Singer Harry Belafonte discusses Black music including spirituals and jazz and how it has contributed to American culture.

Studs interviews Harriet Choice, Jazz critic for the Chicago Tribune. They reflect on the music, talent and career of Duke Ellington. Choice describes several Ellington songs and the history behind them. She shares how Duke created music and wrote specifically for individual people. Studs reads what Ellington wrote about his song “Harlem Airshaft.” Choice and Terkel reflect on Ellington’s music and those who made music with him. Choice shares how a Duke Ellington performance at the Newport Jazz Festival rejuvenated Ellington’s career.

Chicago Tribune jazz critic Harriet Choice plays and discusses some favorite records from her own personal collection with Studs Terkel.

Dr. Guy Duckworth and his students sing and play, "America." Duckworth talks about the importance of knowing how to learn to play the piano. The 11-year-old students first play a plain or harmonic version of "America', followed by other versions with more chords that add variety to "America."

Musician, pianist, and educator Guy Duckworth and three of his young students at Northwestern--Darrah Cloud, David Greenberg, and Scott MacMillan--discuss teaching and learning piano. Part 1 of 2.

Interviewing activist and musician Guy Carawan and his son, musician Evan Carawan. They discuss the impact of the Highlander Folk School during the Civil Rights Movement and their relationship with folk music. Includes a test tone that lasts 20 seconds. Content Warning: This conversation has the presence of outdated, biased, offensive language. Rather than remove this content, we present it in the context of twentieth-century social history to acknowledge and learn from its impact and to inspire awareness and discussion.

Greta Keller, cabaret singer and actress, discusses her life and singing career. Keller also explains technique and thoughts behind her singing. At the end of the interview, Keller describes her work on Cabaret and singing "Heiraten."

Interviewing Giora Feidman, an Argentinian clarinetist who specializes in the klezmer musical tradition.

Studs interviews George Shearing about his career and performances at Rick's Cafe in Chicago. Shearing shares the events and people who influenced his Jazz music. He describes European audiences and studio musicians. Studs quotes Leonard Feather, music critic, on Shearing's take on the song "San Jose." The musical pieces are removed from this edited version of the original recording.

Studs interviews George Esteves, the director of the Chicago Chamber Choir. They discuss the musical numbers that the choir will perform in their Mother's Day concert. Dexter Bailey will accompany. Esteves reads the lyrics in Italian of "Ecco Mormorar L'Onde" a Torquato Tasso poem, and Studs reads it in English. Esteves also reads some lyrics of the "Contate Irene Kiesewetter" by Schubert Franz. Esteves shares how members of the choir are recruited. Esteves names all the soloist members of the choir.

Recorded live on Chicago's South Side. Robeson is ill at the time of recording. Speakers: Earl Dickerson, Etta Moten Barnett, Judge Sidney Jones, J. Mayo "Ink" Williams, Joan Brown (possibly Abena Joan Brown), Charles Hamilton, Margaret Burroughs, [John Gray's sister], [Stevens?]

Garry Davis concludes by telling the audience he's in town to gain moral, political and financial support for the group he founded, The World Service Authority. Davis' final thought -- any man who defends his own rights is defending the rights of all men. Ray Davies of the English rock band, The Kinks, talks about the studio album, "Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)". Davis reads lyrics from the songs, "Victoria," "Yes Sir, No Sir" and "Some Mother's Son".

In addition to talking about Senegalese music, Gana M'Bow goes over the history of the "talking drum." M'Bow also plays various songs from Senegal and West Africa. Through the State Department, M'Bow was touring various cities across the US.

Frederick Ritter, professor, preforms musical numbers from Austria. He also discusses the history of baroque theater and Volk's Theatre, along with Viennese culture. He is joined by Sabine Roupp, Joseph Gardner and David Miller on piano during the performances. Ritter also compares Bertolt Brecht with earlier writers, Johann Nestroy and Ferdinand Raimund. Selected pieces includes works by Mozart and Ferdinand Raymond and Johann Nestroy.