American Epic represents a 10-year odyssey undertaken by director Bernard MacMahon and producers Allison McGourty and Duke Erikson, and audio engineer Nicholas Bergh that involved tracking down countless long forgotten musicians, restoring the music that they recorded and reassembling the technology that created it. Along the way they brought some of the most important figures in contemporary culture to help them on their quest. Executive Producers Jack White, T Bone Burnett and Robert Redford have lent their support to what Redford calls "America's greatest untold story."
In addition to American Epic: The Sessions soundtrack, Third Man Records is slated to release 180 gram 12" audiophile vinyl versions of American Epic: The Carter Family, American Epic: Memphis Jug Band, American Epic: Mississippi John Hurt, American Epic: Blind Willie Johnson and American Epic: Lead Belly plus thematic collections including American Epic: Blues and American Epic: Country.
Early geniuses of Delta Blues - Robert Johnson, Geeshie Wiley & Elvie Thomas, Son House, Charley Patton and many more have been painstakingly remastered using a mix of analog and digital technology for a hybrid sound that is simultaneously contemporary, immediate but still completely true-to-form. Single LP with single pocket tip-on jacket with soft touch finish.
- Cross Road Blues by Robert Johnson
- On the Road Again by Memphis Jug Band
- Louis Collins by Mississippi John Hurt
- Sittin' On Top of the World by Mississippi Sheiks
- 'Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do (Part 1) by Frank Stokes
- Down the Dirt Road Blues by Charley Patton
- My Black Mama (Parts 1 & 2) by Son House
- Walk Right In by Cannon's Jug Stompers
- The Panama Limited by Bukka White
- Last Kind Words Blues by Geeshie Wiley & Elvie Thomas
- Cottonfield Blues (Part 2) by Garfield Akers
- Tallahatchie River Blues by Mattie Delaney
- Mama 'Tain't Long fo' Day by Blind Willie McTell
- Future Blues by Willie Brown
- Cool Drink of Water Blues by Tommy Johnson
- Cypress Grove Blues by Skip James
- Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground by Blind Willie Johnson