors of bars, which means four floors of bands.
37:22In fact, there are over 80,000 people employed here by the entertainment industry.
37:27Musicians come here because they can actually earn a living.
37:32Covers only, though, because that's what the punters want.
37:41I feel I can't spend the whole night just staring in through the windows and being on the outside.
37:52I think I need to go somewhere where I can express my country spirit.
37:59Hey, what's up, man?
38:01I'm looking for a typical night-time, all-American entertainment.
38:07And it takes me to a fellow Brit.
38:11George.
38:12Hey, nice to see you.
38:13Griff, how you doing?
38:15I'm trying to get this into my head.
38:17You started line dancing in, like, in Wales?
38:22In Wales, yes.
38:23And why did you start that?
38:24I started that because of my nan.
38:26She line danced and my auntie did too.
38:29And I went along one day and I got hooked straight away.
38:32Your nan and your auntie were line dancers?
38:35Yeah.
38:36OK, no, I'm sorry.
38:37We're going to have to go back even further.
38:38Why were they line dancing?
38:39I think they came out to America years before and they got hooked on the country music side
38:43of things.
38:44Yeah.
38:45So they just fell in love with it.
38:46And then line dancing in the early 2000s was really popular.
38:49I mean, but this is the home of line dancing, isn't it?
38:51It is, it is, yes.
38:52So tell me, what basic steps am I going to be trying to do?
38:56So we're going to be doing today probably a grapevine, which is a very basic step.
39:01Is it?
39:02Yes.
39:03We're going to go with that right foot.
39:04You're going to take it to the side.
39:05Yeah.
39:06You're going to go behind.
39:07Yeah.
39:08You're going to step the right foot to the side.
39:09Yeah.
39:10And together.
39:11Easy, easy, easy.
39:13Try that again.
39:14Let's try that again.
39:15So go to that right hand side.
39:16I'm going to stand behind you.
39:17OK.
39:18So we've got right side, behind, side and together.
39:21Yeah.
39:22Yeah.
39:23Am I a more typical Welsh dancer than George?
39:27Cack footed.
39:28Just listen, Griffith Bach.
39:30Side, behind, side, together.
39:32There you go.
39:33You're halfway there.
39:34Side, behind.
39:35Whoops.
39:36Side, behind, side, together.
39:38Right.
39:39Side, behind, side, together.
39:42And then you step again.
39:43Side, behind, side, together.
39:46Nailed it.
39:47I mean, in order to have got this job, you must have become an exhibition line.
39:50Yeah.
39:51So I represented Wales in the world championships years ago.
39:54That figures.
39:55Yeah.
39:56So you're the Welsh champion line dancer.
39:58I'm the world champion.
39:59Yeah.
40:00The world champion.
40:01Yeah.
40:02Could you give us a little example of one?
40:03For example, one like TGIF, for example.
40:05Side, behind, and cross.
40:06Side, behind, side, cross.
40:08Side, rock, cross.
40:09Turn, around.
40:10Side, rock, cross.
40:11Back, and whew.
40:12So it gets faster.
40:13It gets harder.
40:14So, you know.
40:15This is the Fred Astaire of line dancing we're looking at here.
40:22And he comes from Wales.
40:24Right.
40:25So all my fellow countrymen salute, salute George here.
40:29So you didn't know where he was.
40:31Well, I found him.
40:32He's here in Nashville, hiding away.
40:33Yeah.
40:34Thank you very much.
40:36It's going to be a good time.
40:37It's going to be a great time.
40:41Looking through the rear view mirror.
40:46As the pedal hits the floor.
40:49And it's time for me to put my new moves to the test.
40:53I'm going in there now.
40:55We can't think of one good reason.
40:58Not to leave it all behind.
41:00Sorry, Wales.
41:01No, it's good excuses.
41:03Well, to make her stay this time.
41:06Well, it's too little, too late.
41:09To write this wrong, too bad, and she's gone.
41:12You know, I'm pretty sure everyone else is out of step with me.
41:15She's gone.
41:16Yeah, cause it's too little, too late.
41:20To write this wrong, and it's too bad, and she's gone.
