VH1 Classic is airing this special right now started at 7pm Eastern time.

Runs until 1:00am;so far very interesting - begins with the birth of Soul as far back as the 1930s starting with Ray Charles. Did you know that by the time Ray Charles was 9 years old that he could type 75 wpm?

Some of the artists (past and present) also discuss racial discrimination and segregation and Jim Crow they had to face during this era as well:

It's in 6 categories:


1) The Birth of Soul
2) The Gospel Highway
3) Young America (Birth of the Motown Sound)
4) Southern Soul
5) Ain't it Funky (birth of Funk)
6) From Ghetto to Fabulous

Artists featured on this special:

Ray Charles
Louis Jordan
Ruth Brown
Big Joe Turner (Shake, Rattle and Roll)
Jerry Wexler
Sam Cooke
Staple Singers
The Dixie Hummingbirds
Ben E. King
Bobby Womack
Aretha Franklin
The Supremes
Etta James
Martha Reeves and the Vandellas
The Temptations
Smokey Robinson
Otis Redding
James Carr
Booker T & The MGs
Wilson Pickett
Al Green
Sly and the Family Stone (including Larry Graham)
George Clinton
Stevie Wonder
Marvin Gaye
Mary J. Blige
Destiny's Child
P. Diddy.
....and more
[Edited 10/17/07 20:33pm]

Watching

I guess this is the BBC documentary, isn't it?

Justin1972UK said:

Well, I believe you are right, at the end of the first episode it does state BBC. This is the first time I've seen this program though. Not sure if it's been aired in the US before.
[Edited 10/17/07 16:56pm]

I just finished watching all SIX episodes.

I noticed a couple of absences from the series. Absolutely nothin' on Joe Tex during the Southern Soul episode. Also nothin' on any of the Jacksons, Prince, Al Green, Little Richard, the Platters, Coasters, Barry White, Teddy Riley and others. But other then that, i give it an A+.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Yes, I noticed that too, maybe they'll do a second one. Goes to show you the vast majority of artists that made a difference in the music world. I watched all six as well. Very interesting and informative. I can't get over the part where they said that Ray Charles typed 75 words per minute when by the time he was 9 years old.

2elijah said:

The one thing I noticed about each episode was it was mainly about one artist (with others sprinkled in)


1) The Birth of Soul / about RAY CHARLES
2) The Gospel Highway / about SAM COOKE
3) Young America (Birth of the Motown Sound) / about SUPREMES
4) Southern Soul / about OTIS REDDING
5) Ain't it Funky (birth of Funk) / about JAMES BROWN
6) From Ghetto to Fabulous / about MARY J. BLIDGE

LittleBLUECorvette said:

True - but they focused #2(The Gospel Highway) on the Staple Singers as well.

I thought it was an excellent documentary, gave you an insight on the power of music and how it moves people and breaks barriers in society...I guess life is music/music is life after all..so to speak.
[Edited 10/18/07 18:57pm]