In a career spanning six decades, John Hammond recorded and discovered many legendary figures of American popular music, from Bessie Smith to Bruce Springsteen
. His story is told by his son, blues singer John Paul Hammond , who describes how the two themes of music and social justice went hand in hand for his father. The first of two programmes focuses on Hammond's extraordinary achievements in the pre-war years as a record producer, journalist and talent spotter, and includes music by his proteges Count Basie, Benny Goodman , Teddy Wilson ,
Lionel Hampton , Charlie Christian. Producer Dave Shannon