Jack White, T Bone Burnett, and Robert Redford present American Epic, a three-part historical documentary and The American Epic Sessions feature length recording studio film airing on PBS and BBC Arena this Fall. Directed by Bernard MacMahon, American Epic takes us on a journey across time to the birth of modern music, when the musical strands of a diverse nation first combined, sparking a cultural renaissance that forever transformed the future of music and the world. The three-part historical documentary follows the trail of record company talent scouts from the late 1920s as they toured America with a recording machine to capture the raw expression of an emerging culture whose recordings would lead to the development of the Blues, Country, Gospel, Hawaiian, Cajun, and Folk music. The American Epic Sessions recreates the atmosphere of America’s seminal 1920s field recordings, showcasing contemporary artists recording on a re-assembled recording machine straight to wax, using all the original microphones, amplifiers and equipment from that era.
In addition to the historical documentary and sessions broadcasts, American Epic will include companion music releases of archival recordings featuring groundbreaking audio restoration of original 1920s and 1930s recordings, The American Epic Sessions contemporary performance recordings, and a Third Man Records deluxe vinyl box set.
Watch the American Epic teaser here. Visit AmericanEpic.com for more information and updates.