Explores the history of blues music, describing key figures in its evolution such as Huddie "Leadbelly" Ledbetter, Bessie Smith, and Robert Johnson; its different forms; and its influence on rock artists such as Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, and the White Stripes.

Traces the origins and development of folk music in America; discusses the social, economic, and regional influences on folk music; and includes a look at characteristic instruments and sounds, photographs, and brief biographies of notable folk musicians.

A history of American rock music from its beginnings in the 1950s featuring profiles on early artists including Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley, Bill Haley and B.B. King, and the rock groups of the 1970s and 1980s.