American Routes

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American Routes from New Orleans is the weekly two-hour public radio program hosted by folklorist and producer Nick Spitzer. On-air for over two decades, and “built to last,” the program has been exclusively distributed by PRX since 2011.  American Routes presents blues and jazz, gospel and soul, old-time country and rockabilly, Cajun and zydeco, Tejano and Latin, roots rock and pop, avant-garde and classical.


Each week, Nick curates the tunes and takes listeners on a cross-country cultural journey through American songs and stories. The show uses short documentary features and artist conversations to tell those stories. Artists interviewed on American Routes include Ray Charles, Willie Nelson, Nina Simone, B.B. King, Dr. John, Allen Toussaint, Dave Brubeck, Tom Waits, Celia Cruz, Elvis Costello, Randy Newman, Joan Baez, Margo Price, Los Lobos, Drive By Truckers, Lucinda Williams, Jimmy Cliff, Sonny Rollins, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis… and hundreds of others.  


Underwritten by the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities, and widely acclaimed by Nightline, the NYTimesBillboard and the Wall Street JournalAmerican Routes is broadcast on over 350 public radio stations. The music-to-talk ratio of a typical program is 80% music and 20% talk—giving it a music & cultural information style that appeals to many local formats as a weekend program. In addition to 52 shows per year, there are two pledge drive programs. Custom promos are available.

Series

Caption: American Routes
573 Pieces

American Routes, hosted by Nick Spitzer, is a weekly two-hour public radio program produce at Tulane University in New Orleans. It has been exclusively distributed by PRX since 2011. The show presents a broad range of American music — blues and jazz, gospel and soul, old-time country and rockabilly, Cajun and zydeco, Tejano and Latin, roots rock and pop, avant-garde and classical.

Caption: American Routes Custom Promo
0 Pieces

Custom Promos voiced by host Nick Spitzer

Caption: American Routes Fundraising Programs
19 Pieces

American Routes Fundraising Programs for all PRX stations

Caption: American Routes Generic Promo
0 Pieces

30-second generic evergreen promos for American Routes.

Caption: American Routes holiday specials
2 Pieces

Holiday specials

Caption: American Routes Specials
5 Pieces

American Routes occasionally makes episodes of the weekly series available to all PRX stations free of charge. The episodes below are now available.


Pieces

Caption: Sidiki Conde
with Evan Christopher, Sidiki Conde and Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes.

  • Added: Mar 27, 2024
  • Length: :00
Caption: Donald Harrison, Jr.
with Donald Harrison, Jr. and the Holmes Brothers

  • Added: Mar 26, 2024
  • Length: 01:59:01

  • Added: Mar 19, 2024
  • Length: 01:59:01

  • Added: Mar 12, 2024
  • Length: 01:59:00
Caption: Sun Ra
with The Grateful Dead, Johnny Cash, Aretha Franklin, Sun Ra and Our Native Daughters.

  • Added: Feb 27, 2024
  • Length: 01:59:00
Caption: Rhiannon Giddens
with the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Ray Charles and Johnnie Johnson

  • Added: Feb 20, 2024
  • Length: 01:59:00
Caption: Sonny Rollins
with Sonny Rollins & Bob French

  • Added: Feb 13, 2024
  • Length: 01:59:01
Caption: Mohawk Hunters
with the Mohawk Hunters and a special tribute to Professor Longhair with Allen Toussaint, Dr. John and Ellis Marsalis.

  • Added: Feb 06, 2024
  • Length: 01:59:00
Caption: Mona Lisa Saloy
with Steve Zeitlin and Mona Lisa Saloy

  • Added: Jan 30, 2024
  • Length: 01:59:01