Traces the history and influence of blues music, focusing on the origins of the unique sound from the banks of the Niger River to the Mississippi Delta, with performances by such blues legends as Corey Harris, Taj Mahal, Keb'Mo' and others.

Looks at the history of blues music, focusing closely on the lives and musical careers of Skip James, Blind Willie Johnson, and J.B. Lenoir, with a fictional sequence, archival footage, documentary scenes, and covers of their songs.