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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I SWUNG THE ELECTION: MUSIC & POLITICS

October 27th, 2004

All eyes are on the 2004 election. With this American Routes Music & Politics special we ask you to lend your ears to the democratic process as we bring you songs by and about politicians — including John Kerry’s high school rock band — protest music, campaign songs and more. Guests include Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia on fiddling to get elected; Cook County Commissioner and soul singer Jerry Butler discusses the difference between performance and politics; former Sec. of the Interior Stewart Udall recalls music in the Kennedy White House; and the King of Bluegrass, Jimmy Martin, wonders if we’ll have a guitar-picking president. Plus topical music from Howlin’ Wolf, Ella Fitzgerald, and The Grateful Dead. Democracy is the best sound around.

  • Listen to Hour One
  • Listen to Hour Two

HOUR ONE

  • Open Bed: Happy Days are Here Again Casa Loma Orchestra
    Songs of the Depression, Bear Family
  • I Swung the Election Jack Teagarden
    Jack Teagarden and His Orchestra, 1934-1939, Classics
  • Vote for Mr. Rhythm Ella Fitzgerald
    Ella Fitzgerald, Cocktail Hour
  • Jordan for President Louis Jordan
    Let the Good Times Roll, Bear Family
  • I Don't Want to Be President Percy Mayfield
    His Tangerine and Atlantic Sides, Rhino
  • Tell Me Why You Like Roosevelt, Part 2 Otis Jackson
    Roosevelt's Blues: African-American Blues and Gospel Songs on FDR, Agram Blues
  • CLIP: Roosevelt "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself"
    20th Century Time Capsule, Buddha
  • Franklin Roosevelt's Back Again Cox Brothers
    Old Time Southern Dance Music, Old Timey
  • Instrumental: Stars and Stripes Forever / Sweethearts on Parade The Kalima Brothers
    Legends of the Ukulele, Rhino
  • Every Man a King Randy Newman
    Good Old Boys, Warner
  • CLIP: Randy Newman
  • Kingfish Randy Newman
    Good Old Boys, Warner
  • CLIP: Earl K. Long speech
  • Ballad of Earl K. Long Jay Chevalier
    45rpm,
  • Instrumental: Liberty Will Keys
    A Banjo Original, County
  • Sales Tax Mississippi Sheiks
    Roosevelt's Blues: African-American Blues and Gospel Songs on FDR, Agram Blues
  • Taxes on the Farmer Feeds Us All Ry Cooder
    Into the Purple Valley, Warner
  • INTERVIEW: Senator Robert Byrd

    Listen
  • Take the Star Out of the Window John Prine
    Diamonds in the Rough, Atlantic
  • Sam Stone Laura Cantrell
    Future Soundtrack for America, Barsuk
  • The Day After Tomorrow Tom Waits
    Real Gone, Anti
  • The ‘Saint-Gaudens' in Boston Common (Excerpt #2) Bill Frisell
    Bill Frisell: Have a Little Faith, Nonesuch

HOUR two

  • Open Bed: "Greenfields" "You Can't Sit Down" "Yellow Jacket" The Electras
    The Electras - '60s Garage Rock Band Reissue, The Electras R&R Band
  • INTERVIEW: Jimmy Martin

    Listen
  • Guitar Pickin' President Jimmy Martin
    Jimmy Martin and the Sunny Mountain Boys, Bear Family
  • God Guide Our Leader's Hand Jimmy Martin
    Jimmy Martin and the Sunny Mountain Boys, Bear Family
  • Christ for President Billy Bragg and Wilco
    Mermaid Avenue, Elektra
  • Dead Presidents Little Walter
    The Essential, MCA
  • I Could Never Be President Johnnie Taylor
    Lifetime, Stax
  • Instrumental: Wolverine Blues Al Hirt
    Greatest Hits, Intersound
  • SEGMENT: Music of the Kennedy White House with Stewart Udall

    Listen
  • I Want to Know Why James & Fannie Brewer
    Can't Keep From Crying, Testament
  • Bobby Kennedy Corrido Lalo Guerrero
    Recorded live for Folk Masters Series,
  • Watergate Blues Howlin' Wolf
    The Back Door Wolf, MCA
  • CLIP: Richard Nixon Resignation Address
    Great Speeches of the 20th Century, Rhino
  • Backlash Blues Nina Simone
    Livin' in the House of Blues: Defiance Blues, House of Blues
  • Instrumental: The Watergate Blues Modern Jazz Quartet
    Warner Jazz Les Incontournables, Warner Music France
  • INTERVIEW: Cook County Commissioner Jerry Butler

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  • Long Walk to DC Staple Singers
    Soul Folk in Action, Stax
  • Be Careful How You Vote Sunnyland Slim
    Be Careful How You Vote, Earwig
  • U.S. Blues Grateful Dead
    Mars Hotel, Grateful Dead
  • End Bed: Stars and Stripes Forever Eubie Blake
    The Eighty-Six Years of Eubie Blake, Columbia

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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