Product Description

A little over a hundred years ago in the Mississippi Delta, America gave birth to the music which would become the cornerstone of all popular American music: the Blues.

Blues Story presents an impressionistic history of one of the most lasting art forms America has ever produced, as told for the first time through the eyes of the artists who lived it. Combining exclusive interview and performance footage from vintage clips and the music of many Blues legends long gone, the history of this richly felt music is illuminated—from its African roots to its American urban expression—along with its profound place in our cultural heritage. The result is a rare first-hand glimpse into the lives of these vanishing artists, and a moving, insightful and informative look into a music that continues to be loved by millions throughout the world.

∙ Features Bobby "Blue" Bland, Charles Brown, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Ruth Brown, R.L. Burnside, Honeyboy Edwards, Willie Foster, Lowell Fulson, Buddy Guy, John Jackson, B.B. King, Willie King and the Liberators, Robert Lockwood, Magic Slim and the Teardrops, Little Milton, Pinetop Perkins, Snooky Pryor, Philadelphia Jerry Ricks, Hubert Sumlin, Koko Taylor, Rufus Thomas, Henry Townend, and Othar Turner and the Rising Star Fife and Drum Band. ∙ Brings together for the first time the living legends of the Blues, featuring remarkable and exclusive interviews and performances. ∙ Includes the entire PBS program, plus an additional hour of footage and performances. ∙ Over 30 minutes of musical performances by Blues Story artists as DVD extras.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #30621 in DVD
• Brand: Sony
• Released on: 2003-09-30
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 120 minutes

Customer Reviews

Awesome Historical Overview of the Blues
Imagine having some of the most remarkable and influential musicians of all time all together in your own living room. The Blues Story PBD Special tells the history of one of the richest and oldest art forms in America This DVD captures the essence of the blues rare footage of interviews, and of course leaving the music to tell the stories themselves. This DVD follows the development of this art form from it's African roots to how it influences modern urban music that we hear today. The DVD Feature such Blues greats such as Snooky Pryor, Ruth Brown and B.B. King. I found this DVD to be views as a captivating rich history lesson and an inside glimpse of the lives of the poor and oppressed from which the Blues originated. It is an interesting and provocative choice for people of all ages. I actually enjoyed this documentary better than the Marin Scorsese produced special.

Blues Story told in the first person
This is a fantastic history of the Blues! Unlike any of the other recent documentaries, the stories are related in this show entirely by the artists. There is no narrator and the feel of the show is very personal! Add to that some great music and you have a winner!

Authenticity at its best.

This blues documentary is the only one I know of that features ONLY BLACK MUSICIANS. Most documentaries on the blues feature mostly white artists and white blues aficionados and then that one (maybe two or three) black blues artist, which 98% of the time is B.B. King. Not saying that white people don't have the blues too, but let's level the playing field and pay homage to the groundbreakers that happen to be of a darker hue. I feel that this DVD does just that. There are A LOT of other black blues artists joining Mr. King in this documentary. It takes you back to the juke joints, the front porches, the house parties, the cotton fields, the Delta, Chicago, and even to London, where the famed white performers paid there respects when they obtained fame and fortune. You find yourself deep in the history and culture for the time duration of the DVD, and the music is the thread of that history and culture. For those who are interested in purchasing this DVD will not be disappointed. This is a fine example of when keeping it real goes right.