

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
FROM GOSPEL TO GIGGING: GLADYS KNIGHT AND IRIS DEMENT
Motown legend Gladys Knight grew up in Atlanta and sang her first recital in church at age 4, before heading out on the road with the Pips, a group assembled by her cousin. Iris DeMent, the warbler from Arkansas, had the same church-choir start and now writes songs that get to the emotional center of life and love in these United States. We talk to both of them about their Southern childhoods and musical careers.
HOUR ONE
- Open Bed: I Heard It Through the Grapevine Gladys Knight & the Pips
Anthology, Motown - It's All Over but the Shouting Gladys Knight & the Pips
Anthology, Motown - Shouting Time Madison Prayer Band
Saints Paradise, Folkways - Shout, Sister, Shout Boswell Sisters
It's The Girls, Magnum - Shout, Sister, Shout Koerner, Ray & Glover
One Foot In the Groove, Tim Kerr - I Heard it Through the Grapevine Creedence Clearwater Revival
Chronicle, Fantasy - Instrumental: I Heard it Through the Grapevine The Little Big Horns
Ultra-Lounge: On the Rocks Part Two, Capitol - SEGMENT: Gladys Knight
Listen - Smokey Joe's Café The Coasters
50 Coastin' Classics , Rhino - Hound Dog James Booker
Classified, Rounder - Kansas City Joya Landis
Tighten Up, Trojan - Instrumental: Hound Dog Twist Whispering Smith
House Rockin' & Hip Shakin', Vol. 4: Bayou Blues Harp, Hip-O - Loveable Sam Cooke
With the Soul Stirrers, Specialty - Doo-Wop (That Thing) Lauryn Hill
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Columbia - The End Of Our Road Gladys Knight
Anthology, Motown - End Bed: Guitar Boogie Shuffle The Virtues
Guitar Boogie Shuffle, Bacci Bros Records
HOUR two
- Open Bed: On Praying Ground Doc Watson
On Praying Ground, Sugar Hill - Wade In the Water Golden Gate Quartet
Swing Down, Chariot, Sony - Wade In the Water Johnny Griffin/Edwin Williams
Giants of the Blues & Funk Tenor Sax, Fantasy - Walk Right In Gus Cannon
Walk Right In, Stax - Walk Right In Rooftop Singers
Troubadours of Folk Vol 3, Rhino - Hobo Bill's Last Ride Jimmie Rodgers
Jimmie Rodgers 1929 On the Way Up, Rounder - Two Trains Runnin' James Cotton
Deep in the Blues, Verve - Instrumental: Sad Hours Little Walter
His Best, Chest - SEGMENT: Iris DeMent
Listen - Cryin' Time Buck Owens
I’ve Got a Tiger by the Tail, Sundazed - Those Lonely, Lonely Nights Earl King
The Very Best of Earl King 1955-1960, Westside - Instrumental: Rum and Coke Professor Longhair
Rum and Coke, Rhino - That's Your Red Wagon Anita O'Day & Cal Tjader
Time For 2, Verve - Shake It Sunnyland Slim
Slim's Shout, Fantasy - Discontented Blues Duke Ellington
Mosaic Sampler, Blue Note - Debra Beck
Midnite Vultures, Geffen - End Bed: Boozer John Scofield
A Go Go, Verve