American Epic

For other uses, see American Epic (disambiguation).
American Epic
The American Epic logo
Created by
Print publications
Book(s)American Epic: The First Time America Heard Itself
Films and television
Film(s)
Audio
Soundtrack(s)
Miscellaneous
SchoolsEducational program

American Epic is a documentary media franchise based upon the first recordings of roots music in the United States during the 1920s and their cultural, social and technological impact on North America and the world. The franchise comprises a three-part award-winning documentary film series directed by Bernard MacMahon, a feature-length musical documentary film, a book, ten album releases and an educational program.[1][2] American Epic is widely considered as the definitive portrait of the musical era, and one of the best music documentaries ever made.[3][4][5][6][7]

The American Epic documentary series was first broadcast May 16–30, 2017 on the BBC in the United Kingdom and on PBS in the USA.[1] The story is told through twelve ethnically and musically diverse musicians who auditioned for and participated in these pioneering recording sessions; The Carter Family, the Memphis Jug Band, Elder J.E. Burch, The Williamson Brothers, Dick Justice, Charley Patton, The Hopi Indian Chanters, Joseph Kekuku, Lydia Mendoza, the Breaux Family, Mississippi John Hurt, and Blind Willie Johnson.[8]

The American Epic Sessions was first broadcast on June 6, 2017. It is a documentary film in which an engineer restores the fabled long-lost first electrical sound recording system from 1925, and twenty contemporary artists pay tribute to the momentous machine by attempting to record songs on it for the first time in 80 years.[9][10][6] The film was directed and co-written by Bernard MacMahon and stars Nas, Alabama Shakes, Elton John, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Jack White, Taj Mahal, Ana Gabriel, Pokey LaFarge, Beck, Ashley Monroe, and Steve Martin.[9]

A book, American Epic: The First Time America Heard Itself was published on May 2, 2017. It was collaborative memoir written by film director Bernard MacMahon, producer Allison McGourty, and music historian Elijah Wald, chronicling the 10-year odyssey researching and making the American Epic documentary series and The American Epic Sessions films.[11]

American Epic: The Collection was released on May 12, 2017 - a 5 CD box set of 100 songs featuring one track by each of the hundred artists researched as potential subjects for the American Epic films. On the same day American Epic: The Soundtrack was released compiling 14 vintage and 1 contemporary performance featured in the American Epic documentaries.[2][12]

On June 9, 2017, Music from The American Epic Sessions was released, featuring contemporary artists recording live on the restored first electrical sound recording system from the 1920s. The 2 CD, triple vinyl album contained 32 performances recorded for The American Epic Sessions film.[2]

On June 16, 2017 a series of compilations were released of artists featured in the American Epic documentary films. The albums were American Epic: The Best of Mississippi John Hurt, American Epic: The Best of The Carter Family, American Epic: The Best of Blind Willie Johnson, American Epic: The Best of Memphis Jug Band along with American Epic: The Best of Lead Belly who was not featured in the film. These releases were accompanied by two genre compilations; American Epic: The Best of Blues and American Epic: The Best of Country. The albums were released as digital downloads with truncated versions issued on vinyl.[2]

In the fall of 2017 an educational program based on the American Epic film series was launched at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools.[13]

  1. ^ a b "BBC - Arena: American Epic - Media Centre". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2018-02-12.
  2. ^ a b c d "American Epic: The Collection & The Soundtrack Out May 12th | Legacy Recordings". Legacy Recordings. 2017-04-28. Retrieved 2018-02-12.
  3. ^ Bradley, Mike (June 4, 2017). "Arena: American Epic". The Observer.
  4. ^ "Don't Miss PBS' Roots Music Documentary Series 'American Epic'!". Acoustic Guitar. 2017-05-15. Retrieved 2018-02-12.
  5. ^ "The first time America heard itself sing". 1843. 2017-05-20. Retrieved 2018-02-12.
  6. ^ a b Boyd, Joe (2017-05-19). "How the record industry crisis of 1925 shaped our musical world". the Guardian. Retrieved 2018-02-12.
  7. ^ "American Epic - Reviving Record Production's Past". Long Live Vinyl. 2017-06-16. Retrieved 2018-02-12.
  8. ^ "About the Series – American Epic". www.pbs.org. Retrieved 2018-02-12.
  9. ^ a b "American Epic | Press Release | Pressroom | THIRTEEN". Pressroom. Retrieved 2018-02-12.
  10. ^ "AMERICAN EPIC - A Journey Through the Music that Transformed America | PBS About". AMERICAN EPIC - A Journey Through the Music that Transformed America | PBS About. Retrieved 2018-02-12.
  11. ^ MacMahon, Bernard; McGourty, Allison; Wald, Elijah (2017-05-02). American Epic. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9781501135606.
  12. ^ Wald, Elijah; McGourty, Allison; MacMahon, Bernard; Bergh, Nicholas (2017). American Epic: The Collection (Media notes). Legacy / Lo-Max. pp. Liner notes essay. ASIN B071RHDMB8.
  13. ^ "News Detail - University of Chicago Laboratory Schools". www.ucls.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 2018-02-12.