Arena spends the summer with super cool self-confessed rock chick, Chrissie Hynde - shopping for clothes in Paris, hanging out with Sandra Bernhard in New York, life in London and a special trip back to her home town of Akron, Ohio. A thoughtful and intimate portrait of a "lone, hungry, irritable wolf," featuring a glorious live performance at one of London's newest venues.

Series telling the stories of the pioneers of American roots music. The first episode takes us back to 1920s America, where the growth of radio had shattered record sales. Record companies travelled rural America and recorded the music of ordinary people for the first time. The poor and oppressed were given a voice as their recordings spread from state to state. Robert Redford narrates this meticulously researched story of a cultural revolution that changed the world.

Series telling the stories of the pioneers of American roots music. This episode takes a look at the stories of those early music pioneers whose names have largely been forgotten. In the small South Carolina town of Cheraw, Elder Burch held lively church gatherings which inspired young musicians - including jazz giant Dizzy Gillespie. The programme takes a look at the gritty songs and musicians that came from the coal mines of Logan County, West Virginia - The Williamson Brothers, Dick Justice and Frank Hutchinson. The hellish conditions of the coal mines inspired them to find a way out, through their music. Finally we head to the home of the blues - the Mississippi Delta, where Charley Patton captured the sounds and struggles of life in the cotton fields.

Series telling the stories of the pioneers of American roots music. The third episode takes a look at the influence of Hawaiian music and, more specifically, the steel guitar, which became a central sound to a range of musical styles. The programme continues with an exploration of Cajun music, the blended music of Louisiana that reflects the winding landscape of the bayous. Finally we hear the story of Mississippi John Hurt - discovered in the 1920s but soon forgotten, he represents the odyssey of American Epic in microcosm.

Series telling the stories of the pioneers of American roots music. The machine that introduced the sounds of America to its people has been lovingly reassembled and now, in the heart of Hollywood, in a perfect recreation of the atmosphere and conditions of America's first ever recording studios, today's music superstars roll the epic on. Elton John, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Alabama Shakes, Jack White, Nas, Ana Gabriel, Beck, Los Lobos and Steve Martin are among the artists who test their skills against the demands of the recording machine that literally made American music. There are no edits, no overdubs and no retakes, and the disc only allows for three minutes of recording time.