Renowned documentary filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker captures Otis Redding in his ascendancy, singing at the historic Monterey International Pop Festival in June 1967. Comedian Tom Smothers introduces Redding to a crowd that is leaving -- until Redding grabs them with his charged rendition of "Shake." Redding's performance also includes "Respect" (which he wrote), "I've Been Loving You Too Long," "Satisfaction," and "Try a Little Tenderness." Tragically, Redding died in a plane crash six months later. An innovative filmmaker who started in the 1950s making experimental films, Pennebaker garnered an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary Feature in 1993 for The War Room, his behind-the-scenes look at Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign. His other subjects have included Norman Mailer, Bob Dylan, and David Bowie.

The history of rock n' roll and pop music are explored are explored via interviews and footage of well-known music stars.

本集则是从美国重要的乐风——灵魂乐谈起，让观众彻底的了解灵魂乐与摇滚乐的不同与关联，片中更大篇幅的为观众介绍伟大的灵魂乐手詹姆斯布朗，他的音乐特性以及影响性，片中还访问名制作人昆西琼斯，听他谈谈灵魂乐对美国当代乐坛的影响。
根植于福音音乐，发展时深受主流流行音乐及节奏蓝调影响的灵魂乐，在1950年代末期大放异彩。灵魂乐先驱包括山姆库克、雷查尔斯、杰基威尔逊及詹姆斯布朗。三代灵魂歌手齐聚一堂讨论他们的艺术，Smokey Robinson详述Ooo Baby Baby的起源。另外，还可以欣赏到麦可杰克森童年时期与兄弟们所组成的杰克森家族精采的演出镜头。

Jake Blues, just released from prison, puts his old band back together to save the Catholic home where he and his brother Elwood were raised.

1992年10月16日，为庆祝Bob Dylan进入歌坛三十周年的一场纪念演唱会在纽约麦迪逊广场展开，吸引了超过一万八千人的观众前往观赏。参与演出的歌者包括有：John Mellencamp、盲人歌手 Stevie Wonder 、The Velvet Underground主唱Lou Reed、Pearl Jam 的 Eddie Vedder 和 Mike Mccready、黑人民谣歌手Tracy Chapman、Johnny Cash 与妻子 June Carter Cash（Johnny 在’69年 Dylan 的专辑封面提了一首诗，而得到了葛莱美奖「Best Album Note」的殊荣）、老牌乡村乐手 Willie Nelson 、另外一位横跨电影与音乐的乡村艺人 Kris Kristofferson、来自德州的已故蓝调吉他英雄Stevie Ray Vaughan、老石头 Ron Wood 、曾经风靡了 Woodstock 演唱会的艺人Richie Havens、三位当代杰出的年轻女艺人Shawn Colvin、Mary Chapin Carpenter以及Rosanne Cash、伟大的词曲创作家兼歌手 Neil Young 、Pretenders主唱Chrissie Hynde、颇受此间欢迎的吉他之神 Eric Clapton 、和 Bob Dylan有长久合作关系的 The Band 和老披头 George Harrison、著名的摇滚乐手Tom Petty、老牌民谣摇滚乐团 Byrds 的一员Roger Mcgainn等等相继以抢眼表现风靡全场；末了，Dylan和众乐手合唱了「 My Back Pages」、「 Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door」结束了这场耐人寻味的演唱会。综观而言，这些乐手不俗的表现和 Dylan 词曲的功力，将演唱会带入了高 潮而丝毫没有冷场，是一场值得一听再听的演唱会，Sony唱片公司特别录下了全部的过程，并加以重新付梓以飨大众, 作为永久的典藏。