PBS Channel to Premiere “Latin Music USA” | Oct. 12th & 19th, 2009

The
Latin Music USA Four-Part Documentary to Launch During Hispanic
Heritage Month on October 12th and 19th BOSTON, Sept. 14
/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Did you know Salsa came from New York? That
the Kingsmen’s “Louie Louie” is a cha cha cha? How did rap meet reggae
to make Reggaeton?

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, PBS will
premiere Latin Music USA, a four-hour documentary series celebrating
the Latin rhythms at the heart of jazz, rock, country and rhythm and
blues and highlighting the great American music created by Latinos.
Revealing the Latin sounds that have influenced the music of great
American artists from the Drifters to the Isley Brothers to Santana,
the documentary aims to reach lovers of music everywhere, along with
fans of American history and everyone who loves to dance.

Airing
in primetime on Mondays, October 12 and 19, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET on PBS,
the documentary series is narrated by acclaimed Golden Globe and
Emmy-award winning actor Jimmy Smits and features the stories of Latino
artists Celia Cruz, Carlos Santana, the Fania All-Stars, Shakira,
Gloria Estefan and Ricky Martin, along with exclusive interviews and
never-before-seen footage.

The life experiences of the artists
featured in the documentary reveal how Latinos have reinvented their
music in the United States and forged new identities within this
country, while never losing sight of their own rich traditions.

“LATIN
MUSIC USA is a cornerstone of PBS’ celebration of Hispanic Heritage
Month this year, ” said John F. Wilson, PBS Chief TV Programming
Executive. “It’s a program for everyone who loves to explore music,
dance and American history and their fascinating connections to our
overall culture.”

PBS’ celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month
extends beyond the broadcast and onto pbs.org. PBS’ video player
(pbs.org/video) — where viewers can watch hours of free PBS
programming online and on their own time — features an extensive
lineup of programs honoring and exploring Latino culture in “Nuestras
Historias | Our Stories, ” a special Hispanic Heritage Month
collection. LATIN MUSIC USA will premiere online on October 13
(English) and 14 (Spanish) as part of this collection. “Nuestras
Historias | Our Stories” is at