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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HERB JEFFRIES

March 17th, 2004

The music and life of Herb Jeffries, lead singer and last surviving member of Duke Ellington’s legendary “Blanton-Webster” band of the early 1940s. Jeffries, called “the Bronze Buckaroo,” was also the first Black star of a cowboy movie; his theme song, “I’m a Happy Cowboy” comes from the 1938 western “Harlem on the Prairie.”

  • Listen to Hour One
  • Listen to Hour Two

HOUR ONE

  • Open Bed: I'm a Happy Cowboy Herb Jeffries
    The Bronze Buckaroo Rides Again, Warner Bros
  • Jump for Joy Duke Ellington with Herb Jeffries
    Ellington Centennial, BMG
  • Cow Cow Boogie Ella Fitzgerald with Ink Spots
    The Very Best of Ella, MCA
  • Boogie Woogie Country Girl Big Joe Turner
    Big, Bad & Blue, Rhino
  • Boogie Woogie Country Girl Sleepy LeBeef
    The Human Jukebox, Sun
  • Life Is Bad Shelby Lynne
    I Am Shelby Lynne, Island
  • Blank Trip Super Chikan
    What You See, Fat Possum
  • Instrumental: Flippin' the Lid Speedy West and Jimmy Bryant
    Stratosphere Boogie, Razor & Tie
  • INTERVIEW: Herb Jeffries
  • Just to be in Caroline Earl Hines & His Orchestra
  • I'm a Happy Cowboy Herb Jeffries
  • Flamingo Duke Ellington
    A Brief History of Herb Jeffries, Warner Bros
  • Instrumental: I'm an Old Cowhand Jimmy Smith
    Ultimate, Verve
  • Creole Love Call Ellis Marsalis
    Duke In Blue, Sony
  • I'm Just a Lucky So & So Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington
    The Complete Sessions, Roulette
  • Happy Go Lucky Local Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra
    Live in Swing City, Sony

HOUR two

  • Open Bed: 7 Moby
    Play, V2
  • Run On for a Long Time Bill Landford & the Landforaires
    There Will be No Sweeter Sound, Sony
  • Run On Moby
    Play, V2
  • Do the Funky Chicken Rufus Thomas
    The Best of Rufus Thomas, Rhino
  • Down on the Farm Big Al Downing
    From Where I Stand, Warner Bros
  • Zydeco Heehaw Boozoo Chavis
    Boozoo Chavis, Elektra
  • Ride Em Cowboy Clifton Chenier
    Bogalusa Boogie, Arhoolie
  • SEGMENT: Creole Cowboy: Elton Laday
  • Texas Cowboy Luther "Guitar Jr." Johnson
    I Want To Groove With You, Bullseye
  • Buffalo Soldiers The Persuasions
    Man, Oh Man, EMI
  • Buffalo Soldier Bob Marley
    Legend, Island
  • Instrumental: Greedy G Brentford All Stars
    100% Dynamite, Soul Jazz
  • Nobody Knows (The Trouble I've Seen) Snooks Eaglin
    The Complete Imperial Recordings, Capitol
  • Trouble In Mind Janis Joplin
    18 Essential Songs, Sony
  • Almost Persuaded Etta James
    From Where I Stand, Warner Bros
  • River Man Brad Mehldau
    Deregulating Jazz, Warner Bros
  • The Man I Love Herbie Hancock with Joni Mitchell
    Gershwin's World, Polygram
  • End Bed: The Man I Love Coleman Hawkins
    Picasso, Giants of Jazz

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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