On screen
Cast
56 credited performers
Dick Waterman
Self
Artwork unavailable
Taj Mahal
Self
B.B. King
Self
Artwork unavailable
Marcia Ball
Self
Ike Turner
Self
Salif Keita
Self
Ray Charles
Self
Artwork unavailable
Ali Farka Touré
Self
Artwork unavailable
Rosco Gordon
Self (archive footage)
John Lee Hooker
Self (archive footage)
Roy Hawkins
Self (archive footage)
Artwork unavailable
Sam Carr
Self
Toumani Diabaté
Self
Artwork unavailable
Corey Harris
Self
Artwork unavailable
Son House
Self (archive footage)
Artwork unavailable
Willie King
Self
Artwork unavailable
Habib Koité
Self
Lead Belly
Self (archive footage)
Keb' Mo'
Self
Martin Scorsese
Self
Artwork unavailable
Johnny Shines
Self (archive footage)
Artwork unavailable
Otha Turner
Self
Muddy Waters
Self (archive footage)
Chris Thomas King
Blind Willie Johnson
Artwork unavailable
Keith B. Brown
Skip James
Artwork unavailable
James Hughes
H.C. Speirs
Artwork unavailable
David F. Hughes
Art Laibely (as David Hughes)
Artwork unavailable
Shayne Tingle
Sound engineer
Artwork unavailable
Joy Brashears
Secretary
T Bone Burnett
Self (as T-Bone Burnett)
Artwork unavailable
James Blood Ulmer
Self (as James 'Blood' Ulmer)
Beck
Self
Artwork unavailable
David Barnes
Self
Nick Cave
Self
Eagle-Eye Cherry
Self
Artwork unavailable
Shemekia Copeland
Self
Laurence Fishburne
Self - Narrator
Artwork unavailable
Skip James
Self (archive footage)
Artwork unavailable
Garland Jeffreys
Self
J.B. Lenoir
Self (archive footage)
Artwork unavailable
John Mayall
Self (archive footage)
Bonnie Raitt
Self
Lou Reed
Self
Vernon Reid
Self
Marc Ribot
Self
Artwork unavailable
Seaberg Ronnog
Self
Artwork unavailable
Steve Seaberg
Self
Artwork unavailable
Richard Shurman
Self
Lucinda Williams
Self
Artwork unavailable
Cassandra Wilson
Self
Artwork unavailable
Alvin Youngblood Hart
Self
Artwork unavailable
Marshall Chess
Self
Chuck D
Self
Elizabeth Cotten
Self (archive footage)
Artwork unavailable
Rufus Thomas
Self (archive footage)
Howlin' Wolf
Self (archive footage)