Chuck Berry is the subject of new PBS-TV program 'In Their Own Words'

Rock 'n' roll originator Chuck Berry’s life will be explored in an episode of PBS’s new primetime special, IN THEIR OWN WORDS, premiering tomorrow, Tuesday, July 27.

Combining exclusive interviews with archival footage and each subject’s own words to help tell the story, IN THEIR OWN WORDS sheds light on various personalities and examines their continuing influence.

The series will conclude on Sunday, August 8 with “Diana, Princess of Wales,” which tells the story of the beloved woman who defied expectations and used the power of her celebrity to change lives.

All episodes are scheduled from 8-9 pm EDT (check local listings) on PBS, PBS.org and the PBS Video app.

Three additional specials will premiere in the fall, profiling Jimmy Carter and others. Below is more information on the summer specials.

“Chuck Berry” – Tuesday, July 27

Chuck’s Berry’s incredible life story spans more than seven decades, beginning in the clubs and bars of a deeply segregated St. Louis. In 1955, his “Maybellene” rose to #1 on the R&B chart. It then miraculously crossed over, reaching #5 on the top 100 Pop chart, ultimately birthing a renaissance in popular music we now call rock and roll. To his family, Berry was a sensitive poet and devoted family man. To others, he was a demanding and difficult artist, a “diabolical genius” driven by a voracious appetite for money and a deep desire for respect and control. This episode takes a riveting ride on the Chuck Berry train, exploring the life, the legend, the music and the man. Featured are interviews with his widow, son and grandson, along with colleagues and musicians who idolize him, including Keith Richards, Robert Cray, Slash, Darius Rucker and more.

“Diana, Princess of Wales” – Sunday, August 8

This unique exploration of Diana’s life looks back through a contemporary lens that credits her choices, her suffering and her triumphs as the ultimate disrupter for a generation of women across the globe. Through interviews with many who knew her personally, a picture of Diana emerges that reveals what drove her to challenge the restrictions of her personal life—marriage to a man who loved another woman and a royal family that attempted to mold her in its image. When her marriage dissolved, Diana could have stepped off the world stage and created a quiet, private life. Instead, driven by a need to help others, she chose to use her celebrity to change lives. The story of a woman who defied expectations and evolved into one of the most impactful icons of our time, the program features interviews with John Travolta, biographer Andrew Morton, several close friends and more.

IN THEIR OWN WORDS will stream simultaneously with broadcast and be available on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS Video app, available on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Samsung Smart TV and Chromecast.