Colin Escott

Memphis, Tennessee. The early 1950s. The Mississippi rolls by, and there's a train in the night. Down on Beale Street there's hard-edged blues, on the outskirts of town they're pickin' hillbilly boogie. At Sam Phillips' Sun Records studio on Union Avenue, there's something different going on. "Shake it, baby, shake it!" "Go, cat, go!" "We're gonna rock..." This is where rock 'n' roll was born-the record company that launched Elvis Presley, Jerry...

The Birth of Rock 'n' Roll: 70 Years of Sun Records is the official history of this legendary label, and looks at its story in a unique way: through the lens of 70 of its most iconic recordings. From the early days with primal blues artists like Howlin' Wolf and B.B. King to long nights in the studio with Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis, you will see how the label was shaped and how it redefined American music. Accompanying the recordings is the label's...

Grammy award-winning author, Colin Escott, writes the first "real history of country." Music complemented by over one hundred rare or previously unseen photographs.

The story of the legendary country western singer Hank Williams, who in his brief life created one of the greatest bodies of work in American music. The film chronicles his meteoric rise to fame and its ultimately tragic effect on his health and personal life.

One of the most powerful movements in American history is told through the singers and songwriters who fought for change with their music. Highlights include the influence of WDIA radio in Memphis and the influence of Harry Belafonte, Phil Ochs and other performers.