41:24I think I'm ready for Strictly Come Dancing.
41:27I think I'm ready for Strictly Come Dancing.
41:29I think I'm ready for Strictly Come Dancing.
41:30I think I'm ready for Strictly Come Dancing.
41:39Happy Valentine's Day!
41:40Woo!
41:43If I want to understand what makes this state
41:46the purest centre of the United States vibe,
41:49all in one place, all at the same time,
41:52a Veterans Day parade might just do the trick.
41:56In Tennessee, it's particularly special
41:58because there's such a tradition here
42:01of volunteering for the military.
42:03This is great.
42:04It's just because it's a sense of everything
42:07that is, you know, quintessentially American
42:11is passing us by.
42:17Ollie Davidson bikes, collections of expensive automobiles,
42:23trucks, school marching bands,
42:28and random explosions.
42:30I think the minute's silence comes later.
42:37Happy Valentine's Day! Thank you!
42:40Thank you for your service!
42:42Our way! Thank you!
42:45Thank you. Thank you.
42:47My friends from Blue Hole Farm have arrived.
42:51Here they come!
42:53The mission continues with their float!
42:59It's looking magnificent!
43:00Isn't it?
43:01You're looking fantastic!
43:02We did a great job!
43:03You did!
43:04And you got the weather for it as well!
43:06Sure did! A lot of prayer for that one!
43:08That's great!
43:09Can I come up and ride with you?
43:10Absolutely!
43:11All right, I'm going to try and do it without killing myself.
43:14Here I come!
43:15Okay!
43:16Oh, God!
43:17Okay, good!
43:18Hey, can I come up?
43:19Good!
43:20Hello!
43:21Hi!
43:22The enforcers' women's football team here in Asheville.
43:24Good!
43:25We came to participate.
43:26We've got some other veterans here like Louisa here.
43:28Louisa, hi!
43:33Amongst all the noise and the celebration and the fun,
43:37it's quite difficult to remember that it was the Tennessee
43:40Guard who were the first to break the Hindenburg Line
43:45in the First World War and thus hasten the end of the war.
43:51They've stood forward in virtually every conflict that
43:56America has ever been involved in.
44:00This is amazing!
44:01Everyone comes to support.
44:03Yep!
44:04We have families, we have kids, we have elder veterans,
44:07we have young veterans supporting.
44:09We have our allies too.
44:10Yes!
44:11It's important, you know?
44:12Sometimes people don't necessarily support the military in the war,
44:15but they support the troops and the veterans.
44:17As they should.
44:18That's right.
44:19You know, don't forget.
44:20We have a special relationship with Britain.
44:22Yes, we do.
44:23Yes, we do.
44:24Yes, we do.
44:25Yes, we do.
44:26Yes, we do.
44:27Yes, we do.
44:28Yes, we do.
44:29Yes, we do.
44:30Yes, we do.
44:31Yes, we do.
44:32Yes, we do.
44:33Yes, we do.
44:35Yes, we do.
44:36Yes.
44:37Yes.
44:38Yes, yes, yes.
44:39Yes, yes, yes.
44:40Yes!
44:41Yes, well, you know, you moved across.
44:43Yes, well, you know how far about, old life goes into the USA?
44:46I think that's enough of three miles an hour.
44:55I know what you're thinking.
44:57Griff, stay in Nashville.
44:59We haven't heard you sing country yet.
45:02It's certainly time to hit the road.
45:04Fast.
45:10Carbusts would like to know that I'm in an orange car now.
45:13It's just like a pickup truck.
45:16Though not quite as noisy.
45:18It's a Corvette Stingray R.
45:21And I'm saying goodbye to Nashville.
45:24I don't know if I saw America at its best,
45:27or just America at its most fantastic.
45:31But did I go vol?
45:33I think so.
45:35I volunteered.
45:36I met veterans.
45:39And now it's time to move on.
45:46Welcome to Atlanta.
45:51Make sure you cut a shine.
45:53Yeah!
45:54Yeah!
45:55Just eat, be merry, and feel so good.
45:59There's a lot more to Georgia than just Atlanta.
46:04Atlanta.
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