American Epic
"The First Time America Heard Itself"
Travel the country in search of unknown 1920s artists, when the music of ordinary Americans was recorded for the first time, transforming music forever, in a three-part film narrated by Robert Redford, featuring Jack White, Nas, Taj Mahal and others.
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Seasons & Episodes
1. The Big Bang
Travel to 1920s Tennessee as the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers, and the Memphis Jug Band make their first records with producer Ralph Peer on a revolutionary portable recording machine, creating the first recordings of R&B and country songs.
2. Blood and Soil
Travel to the rural South as Elder Burch, Charley Patton and others record early Delta blues, gospel and protest songs. The Great Flood of 1927 devastates Mississippi River communities, leading to northern migration and Chicago Blues by Howlin' Wolf.
3. Out of the Many, the One
Discover how America's diverse cultures contribute to its musical styles: from the Hopi tribe to Hawaii's Joseph Kekuku to Mexican-American Lydia Mendoza and the Cajun Breaux Family. Mississippi John Hurt's blues inspires a generation of musicians.
4. The American Epic Sessions
Using the only 1920's era recording device in existence, Jack White and T Bone Burnett produce a series of recording sessions in tribute to the mostly unknown artists celebrated in the three prior episodes of this PBS documentary series.
