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.

  • Info
  • ABOUT
  • BEST OF
  • UPCOMING
  • ARCHIVE
  • SUPPORT
  • JOURNAL
  • STATIONS
  • MEDIA KIT
  • INDEX
  • STAFF
  • CONTACT
BROWSE BY DATE
  • 2022
  • 2021
  • 2020
  • 2019
  • 2018
  • 2017
  • 2016
  • 2015
  • 2014
  • 2013
  • 2012
  • 2011
  • 2010
  • 2009
  • 2008
  • 2007
  • 2006
  • 2005
  • 2004
  • 2003
  • 2002
  • 2001
  • 2000
  • 1999
  • 1998

SUPPORT GREAT STORYTELLING

We rely on your support to remain on air and online. Your contribution helps us bring you interviews with great American artists and the carefully curated music mix that you’ve enjoyed over the years.

Donate

 

AMERICAN ROUTES ON INSTAGRAM

SOUNDS OF WINTER SOLSTICE AND THE HOLIDAYS

December 22nd, 2021

It’s the season of cold weather, darkness, solstice, and… holidays. Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza and New Years ahead. A time of celebration and contemplation, family and friends but also some broken hearts and Christmas blues. From cold weather and cold-hearted blues of Snooky Pryor, Big Maceo and Aretha Franklin to the warm side of the season with Louis Jordan and Ella Fitzgerald, Wille Nelson and Elvis. And belated Hanukkah sounds from Bela Fleck and Andy Statman. Plus, we explore Santa’s exploits, fallibility, and possibility with songs from Baltimore’s Fat Daddy, Tampa Red and Tennessee Ernie Ford. Merry Xmas and more from American Routes!

  • Listen to Hour One
  • Listen to Hour Two

HOUR ONE

  • Open Bed: Blue and Sentimental Oscar Peterson
    Oscar Peterson Plays Count Basie, Verve
  • Chilly Winds Don't Blow Nina Simone
    Pastel Blues, Phillips
  • California Dreamin' Bobby Womack
    Fly Me To The Moon, Capitol
  • Winter Time Blues Big Maceo
    The King of Chicago Piano Blues, Arhoolie
  • Nine Below Zero Snooky Prior
    Snooky, Blind Pig Records
  • Cold, Cold Heart Aretha Franklin
    Unforgettable: A Tribute to Dinah Washington, Sony
  • Instrumental: Snowbird on the Ash Bank John Hartford and Texas Shorty
    Old Sport: Texas Shorty and John Hartford, Small Dog A-barkin
  • My Window Faces the South Willie Nelson
    Country Favorites-Willie Nelson Style, RCA Victor
  • Snowbird Hank Snow
    Snow in All Seasons, Sony
  • Golden Rocket Alice Stuart and Snake (Live)
    YouTube,
  • Going Down the Road Feeling Bad Doc Watson
    The Essential Doc Watson, Vanguard
  • Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad Big Bill Broonzy
    The Big Bill Broonzy Story, UMG
  • Instrumental: Baby It's Cold Outside Jimmy Smith and Wes Montgomery
    Christmas Cookin'—Jimmy Smith, Verve
  • Winter Weather Benny Goodman, Peggy Lee
    The Best of Benny Goodman featuring Peggy Lee, Sony
  • Baby It's Cold Outside Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Jordan & His Tympany Five
    Ella: The Legendary Decca Recordings, UMG
  • Winter Wonderland Elvis
    The Classic Christmas Album, Sony
  • Every Day Will Be Like a Holiday William Bell
    The Very Best of William Bell, Stax
  • The Hanukkah Waltz Béla Fleck and the Flecktones
    Jingle All the Way, Rounder
  • Shabbos Nigun Andy Statman
    Old Brooklyn, Shefa Records
  • The Sounds of Silence Simon and Garfunkel
    Wednesday Morning 3 AM, Columbia
  • End Bed: Rockport Sunday Tom Rush
    The Circle Game, Warner

HOUR two

  • Open Bed: Santa's Second Line New Birth Brass Band
    A New Orleans Christmas, NYNO
  • Hey Santa Claus Moonglows
    Rockin' Little Christmas, Geffen
  • Fat Daddy Fat Daddy
    A John Waters Christmas, New Line
  • A Rootin' Tootin' Santa Claus Tennessee Ernie Ford
    Christmas on the Range, Capitol
  • Christmas and New Years Blues Tampa Red
    Death Might Be Your Santa Claus, Sony
  • Instrumental: Feliz Navidad Los Straightjackets
    Los Straightjackets—Complete Christmas Songbook, Pacifica
  • Merry Christmas Baby Chuck Berry
    St. Louis to Liverpool, Chess
  • Blue Christmas Belton Richard and His Musical Aces
    Merry Cajun Christmas, Swallow
  • Jingle Bells/Greetings from Esquivel Esquivel
    Esquivel--Merry Christmas from the Space Age Bachelor Pad,
  • Bomba De Navidad Ismael Rivera
    Feliz Navidad, Concord
  • La Parranda Fania Hector Lavoe, Yomo Toro, Daniel Santos
    Hector, Yomo Y Daniel Feliz Navidad, Fania
  • Instrumental: Good 'Swing' Wenceslas Count Basie
    A Very Swinging Christmas—The Count Basie Band, Concord
  • Please Come Home for Christmas Charles Brown
    Charles Brown Sings Christmas Songs, Gusto
  • White Christmas Otis Redding
    Soul Christmas, Atlantic
  • Every Day Will Be Like a Holiday Carole King
    A Holiday Carole, Rockingale Records
  • Last Month of the Year Fairfield Four
    Standing in the Safety Zone, Word Entertainment
  • O Holy Night Irma Thomas
    Walk Around Heaven: New Orleans Gospel and Soul, Rounder
  • Greensleeves John Coltane Quartet
    Ballads, Verve
  • End Bed: We Three Kings The Ramsey Lewis Trio
    More Sounds of Christmas, Verve

THE LATEST STREAMS

  • June 29th, 2022

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

    Listen
  • June 22nd, 2022

    EARL SCRUGGS & TOM RUSH

    Listen
  • June 15th, 2022

    SOUNDS OF FREEDOM: FONTELLA BASS AND FREDDIE HUBBARD

    Listen
A|R

  • Donate
A|R AMERICAN ROUTES
  • ABOUT
  • BEST OF
  • ARCHIVE
  • UPCOMING
  • SUPPORT US
  • JOURNAL
  • STATIONS
  • STAFF
  • CONTACT
  • Tulane University
  • NEA
  • PRX