American Routes is blues and jazz, gospel and soul, rockabilly and country, Cajun and swamp pop, Tejano, Latin… and beyond. Songs and stories from musicians describe a deep and diverse nation with sounds and styles shared by all Americans. From the bayous to the beltways, from crossroads to crosstown, on interstates and city streets, turn up your radio for the sonic journey!
American Routes—produced in New Orleans since 1998
Easter & Passover: Let Hope & Freedom Prevail
April 1, 2026
It’s songs for Easter, Passover and spring, to let hope prevail while we preserve freedom in these tough times. We’ve got songs of resurrection, liberation, rainy weather, and rabbit blues, with the voices of Aretha Franklin, Bruce Springsteen, Bessie Smith, Sister Rosetta Tharp, Dr. John, Willie Nelson and Fats Domino. We’ll hear the “voice of the Holy Ghost” through the sacred steel stylings of Fran Grace (“Lady Strings”) and Nicolle “Nikki D” Brown from Toledo, Ohio. Then, we travel to North East Louisiana to witness the Winnsboro Easter Rock Ensemble perform a spiritual ritual from enslaved Africans that combines Christian worship and the West African ring shout tradition.
NEXT WEEK
New Orleans Jazz & Baton Rouge Blues…With an Ethio-Jazz Excursion
We’ve got New Orleans jazz, Baton Rouge blues and Ethio-jazz played on keyboard and accordion by a former Washington D.C. cab driver, Hailu Mergia, who mixes Ethiopian music with jazz, funk and soul. Then, it’s a rare, intimate solo performance by Baton Rouge bluesman Lil Ray Neal, live at the West Baton Rouge Museum. Plus, music by Dr. John, Etta James, the Meters, Aretha Franklin, Big Mama Thornton and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram.
Journeys in Life and Music with Rhonda Vincent & Allison Russell
It’s songs of solace and shelter, hope and joy as we visit with mandolin virtuoso Rhonda Vincent, from Greentop, Missouri, who grew up playing the bluegrass and country music circuit in her family’s bluegrass band and now plays the Grand Ole Opry with her own band, the Rage. Then, Montreal-born, Nashville-based singer, clarinetist and banjo player Allison Russell, on her journey to healing from childhood trauma through travels, words and music. Plus words from Nina Simone, Sister Rosetta Tharp, Lucinda Williams and Johnny Cash.
Photo by Brian T. Edwards
Nick Spitzer at the 2026 New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane University
For decades, artist Francis X. Pavy has captured the spirit, landscapes, and layered histories of French Louisiana through vivid color and unmistakable style. In this conversation with Tulane's Nick Spitzer, Pavy reflects on a lifetime of work shaped by place, language, and culture, exploring how art can both preserve tradition and continually reimagine it. Featuring the 2026 official poster artist for the New Orleans Book Festival, this session offers a rare look at the creative vision behind an enduring body of work.