AMERICAN ROUTES
May the Fourth Be With Us! American Routes Independence Day Then & Now May the Fourth Be With Us! American Routes Independence Day Then & Now June 29th, 2022 (Hour 1)
May the Fourth Be With Us! American Routes Independence Day Then & Now

This July 4th weekend, we dive into the record crates to bring you music of celebration, hope and critique from Nina Simone, Randy Newman, Sly Stone and Jon Batiste. Then, the July 4th roots of American Routes as we go back to the 1990s, deep in the archive, for highlights from The American Roots Independence Day concerts at the Washington Monument on the National Mall in Washington, DC. Join us for spectacular stage performances by the urbane blues hero Charles Brown, the Texas Playboys with Johnny Gimble playing Western swing, Mexican-American Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano, Young Tuxedo Brass with New Orleans jazz, and Hawaiian music and song of slack-key guitar master Ledward Kaapana.

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SHADES OF THE BLUES

August 7th, 2019

We explore the sonic hues of the blues in jazz, R & B, country, Cajun and pop. We’ll hear blues inflections in the music of Gene Vincent and George Jones, Nina Simone and Joni Mitchell. Then we crash a blues house party at the National Folk Festival for music and conversation with British rocker Albert Lee, Piedmont harmonica master Phil Wiggins, St. Louis guitarist Marquise Knox, and Cajun accordionist Steve Riley. We’re looking toward blue skies and blue horizons on American Routes!

  • Listen to Hour One
  • Listen to Hour Two

HOUR ONE

  • Open Bed: I Got the Blues T-Bone Walker
    The Complete Imperial Sessions, EMI
  • Blues Stay Away from Me Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps
    Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps, Capitol
  • CLIP: Nina Simone
  • Sugar in My Bowl Nina Simone
    The Very Best of Nina Simone: Sugar in My Bowl 1967-1972, RCA
  • Crazy Arms Jerry Lee Lewis
    Sun Classics, Charly
  • Blue Monday Fats Domino
    Out of New Orleans, Bear Family
  • Color of Blues George Jones
    The Classic Mercury Years, Mercury
  • George Jones Talkin' Cell Phone Blues Drive-By Truckers
    The Fine Print: A Collection of Oddities and Rarities (2003-2008), New West
  • Instrumental: Blues Back McCoy Tyner Trio
    Reaching Forth, Impulse
  • Blue Blue Day Tracy Nelson
    Mother Earth Presents Tracy Nelson Country , Reprise
  • Long Gone Lonesome Blues Hank Williams
    The Complete Hank Williams - 10 CD Deluxe Edition, Mercury
  • First Time I Met the Blues Buddy Guy
    Buddy's Blues, Chess/MCA
  • Blues Won't Give Me No Rest (Live) Henry Gray
    American Routes recording at the 2016 Baton Rouge Blues Festival,
  • Instrumental: Como Mississippi Fred McDowell
    Mississippi Fred McDowell, Rounder
  • Ramblin' On My Mind Robert Johnson
    Robert Johnson: The Complete Recordings, Columbia
  • Turbulent Indigo Joni Mitchell
    Turbulent Indigo, Reprise
  • Blue Skies Cassandra Wilson
    Blue Skies, JMT
  • That Lucky Old Sun Big Mama Thornton
    Stronger Than Dirt, Mercury
  • Blues for the Melody Inn The Mighty Four
    Dancing at the Melody Inn, American Music
  • Rainy Day Women 12 x 35 Bob Dylan
    Blonde on Blonde, Columbia
  • Closing Bed: Blue Horizon Sidney Bechet
    Blue Horizon: The Sidney Bechet Story, Proper Records

HOUR two

  • Open Bed: Blues House Party Rag Phil Wiggins Blues House Party
    American Routes recording at the 2018 National Folk Festival,
  • Two Step Too Albert Lee
    American Routes recording at the 2018 National Folk Festival,
  • SEGMENT: Albert Lee
  • SEGMENT: Marquise Knox
  • Flip, Flop, and Fly Marquise Knox
    American Routes recording at the 2018 National Folk Festival,
  • Instrumental: Alley Strut Henry Townsend
    Mule, Nighthawk
  • SEGMENT: Marquise Knox Pt. 2
  • SEGMENT: Phil Wiggins
  • Instrumental Jam Phil Wiggins
    American Routes recording at the 2018 National Folk Festival,
  • SEGMENT: Steve Riley
  • Drunkard's Blues Steve Riley
    American Routes recording at the 2018 National Folk Festival,
  • Instrumental: Eunice Two-Step Lawtell Playboys
    La-La: Louisiana Black French Music, Maison de Soul
  • SEGMENT: Steve Riley Pt. 2
  • Blue Runner Steve Riley
    American Routes recording at the 2018 National Folk Festival,
  • Fool's Night Out Phil Wiggins, Marquise Knox, Albert Lee, Steve Riley and Band
    American Routes recording at the 2018 National Folk Festival,
  • Closing Bed: Guitar and Harmonica Rag Joh Cephas and Phil Wiggins
    Going Down the Road Feeling Bad, Evidence Music

THE LATEST STREAMS

  • June 29th, 2022

    MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH US! AMERICAN ROUTES INDEPENDENCE DAY THEN & NOW

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  • June 22nd, 2022

    EARL SCRUGGS & TOM RUSH

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  • June 15th, 2022

    SOUNDS OF FREEDOM: FONTELLA BASS AND FREDDIE HUBBARD

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