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
American Routes Live from French Quarter Fest
April 15, 2026
This week, we celebrate the cultural minglings in New Orleans with a visit to the 2019 French Quarter Festival: a free, homegrown, four-day annual event featuring a vast array of local music presented on stages throughout the city’s oldest neighborhood. We’ll hear from Soul Queen Irma Thomas, the late piano patriarch Ellis Marsalis, and the Preservation Hall Brass Band. We’ll also catch the French-Creole jazz of Don Vappie and Evan Christopher, Cajun dance music from Bruce Daigrepont, vaudeville and gospel from Topsy Chapman and Solid Harmony, Klezmerfunk fusion from the New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars and traditional jazz from Dejan’s Olympia Brass Band.
NEXT WEEK
Compared to What?
We asked our listeners to help pick music and musicians that deal with the troubles we’re facing, and we added a few songs and singers that fit the mood as best we could, including the Staple Singers, Allen Toussaint, Woody Guthrie, Toots and the Maytals, Son Volt, Carole King, John Coltrane, Los Super Seven, Dr. John, and Tom Waits. So we’re just trying to make it real, and the big question remains: Compared to What?
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.
Support Little Freddie King and Al “Carnival Time” Johnson
Two beloved New Orleans musicians, Al "Carnival Time"Johnson & Little Freddie King need support right now. They both recently had some health challenges and Freddie is working his way through some house challenges. 100% of all donations will go to the musicians. If you can support or share this fundraiser by Krewe of Red Beans, we'd appreciate it!