Before SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, or THE DAILY SHOW, or THE COLBERT REPORT, there was ROWAN AND MARTIN'S LAUGH-IN, capturing the zeitgeist of the era with its anarchic energy and pop aesthetic. Combining the black-out comedy of the vaudeville tradition with a 1960s-style "happening," featuring psychedelic costumes, graphics, graffiti, and the ability to inject multiple funny phrases into popular language. THE BEST OF LAUGH-IN is a tribute to the show which not only transformed television but became an important training ground for an entire generation of young writers and comic talent...7pm
In the wake of the turbulent 1960s, Carole King, one of the great songwriters of the '60s, started playing piano in James Taylor's band, creating a bond that they still share today. It is through them and their unique voices that we chronicle this group of musicians, who played before, after, and alongside them. The story is told through archival footage, much of it never before seen, which is intercut with the vivid recollections and incisive reflections of a wide cast of characters. Along with King and Taylor, contributors include David Crosby, Roger McGuinn, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Chris Darrow, Kris Kristofferson, J.D. Souther, and Elton John
. As my good friend Wyatt says, "It's the soundtrack of our lives"...American Masters...8:30pm
