The Story Behind Thomas Hart Benton’s “The Sources of Country Music”

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An early scene in Ken Burns’ new “Country Music” documentary, now airing on KCPT, prominently features famed Kansas City artist Thomas Hart Benton’s “The Sources of Country Music.” Here’s the story behind the creation of the work, which is at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville. Enjoy the slide show below.…

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Artist Angel Otero Shares His ‘Diario’ at Kemper Museum

Angel Otero in front of "Diario"

Angel Otero routinely punctuates his sentences with “it’s dope” and a chuckle.  The 38-year-old artist from Santurce, Puerto Rico, is larger than life, but his mixed-media installation “Diario” at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art is even larger. It’s his largest work to date. The commissioned work is the fourth in the museum’s Atrium Project…

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Kansas City’s Leading Role in Ken Burns’ “Country Music”

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Kansas City is a jazz town — just ask anybody! So how did KC manage to be featured so prominently in Ken Burns’ new documentary on the history of country music? It’s not exactly coincidence. Dayton Duncan, the longtime collaborator with Burns on “The Dust Bowl”, “The National Parks” and other PBS projects, has spent…

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