“In the history of American radio, no series has come close to Nick Spitzer’s American Routes in exploring the many streams of this nation’s music.”
— Nat Hentoff, Wall Street Journal
American Routes is a weekly two-hour public radio program produced in New Orleans, presenting a broad range of American music — blues and jazz, gospel and soul, old-time country and rockabilly, Cajun and zydeco, Tejano and Latin, roots rock and pop, avant-garde and classical. Now in our 15th year on the air, American Routes explores the shared musical and cultural threads in these American styles and genres of music — and how they are distinguished.
The program also presents documentary features and artist interviews. Our conversations include Willie Nelson, Tom Waits, B.B. King, Dr. John, Dave Brubeck, Abbey Lincoln, Elvis Costello, Ray Charles, Randy Newman, McCoy Tyner, Lucinda Williams, Rufus Thomas, Jerry Lee Lewis and many others. Join us as we ride legendary trains, or visit street parades, instrument-makers, roadside attractions and juke joints, and meet tap dancers, fishermen, fortunetellers and more.
The songs and stories on American Routes describe both the community origins of our music, musicians and cultures — the “roots”— and the many directions they take over time — the “routes.”
Rebroadcast of first hour every Saturday at 7:00am.
Upcoming Episodes
June 4, 2023 Americana/Roots, Late Night, Music
Piano People and More
With Jason Moran & Heath Allen.
Read MoreMay 28, 2023 Americana/Roots, Late Night, Music
Memorial Day with the 2022 National Heritage Fellows
Music from the 2022 National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellows.
ListenMay 21, 2023 Americana/Roots, Late Night, Music
Words to the Wise: Loretta Lynn, Bill Kirchen & Les Freres Michot
With music from Loretta Lynn, Bill Kirchen & Les Freres Michot
ListenMay 14, 2023 Americana/Roots, Late Night, Music
Way Down Yonder in New Orleans and Beyond
Music by Charlie Pride, Bob Dylan, Dr. John, Adia Victoria, Aretha Franklin and Louis Armstrong.
Read MoreMay 7, 2023 Americana/Roots, Late Night, Music
Drifting Cowboy Blues with Texan Charley Crockett & Homeland Bluegrass with Virginian Linda Lay
Charley Crockett from south Texas has risen to country stardom as a deep-voiced, drifting cowboy blues singer/guitarist with a well-traveled history of playing street corners, subway stops and honky-tonks. Charley talks about how music has sustained him in the rough life of a 21st Century rambler. Then, a family bluegrass band from Southwest Virginia, Springfield Exit–lead by wife and husband Linda and David Lay, who share their stories of growing up with music, starting their own band and farming tomatoes. Plus music from Johnny Cash, the Carter Family, Freddy Fender, Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald.
Read MoreApril 30, 2023 Americana/Roots, Late Night, Music
American Routes Live: Cajun Troubadour Zachary Richard and New Orleans Creole Jazzman Don Vappie
It’s American Routes Live in concert and conversation with musicians from southwest Louisiana Cajun and New Orleans Creole life. Singer Songwriter Zachary Richard has been called the most American of French songwriters and the most French of American songwriters. We’ll visit with Zachary and his band live at Dockside Studios in Maurice, Louisiana for a walk through his nearly 50 year catalog of songs. Then Creole jazz banjoman Don Vappie updates musical history while keeping the New Orleans traditional sound alive, live from Marigny Studios near the French Quarter.
Read MoreApril 23, 2023 Americana/Roots, Late Night, Music
Bustin’ Loose: Go-Go and Zydeco with Chuck Brown and Jeffery Broussard
Come meet us at the club as we jump into two distinct American musics: go-go and zydeco. From the nation’s capital, we’ll visit with the late “Godfather of Go-Go,” funk and jazz guitarist Chuck Brown, who’ll explain the finer points of jamming and showing the audience some love. Then we’re back in Louisiana getting down to the Creole sounds of zydeco with the Creole cowboy Jeffery Broussard, whose fiddle and accordion playing brings the music back its source. The son of the late accordion legend Delton Broussard, Jeffery knows the deep roots of d’vrais zarico (real zydeco), but also the appeal of tradition in a modern sound.
Read MoreApril 16, 2023 Americana/Roots, Late Night, Music
Flying with the Byrds & the Burritos on American Routes Airlines
We get sonically aloft with musical memories of the Byrds and the Flying Burritos Brothers. The Byrds, the fabled folk-rock band known for their vocal harmonies and jangly guitar sound, gained huge fame between 1965-1968. We’ll hear music that influenced the Byrds from Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger. Plus conversation with Byrds and Flying Burrito Brothers co-founder Chris Hillman about his bluegrass roots, the Byrds’ shift toward country music on Sweetheart of the Rodeo, and forming country rock band the Flying Burrito Brothers with Gram Parsons. We’ll also find out about songs in the land of love lost and found from Dr. John, Sam Cooke, Patsy Cline and Irma Thomas.
Read MoreApril 9, 2023 Americana/Roots, Late Night, Music
Easter Parade & Passover: Music for Holy Days and Holidays
with the Highway Q.C.’s and Del McCoury
Read MoreMarch 26, 2023 Americana/Roots, Late Night, Music
Reimagining Kentucky Country Music & New Orleans Jazz with Kelsey Waldon and Aurora Nealand
with Kelsey Waldon and Aurora Nealan
Read MoreMarch 19, 2023 Americana/Roots, Late Night, Music
St. Patrick’s Singers, Fiddlers and Pickers from Ireland to America
Music from Hank Locklin, The Clancy Brothers and Louis Armstrong, plus a live set from the 80th National Folk Festival with John Doyle, Seamus Egan, Rob and Ronnie McCoury.
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