It’s been 5 years since American Routes first hit the airwaves, and we’re celebrating! Hour 1 highlights include well-wishes from listeners, anniversary songs, and great conversations over the years with Ray Charles, Willie Nelson, the late Jerry Garcia, Norah Jones, Dolly Parton and Harry Shearer (of The Simpsons). Devoted fans will be amused by a look at our retro selves, and new listeners can hear how this all started! Hour 2 is our 5th Anniversary concert at the House of Blues, with New Orleans greats Irma Thomas, Frogman Henry, Kermit Ruffins and Henry Butler, and special guests Shemekia Copeland and Keb’ Mo’.

A year after his passing, American Routes remembers Alan Lomax, the great folklorist, musicologist and documentarian. While working mostly for the Library of Congress, Lomax made groundbreaking recordings with Leadbelly, Woody Guthrie, Jelly Roll Morton, Muddy Waters and countless others. Family and friends, contemporaries and musicians recall his many accomplishments. Lomax’s sometime collaborator Pete Seeger took a different route as a singer of folksongs. The great social activist, environmentalist, and banjoman, Pete Seeger speaks of his life in music and social justice—two things he’s brought together for over 60 years.

Who better to supply an all-American 4th of July soundtrack than our humble citizen selves? This year, we’ll meet two soulful gentlemen who could only have come from the good ol’ USA. Smokey Robinson talks about his voice and his timeless Motown singles with the Miracles, as well as the songs he wrote and produced for others, like “My Guy” for Mary Wells and the Temptations’ “My Girl.” And meet Mr. Wiggles, the king of Richmond VA’s “Fatback Sound.” Also, craftsman Charles Gillam, who carves blues history out of Mississippi River driftwood. It’s a red, white and blues Independence Day… may the Fourth be with you!