Hee Haw

One of the most beloved series on American television will be commemorated in a five-DVD box set this fall as A Salute To HEE HAW – The Collector’s Edition hits stores on September 12th (via Time Life in association with Gaylord Entertainment). The collection, released just in time for the start of the holiday shopping season, is dominated by a who’s who of country music from the 1960s and ‘70s. Over 40 performances by such icons as co-hosts Buck Owens and Roy Clark, Hank Williams, Jr., Loretta Lynn, Tanya Tucker, Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, Conway Twitty and even Ray Charles and Jerry Lee Lewis remind viewers what an important role HEE HAW played in bringing country music into millions of homes. Also exclusive to the set is brand new interview footage shot specifically for Time Life and peppered with behind-the-scenes anecdotes and wistful memories of Buck Owens, who died earlier this year. Time Life has previously released single DVDs from the series which have gone on to sell over a million copies, but A Salute To HEE HAW is the first box set to ever be assembled and is filled with episodes that have never been available via retail outlets before.
Comprised of eight different episodes, A Salute to HEE HAW —The Collector’s Edition contains a total of eight hours of programming. The five DVD package also includes a once-in-a-lifetime reunion of original cast members, videotaped in Nashville earlier this year specifically for the collection. “We just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to reunite members of the HEE HAW cast once more to share their experiences and reminisce about one of the most adored shows in the history of television,” said Jeffrey Peisch head of Time Life’s Video Division. Roy Clark, Roni Stoneman, Jim & John Hager, Lulu Roman, George Yanok and George “Goober” Lindsey speak candidly and emotionally about the time they spent together on the series. They reflect on the camaraderie and speak lovingly about fellow departed cast members including Grandpa Jones, Minnie Pearl and Buck Owens. And they answer one of the lingering questions about HEE HAW: No, Junior Samples wasn’t acting. A Salute to HEE HAW—The Collector’s Edition is packaged in a unique collector’s box featuring many exclusive photos, along with “high school yearbook-style” notes handwritten by HEE HAW cast members.
Among other highlights, Dottie West performs “Silver Threads and Golden Needles”; Hank Williams, Jr. with “I’d Rather Be Gone”; Tanya Tucker singing her smash crossover hit “Delta Dawn,” and Conway Twitty crooning “I Love You More Today.” One of the most special moments captured in the set is the historic appearance by Ray Charles on HEE HAW. A long-time fan of country music, Ray Charles relished his appearance on the program. He not only sang a soulful version of “Crying Time” (as a duet with Buck Owens), but also insisted on performing in the comedy segments. It’s priceless material for fans of Ray Charles, country music lovers and for devotees of classic television.
HEE HAW was unlike anything else on television and created a timeless formula focused on rural, old-fashioned settings and Southern wit. But the undeniable highlight of HEE HAW was the musical performances that filled each episode, not only by co-hosts Buck Owens and Roy Clark, but an impressive list of country music superstars and singers on the rise. The new box set reflects the incredible legacy of country music that HEE HAW supported throughout its run, with an extraordinary list of musical guests whose performances ranged from classic to contemporary country and from gospel to bluegrass.

HEE HAW, which ran from 1969-1992, began as a summer replacement on CBS and continued for over 20 years. The show’s overwhelming popularity and its catch phrase “Hee, Haw” earned it a place in the pantheon of American culture which endures to this day. And just this summer, the series returned to television on country music cable network, CMT.

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