One of TV’s most promising concerts arrives on a network that many people can’t find or pronounce.
That’s AXS – pronounced “access” — which has a George Jones tribute (Sunday, June 9, repeating June 12) that includes … well, everyone.
There will be crossover stars – Emmylou Harris (shown here), Kris Kristofferson, Aaron Neville, Amy Grant, Uncle Kracker, even Harry Connick, Jr. There will be current counry stars (Kenny Chesney, Marina McBride, Trace Adkins), ones from deep in the past (Connie Smith) and lots of those in-between – Alan Jackson, Vince Gill, Lorrie Morgan, Sammy Kershaw, Shelby Lunnne, Randy Travis, Trick Pony, Tanya Tucker and Wynonna.
It’s an impressive line-up, leading to two obvious questions about AXS: Where is it and what is it?
The first part is tricky. AXS is on satellite (both Dish and DirecTV) and cable, but TV Guide doesn’t list it and my cable provider (Comcast) seems to ignore it. Its founder (Mark Cuban) and its part-owner (Ryan Seacrest) are better-known than the channel.
Cuban started it in 2001 as a movie channel called HD Net, something that fit his interests. (He also had a chain of indie theaters and a small movie company.) In 2012, he sold minority pieces to Seacrest and to AEG, a concert promoter. The revised line-up, leaning to music, has:
— A few holdovers. They include movis and mixed martial arts events.
— An adapted holdover. Dan Rather continues to do “The Big Interview,” but now focuses on music. The next new one (8 p.m. ET, 5 p.m. PT Tuesday, June 11) has Boz Skaggs.
— Personal shows by rock personalities. Just before Sunday’s concert, Sammy Hagar visits car collector Rick Hendrick and Eddie Money visits Deadwood, S.D.
— Lots of acquired shows, led by the British version of “The X Factor,” the Simon Cowell show that launched One Direction and Leona Lewis.
— And concerts, including the Jones tribute. It’s at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT) Sunday, repeating at midnight. Hagar and Money are at 8 and 8:30 and those all return at the same time Wednesday. Try to see it … or, at least, to find it.