Some documentaries to check out in June

How are you? That's good. I just wanted to take a moment from your usual reading of sitcom/drama/reality stuff and tell you about some specials and documentaries popping up this month that looked rather interesting to me. I hope you think so, too. Here's what I found:

If you like music, PBS has two specials coming up you might like: Great Performances: We Love Ella! A Tribute to the First Lady of Song, and Paul Simon: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. The Ella special, which features contemporary artists performing songs by iconic jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, airs tonight at 9:00 p.m. The Paul Simon tribute will air on June 27, also at 9:00 p.m. Simon is the first songwriter to receive the prize, and will be honored during a ceremony featuring several singers, songwriters, and other people of note, including his former collaborator, Art Garfunkel.

Simon Schama's Power of Art is an eight-part special that examines the work and lives of such artists as Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio and Mark Rothko. The series premieres June 18 at 9:00 p.m., with a new episode appearing every Monday at 10:00 p.m.

Please note that times may be different in your area for these PBS specials, so check local listings.