Country Music | Sunday-Wednesday, 8 p.m., PBS

Country music is three chords and the truth, said Harlan Howard, one of the genre’s songwriters interviewed in Ken Burns’ new documentary. Four episodes, spanning the 1920s to the mid-1960s, air this week (the remainder will be broadcast the week of Sept. 22), reminding viewers of the legacy of such as trailblazers such as Jimmie Rodgers, the Carter Family and Bill Monroe. Burns also traces the development of icons such as Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and, of course, Elvis Presley. Burns and his team also chronicle the evolution of the fiddle, banjo and guitar, and musical forms such as rockabilly. Kris Kristofferson, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris and Rosanne Cash (Johnny’s daughter with his first wife, Vivian) discuss the legends they grew up listening to and how they shaped their own music. For Cash, country music is “telling the truth, one note at a time.”

For Burns, 66, who has made documentaries about everything from baseball and jazz to Vietnam and the Civil War, it might be his most enjoyable work to date. Pull up a chair, sit a spell, and listen.

Was Jimmie Rodgers (1897-1933) the first country music superstar?

It’s safe to say that, since the Carter Family is a trio. And being more of the family values and representing Sunday and the church, Jimmie was the rake, the rogue, the habitué of darkened bars, the Saturday night of country music.

Who is the most influential country musician?

Categorically, it was Hank Williams, the so-called Hillbilly Shakespeare, because of his poetry, voluminous output and the tragedy of his [short] life. But you can’t ignore Johnny Cash for being a polymath and a patriarch at the same time, being fully of country music but going on to explore the interconnectedness of folk, rhythm ’n’ blues, jazz and gospel. He helped to liberate our sense of country music, and he crossed over.

How did Sun Records producer Sam Phillips change country music?

He knocked the s–t out of the color line and said, “I’m going to marry R&B and hillbilly music.” Elvis recorded “That’s All Right, Mama” on the B side and “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” a country song, on the A side of the same record. He was steeped in both [genres], but he was adding something new.

Patsy Cline died in a plane crash in 1963 at age 30. What effect did her death have on country music?

It was a real blow. People felt an intimacy [with her], particularly in Nashville. To get a sense of how devastating a loss it was, you have to think of JFK.

What is the most successful country song?

The No. 1 jukebox single of all-time is Patsy Cline’s “Crazy,” which Willie Nelson wrote. Then there’s “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” by George Jones, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” by Hank Williams. I like “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” by George Jones. That’s the epitome of a country song.

And here’s what else to watch this week:

Succession | Sunday, 9 p.m., HBO

As Logan (Brian Cox) looks to finalize a deal to buy the Pierce media holdings, an unexpected threat arises. The Roy children fail to see eye-to-eye on how to handle damage control.

Dancing With the Stars | Monday, 8 p.m., ABC

Season premiere. Can former White House press secretary Sean Spicer dance? Other dancing hopefuls include James Van Der Beek, Christie Brinkley and Mary Wilson of The Supremes.

American Horror Story | Wednesday, 10 p.m., FX

Season premiere. In the summer of 1984, five friends escape LA to work as counselors at Camp Redwood. As they adjust to their new jobs, they learn that the only thing scarier than campfire tales is the past coming to haunt you.

The Mayans seek justice while Galindo’s (Danny Pino) deal takes an unexpected turn south of the border.

On Becoming a God in Central Florida | Sunday, 10 p.m., Showtime

Obie (Ted Levine) and Louise Garbeau (Sharon Lawrence) host a lavish motivational retreat at Paradise Cay for Washington-level entrepreneurs. With Kirsten Dunst.

Why Women Kill | Thursday, CBS All Access

Secrets come to light when Simone (Lucy Liu) and Karl (Jack Davenport) have dinner with Amy’s (Li Jun Li) future conservative in-laws. Meanwhile, Taylor (Kirby Howell-Baptiste) reveals a dark truth about Eli (Reid Scott).

The Masked Singer: Super Sneak Peek | Sunday, 8 p.m., Fox

Host Nick Cannon and panelists Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy, Nicole Scherzinger and Robin Thicke reflect on the show’s Season 1 success. T-Pain, the first contest winner, returns for a special appearance. Viewers will also meet the new season’s characters.