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MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH US! AMERICAN ROUTES INDEPENDENCE DAY: THEN AND 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.

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.

MEMPHIS' HI RECORDS & HI RHYTHM--STORIES AND MUSIC FROM AL GREEN, WILLIE MITCHELL, DON BRYANT, REV. CHARLES HODGES AND ARCHIE "HUBBIE" TURNER

We’ll go up the Mississippi to another great river city of music: Memphis. Known for rhythm & blues, gospel, soul and roots, rock n roll— and landmark record labels: Sun, Stax and Hi Records. On this visit, we’ll listen to the work of Hi Records producer/arranger/trumpeter Willie Mitchell and talk to members of the Hi Rhythm section: Rev. Charles Hodges and Archie “Hubbie” Turner, plus an archival conversation with the man with the most hits for Hi Records, Al Green. Then more memories of those days with old school singer and prolific songwriter Don Bryant, who got his start with Willie Mitchell and is now back in the studio cutting records with lots of soul.

DOWN HOME IN THE BIG CITY: ANDY STATMAN & NORAH JONES

In an archival classic, we spend time with two eclectic NYC-based musicians who mix country with jazz and other traditions. Multi-instrumentalist Andy Statman comes from a family steeped in Jewish musical traditions, but got the bluegrass bug playing with David Grisman and Tony Trischka. We’ll talk about his explorations of bluegrass, klezmer, free jazz and duets with tea kettles. Then singer and pianist Norah Jones, known for her own personal stamp on jazz, shares the Texas native’s country side of life in her work with The Little Willies. Plus lots of “citified” country songs and downhome urban tunes.

PET SOUNDS REVISITED: SONGS OF DOGS, CATS, BIRDS & OTHER MOSTLY...BELOVED CREATURES

To many pop music audiophiles, the words “Pet Sounds” might bring to mind the Beach Boys. But for us it means the songs and sounds of our pets and other animal affections. Dogs and cats reign as we take your requests and add our best picks, including a few birds, a mule or two and even monkeys. We’ll also visit with an anthropologist whose best friends include primates named Miles, Monk, Bartok, Berg, Coltrane and Stravinsky. Plus music by Bob Dylan, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Bonnie Raitt and George Clinton.