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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PIANO ON A TRUCK AND GUITARS ON STAGE

August 25th, 2021

We take a deep dive into the history of pianos and guitars, from studio to stage in jazz, blues, roots rock and soul. First, we cruise New Orleans to hear pianos played live to order in front of your house on a truck, and hear favorite studio recordings from heroes of the 88s including Ray Charles, Nina Simone, McCoy Tyner, Papo Lucca and Professor Longhair. Then we go to the stage at the National Folk Festival in Salisbury, Maryland for a round robin guitar session with Jerry Douglas, Bill Kirchen, Eddie Cotton and Steve Lewis. Plus some recorded guitar heroines: Mother Maybelle Carter, Sister Rosetta Tharp, Bonnie Raitt, and Lydia Mendoza.

  • Listen to Hour One
  • Listen to Hour Two

HOUR ONE

  • Open Bed: Sunny Side of the Street Josh Paxton
    American Routes Original Recording,
  • Lewis Boogie Jerry Lee Lewis
    Original Golden Hits Vol. 1, Sun
  • Ball the Wall Professor Longhair
    Professor Longhair New Orleans Piano, Atlantic
  • Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar Big Joe Duskin
    Cincinnati Stomp, Arhoolie
  • Down the Road A Piece Amos Milburn
    Down the Road A Piece—The Best of Amos Milburn, EMI
  • Live Bait Brother Al Stricklin
    Brother Al Stricklin Now—Wanted Alive, Edsel
  • Instrumental: Blues Back Art Blakey Quartet with McCoy Tyner
    A Jazz Message, Impulse!
  • Seems I'm Never Tire Lovin' You Nina Simone
    Nina Simone and Piano, Sony
  • Take a Little Walk with Me Otis Spann
    Otis Spann is the Blues, Candid
  • Blues Stride McCoy Tyner
    Infinity, Impulse!
  • Hurry On Down Nellie Lutcher
    The Best of Nellie Lutcher, Blue Note
  • Mess Around Ray Charles
    The Ray Charles Story Vol. 1, Atlantic
  • Instrumental: Rum and Coca Cola Professor Longhair
    Rum and Coke, Tomato Music
  • Huey Smith Medley Dr. John
    Gumbo, Atco
  • Suena El Piano Sonora Ponceña
    Explorando, Fania
  • Java Allen Toussaint
    The Wild Sounds of New Orleans by Tousan, Bear Family
  • Segment: Piano on a Truck with Josh Paxton & Jacques Ferland

    Listen
  • The Piano Has Been Drinking Tom Waits
    Small Change, Anti
  • One for the Highway James Booker
    Classified, Rounder
  • End Bed: Ain't That a Shame Davell Crawford
    Dear Fats: I Love You, Basin Street

HOUR two

  • Open Bed: Windy & Warm Doc Watson
    Southbound, Vanguard
  • Angeline the Baker Steve Lewis
    American Routes Original Recording at National Folk Festival 2019,
  • Steel Guitar Rag Jerry Douglas
    American Routes Original Recording at National Folk Festival 2019,
  • Blues Jam Eddie Cotton, Jr.
    American Routes Original Recording at National Folk Festival 2019,
  • Instrumental: One at a Time Eddie Cotton, Jr.
    One at a Time, De Champ Music
  • Truck Driving Man Bill Kirchen
    American Routes Original Recording at National Folk Festival 2019,
  • Little Rock Bill Kirchen
    American Routes Original Recording at National Folk Festival 2019,
  • Smokestack Lighting Eddie Cotton, Jr.
    American Routes Original Recording at National Folk Festival 2019,
  • Instrumental: Nashville Pickin' Doc Watson
    Southbound, Vanguard
  • Keep on the Sunny Side The Carter Family
    RCA Country Legends: The Carter Family, BMG
  • Didn't It Rain Sister Rosetta Tharpe
    Gospel Train, Verve
  • Give It Up or Let Me Go Bonnie Raitt
    Give It Up, Warner Brothers
  • Mal Hombre Lydia Mendoza
    "Mal Hombre" Lydia Mendoza and Other Original Hits from the 1930's, Arhoolie
  • Chuco's Cumbia Los Lobos
    The Town and the City, Mammoth Records
  • End Bed: Follow Your Heart John McLaughlin
    My Goal's Beyond, Douglas Records

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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