PBS is showing as part of their American Epic series, a documentary of present day musicians - some contemporary hipster types I'm not familiar with, plus people like Taj Mahal, Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, Bettye Lavette, Beck, and Elton John recording mostly old blues and country tunes live in the studio with antique recording equipment.
I don't know what the purpose of this is. The people who originally recorded back when were singing and playing their lives. (I realize that they were trying to have musical careers but, for them, the music was a part of their lives, not a part of their record collections.)
The whole business just seemed stupid to me. Better to have a two hour YouTube type documentary - show the record labels and maybe some photographs and just play the original music.
I know - The answer is that PBS couldn't raise money by just playing great music. Which is sad.