They were four young men with varying degrees of musical talent who landed parts on a new TV series about a fictional band called The Monkees. In an instant they became superstars, outselling The Beatles and Elvis Presley combined in 1967.
But their success would be short-lived and their downfall even swifter than their rise to stardom. Hear the whole story from the members of the band in Making the Monkees – premiering this month, only on Smithsonian Channel.
Morgan Freeman takes you on a musical journey that traces the origins of be-bop, jazz, rock 'n' roll and soul music, all emanating from “ground zero” – Clarksdale, Mississippi – and the Mississippi Delta.
Discover the roots of these uniquely American styles of music and see recent performances in stunning HD from some of the greats including B.B. King, Ike Tuner, Buddy Guy, Etta James, Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana and more.
New episodes premiere every Sunday night at 8 p.m. EST.
Wanda Jackson was the first "girl" to sing rock and roll back in the 50's and her influence continues today as rock stars find inspiration from her music and style. Her story is a fascinating one that’s still unfolding.
In September she was nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The final list of inductees will be announced in January. Until then, if you don’t know Wanda’s story, be sure to watch Sweet Lady with the Nasty Voice – all this month on Smithsonian Channel.
DECODING CHRISTIANITY:
FLESH AND BLOOD In this new series, host Christy Kenneally attempts to decode the powerful symbolism of the crucifixion and the Christian fascination with physical suffering.
SCI Q Join our energetic young explorers Andrew, Paula, and Pemma in an exciting new series. In each episode of SciQ our hosts will plunge into a new scientific adventure based on a weekly theme.
AERIAL AMERICA Smithsonian Channel is filming every state in the U.S. from the air – in HD - for our new series Aerial America. We’re working on the website now but while you’re waiting, read more about this incredible production in our blog.
