American Routes ®

The legendary Bobby 'Blue' Bland talks about his life in the blues and his approach to singing. And we visit summer roadside attractions, from an old candy store in Maine to a bait shop on the Florida Gulf Coast. Summertime music by Les Paul & Mary Ford, Burning Spear, Sidney Bechet and Mississippi John Hurt.

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Back to the beach with "beach music" from both coasts. We'll talk with surf guitarist Dick Dale, go lobstering in Maine, and visit Sea Breeze, a historically African-American beach in North Carolina. With music by Charles Mingus, James Brown and Astrud Gilberto.

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An acoustic performance from Jeff Tweedy and Jay Bennett, who front the Chicago rock band Wilco. Tweedy and Bennett talk about writing music for the lyrics of Woody Guthrie. Plus a guided tour of the Mississippi River Valley in Missouri and Illinois with music by Miles Davis, Chuck Berry, and John Hartford.

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Celebrate June weddings with New Orleans singer and legend (especially in his own mind), Ernie K-Doe, owner of the Mother-in-Law Lounge. With matrimonial music by Cab Calloway, Jonathan Richman, and Marilyn Monroe, and the musical couplings of George Jones & Tammy Wynette, Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers, and more.

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