13-Part Series on American Music to Premiere on Learning Channel

“Played in the U.S.A.,” a 13-part series exploring American music from Broadway musicals and jazz to Delta blues and rock ‘n’ roll, premieres Sunday at 7 and 10 p.m. on cable’s Learning Channel.

The series, hosted by actor Martin Sheen, profiles musicians from jazz bassist and composer Charles Mingus to blues greats B.B. King and Willie Mabon to country comic Uncle Dave Macon and a cappella gospel group Sweet Honey in the Rock.

Sunday’s first segment is “Broadway Breakthrough,” a look at the creation of Stephen Sondheim’s musical “Company” by famed documentary filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker, who created the landmark Bob Dylan concert documentary “Don’t Look Back.” (Review, F12.)

Other segments were produced by a variety of independent filmmakers, including Stevenson J. Palfi of New Orleans and Blaine Dunlap of Los Angeles, who also served as producers and programmers of the series. The Learning Channel is carried on several Orange County cable systems.