This highly entertaining two disc set is every music lover's dream documentary. Palm Pictures collaborated with the Smithsonian, Library Of Congress, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, The Country Music Hall Of Fame and Museum, and the Experience Music Project to produce this excellent documentary on our countries many different musical beginnings and its evolution into today's modern popular styles. Fans of country, blue grass, blues and gospel are especially in for a treat as rare documentary footage bring the founders of these different genres back to life.

The two disc set has two one hour episodes on each disc with lots of documentary footage and archival segments from our nations past. Narrating the four hour documentary is Kris Kristofferson. The titles for these episodes are: When First Unto This Country, This Land Was Made For You and Me, The Times They Are A Changin', and All My Children of the Sun. Each episode is filled with interviews and song excerpts, starting with the origins of gospel and blues following the Civil War period. Disc One Episode One-Musical historians relate stories of the popular artists of the day that broke new ground, such as the Fisk Jubilee Singers. This black chorus took familiar slave and church tunes and made it a popular form of music for the first time, even singing for Queen Victoria. The first recorded music is given a large section, with historic recording snippets of country, blues, and the beginnings of the Grand Ole Opry on radio with highlights of Jimmie Rodgers and the early recordings of the Carter family. Bonnie Raitt, Keb Mo, Doc Watson, Arlo Guthrie, Rufus Thomas and other notables provide commentary. Episode Two-This second one hour episode delves deeply into the roots of the blues, with featured performers such as Howlin' Wolf, Lead Belly, Muddy Waters and BB King. Country and folk music roots and blue grass are explored with segments on Woody Guthrie, Hank Williams, Bill Monroe and Earl Scruggs. Commentary is provided by Earl Scruggs, Marty Stuart, BB(Blues Boy) King, Sam Phillips, Kitty Wells, and Merle Haggard. After the disc episodes, three full length videos are provided with Bob Wills (Sittin' On Top Of The World), Earl Scruggs (Foggy Mountain Breakdown), and Doc Watson (Never No Mo Blues). Disc two Episode Three explores the folk movement of the early sixties, with performances captured of Peter, Paul, and Mary, Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Kingston Trio and The Weavers. Chicago Blues by Muddy Waters and BB King are thoroughly covered, as well as the "Golden Age of Gospel, with Mahalia Jackson and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. The Tharpe segment is especially intriguing. Besides being a fantastic singer, Sister Rosetta also played a mean electric guitar, in a time when women just didn't do such things. She also sang her gospel songs in nightclubs; frowned on by the church. The side ends with Dylan's electric set and its impact at the Newport Folk Festival. Interviews and commentary are provided by Pete Seeger (he wanted to unplug Dylan), Mavis Staples, James Cotton, BB King and Peter Yarrow. Episode Four concentrates on the emergence of Native American music, Cajun music of Louisiana and its origins, Tex-Mex music and also raps up the current state of American Roots Music movement and its different elements as it has evolved. Commentary is provided by Edwin Hawkins, Robbie Robertson, Marc and Ann Savoy, and Ricky Skaggs. Musical extras on disc two include: Sister Rosetta Tharpe (Down By The Riverside), Steve Riley and The Mamou Playboys (Ossun Two-Step) and Valerio Longoria (Rosalito).

Excellent full screen picture is provided by Palm, especially the interview segments. The archival footage varies in quality but efforts have been made to make them as clear and sharp as possible. Some of the footage is extraordinary-I just wish they could have included more full numbers instead of segments. Although this DVD set is only Dolby 2.0 sound, it is tweaked to be clear and strong, with excellent dynamic range. Hiss and other anomalies inherent in old recordings is thoroughly cleaned up for this documentary.

Besides the extra musical numbers included on each disc (not seen in the PBS special) the packaging is attractive with two clam shell covers surrounded by a paper slip cover. Paper inserts include a description of each disc and a timeline of major American Roots Music events.

This is a terrific two disc set which covers the American Roots Music movement thoroughly and completely. With an ample amount of archival footage of early artists and early recordings, the movement is brought to life, with the help of modern commentary and digital restoration. A must have for every music lover.