‘Winding Stream’ a charming profile of country music royalty

‘Winding Stream’ a charming profile of country music royalty

A.P. Carter, who would scour the hillsides in search of indigenous folk songs; his wife, Sara, whose primal voice would become a standard for country performers; and his sister-in-law, Maybelle, whose guitar prowess would become a bedrock of the genre.

There is no need to be a country music buff to enjoy this charming slice of Americana, though you may need a scorecard to keep track of all of the relatives who are involved in this story.

Not much archival footage of the old performances exists, but Harrington solves that problem with clever animation and engaging interviews with the family members.

The documentary is essentially an oral history, just as A.P. Carter was doing an oral history project when he started amassing the local folk songs in Appalachia.

The film ends on a moving note with a rendition of June Carter’s favorite song, performed by Rosanne Cash — a fitting finale for this family affair.