Soul America is a three-part series chronicling the journey of soul music from its origins in gospel and R&B. Styles examined include Motown, Stax, funk, sweet soul, and others. Terrific vintage footage.

Part 1 - AMAZING GRACE
We travel through the south from Muscle Shoals in Alabama to Stax in Memphis, taking a detour north to Detroit, to argue that Motown's most soulful achievement was to show the whole world a successful, sophisticated image of black people at a time when Motown musicians themselves were subject to the same treatment as any black American.

Part 2 - SAY IT LOUD
In the mid 60s to 1970 inequality, poverty and racism fanned the flames of radical black politics and birthed a harder soul sound. It was the best of soul, it was the worst of times. 1967 was no summer of love for black America. The Detroit riot was one of 159 uprisings across America. When Martin Luther King was murdered the following year in America's other soul city, Memphis, a tipping point was reached.

Part 3 - SWEET LOVE
How, in the 70s and 80s, a second coming of soul men offered a black female audience slow jams and sexual healing. In the early 70s, Memphis was the capital of gospel-infused soul music, thanks to two key labels: Stax and Hi Records. In Philadelphia, a new record label, Philadelphia International Records, was born that would also soften soul's hard edges leading to bedroom soul. In the mid-70s, disco became a lucrative sideline for female singers who delivered first-hand songs about love, loss and empowerment.

Interviews include: Susaye Greene, David Ritz, Steve Cropper, Ray Parker Jr., Willie Hall, Martha Reeves, Clarence Carter, Eddie Holland, Brian Holland, Barrett Strong, Spooner Oldham, David Porter, William Bell, Fred Wesley, Nat Adderley Jr., Nelson George, Mavis Staples, Carleen Anderson, Mark Anthony Neal, Mary Wilson, Otis Williams, Candi Staton, Al Bell, Emily Lordi.

SOUL AMERICA documentary on DVD

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