Soul and rhythm and blues music comprise the soundtrack of African Americans living in the United States fighting for their rights. However, it is also the African American musical expression that was a significant part of pop culture in the 20th century. It was the music that broke through racial barriers to create "people of the blues." It spread worldwide and laid the foundations for other styles of music, such as pop, hip-hop, rock, and disco. From the slumps of major cities, from the greatest venues around the world, El Soul y Rhythm & Blues portrays the path that music overcame to transform the culture of the past 60 years. The chapters focus on a variety of artists, including Ray Charles, James Brown, Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, the Temptations, and Stevie Wonder.