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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CRAFTING SOUND

January 21st, 2004

Visiting literal makers of music, crafters of instruments and sounds. Luthier Wayne Henderson takes us to his Virginia workshop for an old-time country jam session with Doc Watson. Robert Moog, of Moog Synthesizer fame, tells about creating electronic keyboards, and Sam Phillips of Memphis’ Sun Records recounts the reverb slap that shaped the sound of rock and rollers Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash.

  • Listen to Hour One
  • Listen to Hour Two

HOUR ONE

  • Open Bed: Soldier's Joy Wayne Henderson, Doc Watson & Friends
    Nightline/American Routes recording,
  • Good Rockin' Tonight Elvis Presley
    Essential 50s Matsers, RCA
  • The Music Goes Round and Round Louis Prima
    The Capitol Recordings, Bear Family
  • Three For The Festival Roland Kirk
    Jazz Masters 27, Verve
  • Claycussion Ward Hartenstein with Eastman Percussion Ensemble
    Gravikords, Whirlies & Pyrophones, Ellipsis Arts
  • Shore Leave Tom Waits
    Swordfishtrombones, Island
  • Stalkin' Duane Eddy
    Twang Thang, Rhino
  • Instrumental: Blue Bonnet Rag Speedy West & Jimmy Bryant
    Stratosphere Boogie, Razor&Tie
  • CLIP: Hank Williams on songwriting from his how-to book
  • Honky Tonk Blues Hank Williams
    The Complete Hank Williams, Mercury
  • I'm Gonna Lay Down My Old Guitar Hazel Dickens & Alice Gerrard
    Pioneering Women of Bluegrass, Folkways
  • INTERVIEW: Wayne Henderson INTERVIEW: with Doc Watson

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  • New River Train Wayne Henderson, Doc Watson & Friends
    Nightline/American Routes recording,
  • Steel Guitar Rag Bob Wills
    San Antonio Rose, Bear Family
  • Lucille B.B. King
    King of the Blues, MCA
  • Instrumental: Love Me Tender Scotty Moore
    The Guitar That Changed The World, Razor&Tie
  • Blue Suede Shoes Carl Perkins
    Classic, Bear Family
  • INTERVIEW: Sam Philips

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HOUR two

  • Open Bed: Dub Is My Occupation King Tubby & Friends
    Dub Like Dirt, Blood and Fire
  • Tighten Up Archie Bell and Drells
    Tightening It Up, Rhino
  • Johnny Can't Dance Clifton Chenier
    Louisiana Blues and Zydeco, Arhoolie
  • No More Doggin Rosco Gordon
    Bootin': The Best of the RPM Years, Ace
  • Madness Prince Buster All Stars
    Roots of Reggae: Ska, Rhino
  • Stir It Up Bob Marley & The Wailers
    Catch A Fire, Island
  • Instrumental: No Woman, No Cry Charlie Hunter Quartet
    Natty Dread, BlueNote
  • King Porter Stomp Jelly Roll Morton
    Piano Rolls, Nonesuch
  • Maple Leaf Rag Tom McDermott
    The Crave,
  • INTERVIEW: Bob Moog

    Listen
  • Instrumental: Dark Eyes Les Paul & his Trio
    Complete Decca Trios-Plus, 1936-47, Decca/MCA
  • Blues Stay Away From Me Les Paul & Mary Ford
    The Best of the Capitol Masters, Capitol
  • My Wife Thinks You're Dead Junior Brown
    Junior High, Curb
  • Guitar Blues Lonnie Johnson & Eddie Lang
    History of the Jazz Guitar, Proper
  • Denomination Blues Washington Phillips
    I am Born to Preach the Gospel, Yazoo
  • Touch the Hem Of His Garment Sam Cooke
    The Man And His Music, RCA
  • Good Times Sam Cooke
    The Man And His Music, RCA
  • End Bed: Guitar Rag Merle Travis
    Sweet Temptation, Razor & Tie

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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