From Backroads to Backatown: Drive-By Truckers and Trombone Shorty

Follow American Routes as we travel the back roads for some new Southern sounds. The Drive-By Truckers have been up and down the highways since the mid-90s, delivering their unique mix of social commentary, old-fashioned storytelling and rock n’ roll, between stops in their hometowns of Muscle Shoals, AL and Athens, GA. We sit down with the band in uptown New Orleans to learn more about their journey in music and fascination with the South. Then we head backatown to catch up with New Orleans’ own Troy Andrews, a.k.a. Trombone Shorty, to hear about how he mixes trad jazz, rock and hip-hop to create ‘Superfunkrock.’

HOUR ONE

Open Bed: She Breaks Booker T. and the Drive-by Truckers
Potato Hole, Anti

Ode to Billy Joe Tammy Wynette
Take Me To Your World-I Don’t Want to Play House, Koch

You Are My Sunshine Ray Charles
The Complete Country & Western Recordings 1959-1986, Rhino

Tell Mama Etta James
The Muscle Shoals Sound, Rhino

Mama Don't Like My Man Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
I Learned the Hard Way, Daptone

Thank You Mama, Thank You Papa Dixie Cups
Best of the Dixie Cups, Laserlight

Instrumental: Let Me Know Hank Jones
The Talented Touch/ Porgy and Bess, Okra-tone

You're the Kind of Trouble Holmes Brothers
Feed My Soul, Alligator

I Walk the Line Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash: The Legend, Columbia

Eight Men, Four Women O.V. Wright
The Soul of O.V. Wright, MCA

Guilty Randy Newman
Good Old Boys, Reprise

The Last Time Bettye LaVette
The Scene of the Crime, Anti

Instrumental: A Hunk of Funk Gene Dozier and the Brotherhood
The Minit Records Story, EMI

SEGMENT: Drive-By Truckers

Alabama Neil Young
Harvest, Reprise

I'll Take You There Staples Singers
The Muscle Shoals Sound, Rhino

HOUR TWO

Open Bed: In the 6th Trombone Shorty
Backatown, Verve

Music Goes Round and Round Ella Fitzgerald
Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie!, Verve

Big Ten Inch Record Bull Moose Jackson
Risque Rhythm: Nasty 50s R&B, Rhino

I've Got the Blues for You Al Collins Orchestra
The Best of Ace Records: The R&B Hits, Scotti Bros

Trombone Cholly Bessie Smith
The Essential Bessie Smith, Columbia

West End Blues Louis Armstrong
Jazzin' the Blues, Forlane

Instrumental: South Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band
The Swing Era: Kid Ory, The Best of Jazz

I Got Mine Kermit Ruffins
Livin' a Treme Life, Basin Street

Ooh Poo Pah Doo, Part 1 Jesse Hill
The Minit Records Story, EMI

Heart of Steel Irma Thomas & Galactic
Yay-Ki-Ma, Anti

SEGMENT: Trombone Shorty

Instrumental: Flowing River Bennie Green
Trombone By Three, Prestige

Willie Baby Willie Colon
The Player, Fania

Wooly Bully Sam the Sham & the Pharoahs
The Best of Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs, Rhino

Shout Bamalama Otis Redding and the Pinetoppers
Otis! The Definitive Otis Redding, Rhino

Salt of the Earth Bettye LaVette
Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook, Anti

America Andre Williams
That's All I Need, Bloodshot

End Bed: Egg Radio Bill Frisell
Gone, Just Like a Train, Nonesuch

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Roadside Attractions and Wilderness Trails