Legacy, Columbia, Third Man, Lomax To Release PBS 'American Epic' Soundtrack

'American Epic'

LEGACY RECORDINGS, COLUMBIA RECORDS, THIRD MAN RECORDS and LOMAX RECORDS are set to release, "AMERICAN Epic," documentary series music collection, soundtrack and sessions film recordings.

“The AMERICAN Epic Sessions” airs in the U.S. on PBS, TUESDAY, JUNE 6th, at 8p (check local listings) and in the U.K. on the BBC in JUNE.

"AMERICAN Epic: The Collection" and the "AMERICAN Epic" soundtrack will come out MAY 12th on SONY's LEGACY RECORDINGS. "AMERICAN Epic: The Sessions" will be released JUNE 9th on COLUMBIA RECORDS, with a triple-LP vinyl version on THIRD MAN RECORDS, JUNE 16th.. 

'AMERICAN Epic: The Collection" is a five-CD/100-song deluxe box set, while "AMERICAN Epic: The Soundtrack" is a single disc anthology of 15 songs featured in the three-part historical documentary, available as a single LP or CD.

The releases were compiled by director BERNARD MacMAHON and engineer NICHOLAS BERGH, who refined a transfer process using a mix of both modern and vintage equipment in order to extract the resolution from the records that is often missed. This ‘reverse engineering’ approach to the transfer process enabled the restoration team of GRAMMY-winning engineer PETER HENDERSON, DUKE ERIKSON and JOEL TEFTELLER to get the resulting audio closer to the original performance than ever before.

The deluxe edition includes a 100-page book of unpublished photographs, quotes from the artists, their friends and families, lyrics for every song, essays and recording notes. Among the artists included are MISSISSIPPI JOHN HURT, THE CARTER FAMILY, CHARLEY PATTON, JIMMIE RODGERS, LYDIA MENDOZA, NELSTONE's HAWAIIANS, BIG CHIEF HENRY'S STRING BAND and ROBERT JOHNSON, among others. 

Legacy also will be making available, as digital releases, compilations of artists featured in the "AMERICAN Epic" films, including THE CARTER FAMILY, MEMPHIS JUG BAND, MISSISSIPPI JOHN HURT, BLIND WILLIE JOHNSON and LEAD BELLY as well as thematic collections including AMERICAN Epic: Blues and AMERICAN Epic: Country.

In "AMERICAN Epic: The Sessions," the team has reassembled the very first electrical sound recording system from the 1920s, and invited JACK WHITE and T BONE BURNETT to produce an album of recordings by 20 modern artists, including ALABAMA SHAKES, ASHLEY MONROE, THE AVETT BROTHERS, BECK, BETTYE LaVETTE, ELTON JOHN, LOS LOBOS, NAS, POKEY LaFARGE, RAPHAEL SAADIQ, RHIANNON GIDDENS, STEVE MARTIN & EDIE BRICKELL, TAJ MAHAL, WILLIE NELSON and MERLE HAGGARD, among others.. 

Said LEGACY RECORDINGS President ADAM BLOCK, "The extraordinary music that is the AMERICAN Epic collection is a reflection of virtually everything we listen to today. In their breadth of style and subject matter these songs, so meticulously restored, deliberately curated, and then lovingly recreated for the Sessions set, are a glorious reflection and celebration of the greatest characteristic of this nation:  our magnificent diversity." 

The companion book, "AMERICAN Epic," will be available MAY 2nd from TOUCHSTONE. Director MacMAHON and producer ALLISON McGOURTY's account, written with the assistance of prize-winning author ELIJAH WALD, continues the journey of the series in print, with many of the same artists contributing..

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