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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SINGING AND SWINGING THE ELECTION 2008

October 29th, 2008

American Routes gets out the vote with music by, for and of the people. Lend your ears to the democratic process as we bring you music to get you to the polls, from protest songs to patriotic anthems. Dr. John shares his views on the politics of music and the state of the nation while Tennessee Senator and piano man Lamar Alexander tells tales of the campaign trail. Plus, Virginia banjo legend Ralph Stanley reveals a surprising endorsement and presidential candidate El Vez, the Mexican Elvis, stops by to ask for our vote.

  • Listen to Hour One
  • Listen to Hour Two

HOUR ONE

  • Open Bed: Fireside Chat, Part 1 Franklin D. Roosevelt
    Moneyland, McCoury Music
  • Turn the Radio On Sen. Lamar Alexander
    American Routes original recording,
  • Enough is Enough Eugene Morgan
    Enough is Enough!, Bonedog
  • America First Merle Haggard
    Chicago Wind, Capitol
  • No More Blues Josh White
    Songs for Political Action, Bear Family
  • Breadline Blues 2008 Del McCoury, Mac Wiseman, Tim O'Brien, and Gillian Welch & David Rawlings
    Moneyland, McCoury Music
  • Be Careful How You Vote Sunnyland Slim
    Be Careful How You Vote, Earwig
  • Instrumental: Happy Days are Here Again Casa Loma Orchestra
    Songs of the Depression, Bear Family
  • SEGMENT: Senator Lamar Alexander

    Listen
  • A Few Words in Defense of Our Country Randy Newman
    Harps and Angels, Nonesuch
  • This Land is Your Land Woody Guthrie
    This Land is Your Land, Smithsonian Folkways
  • The Times they Are A-Changin' Bob Dylan
    Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits, CBS
  • Instrumental: Cripple Creek Ralph Stanley
    Old Time Pickin', Rebel
  • White House Blues Charlie Poole and the North Carolina Ramblers
    Anthology of American Folk Music, Smithsonian Folkways
  • Rank Stranger Ralph Stanley
    Classic Bluegrass, Rebel
  • SEGMENT: Ralph Stanley

    Listen
  • Long Walk to D.C. The Staple Singers
    Soul Folk in Action, Stax
  • Funky President (People It's Bad) James Brown
    Star Time: The Godfather Of Soul, Polydor
  • Yes We Can Can Allen Toussaint
    Our New Orleans: A Benefit Album 2005, Nonesuch

HOUR two

  • Open Bed: And the Preacher Said... El Vez
    Boxing with God, Sympathy for the Record Industry
  • SEGMENT: El Vez

    Listen
  • Immigration Time (live at BBC) El Vez
    Son of a Lad from Spain, Sympathy for the Record Industry
  • Only in America The Drifters
    Rockin' & Driftin': The Drifters Box, Rhino
  • One Time One Night Los Lobos
    Just Another Band from East L.A.: A Collection, Warner
  • Get Involved Freddie McGregor
    Darker than Blue: Soul from Jamdown 1973-1980, Blood and Fire
  • Dead Presidents James Blood Ulmer
    Bad Blood in the City, Hyena
  • Instrumental: Diego El Vez
    Boxing with God, Sympathy for the Record Industry
  • SEGMENT: Dr. John

    Listen
  • Promises, Promises Dr. John and the Lower 911 featuring Willie Nelson
    City That Care Forgot, 429
  • Compared to What Les McCann & Eddie Harris
    Swiss Movement, Rhino
  • Instrumental: The Beautiful American Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington
    The Great Summit, Blue Note
  • 50/50 Chance (spoken) Pete Seeger
    Seeds: The Songs of Pete Seeger, Vol.3, Appleseed
  • Which Side Are You On Natalie Merchant
    Seeds: The Songs of Pete Seeger, Vol.3, Appleseed
  • Day After Tomorrow Tom Waits
    Real Gone, Anti
  • A Change is Gonna Come Terrence Trent Darby with Booker T & the MG's
    Freedom: Songs from the Heart of America, Columbia
  • End Bed: "Ragtime" and "Avalon" Randy Newman
    The Randy Newman Songbook Vol.1, Nonesuch

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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