Chronicles the origin and development of the American jazz movement describing the instruments, sounds, and techniques that characterize jazz music; as well as profiles of jazz legends including Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, and John Coltrane.
Traces the history and development of soul and rhythm and blues music in America, discusses the social, economic, and regional influences, and includes a look at characteristic instruments, sounds, principle artists, and more.
A history of American rock music from its beginnings in the 1950s featuring profiles on early artists including Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley, Bill Haley and B.B. King, and the rock groups of the 1970s and 1980s.
Traces the origins and development of folk music in America; discusses the social, economic, and regional influences on folk music; and includes a look at characteristic instruments and sounds, photographs, and brief biographies of notable folk musicians.
Chronicles the history of country music from its origins in the Appalachian Mountains in the 1800s into the twenty-first century, and looks at the careers of artists who have influenced the direction of the genre.
Explores the history of blues music, describing key figures in its evolution such as Huddie "Leadbelly" Ledbetter, Bessie Smith, and Robert Johnson; its different forms; and its influence on rock artists such as Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, and the White Stripes.
