Episode 1 (55 min.). Examines the earliest settlers of the Appalachians, the Cherokee; the arrival in the 1700s of European settlers who brought their traditions and music with them; the regional role of whiskey distilling; the large evangelical tent meetings which brought together blacks and whites and fostered the development of regional white gospel influenced by African rhythms -- Episode 2 (55 min.). The Cherokees are cruelly relocated along the Trail of Tears; the Civil War splits families; modernization arrives as railroads make it possible to strip raw materials and timber from the mountains; mining companies change entire towns and ways of life; miners demands better working conditions and the region suffers from the violence of the great Coal Wars -- Episode 3 (62 min.). The phonograph and radio take mountain music to the outside world; Great Depression devastates the region; the New Deal provides new ways of making a living and brings wider access to electricity; strip mining and mountain-top removal change the landscape forever; people of Appalachia keep their traditional culture alive and vibrant.

Originally produced for public television broadcast. Bonus feature: exclusive interview with Johnny Cash.