Face the Music and Vote!—American Routes 2024 Election Show

By mail, by ballot box, by pulling a lever or pushing a button on November 5th, Americans will exercise their democratic right to vote for President, Senators, Congresspeople and, in many local elections, for legislators and judges to mosquito control officers and dogcatchers. It’s a big one folks! So we’ve created a soundtrack in words and music to get you to the polls. With jazz and gospel takes on American anthems; cool versions of civil rights songs like “If I Had a Hammer” and “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free”;  blues treatments warning “Be Careful How You Vote!”; a soul variation on “This Land is Your Land"; and songs about revolution… and restraint. It’s time to face the music and vote!

HOUR ONE

Open Bed: Star Spangled Banner Delfeayo Marsalis and the Uptown Jazz Orchestra
Make America Great Again!, Troubadour Jass Records

Mr. President Have Pity on the Working Man Randy Newman
Good Old Boys, Warner

Every Man a King Randy Newman
Good Old Boys, Warner

Woman in the White House Sheryl Crow
Woman in the White House, Sea Gayle Music & Old Green Barn Productions

Vote 'Em Out Willie Nelson
Vote 'Em Out Single, Sony

Vote, Baby Vote Deee-lite
Infinity Within, Elektra

Compared to What John Legend and The Roots
Wake Up, Sony

Instrumental: Lift Every Voice and Sing Hank Crawford and Jimmy McGriff
The Best of Hank Crawford and Jimmy McGriff, Fantasy

I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free Nina Simone
Silk and Soul, RCA

Be Careful How You Vote Sunnyland Slim
Be Careful How You Vote, Airway Records

Lift Every Voice and Sing Southern Sons
1940s Vocal Groups: Southern Sons and Richmond’s Harmonizing Four, Document

This Land is Your Land Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
Naturally, Daptone Records

Instrumental: Rebel Rouser Bill Frisell
Guitar in the Space Age, Songtone LLC

The Man in Black Johnny Cash
The Man in Black, Columbia

Crawl Into the Promised Land Rosanne Cash
Crawl Into the Promised Land Single, Blue Note

For What It's Worth Staple Singers
Freedom Highway, Epic

Fortunate Son Creedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence Clearwater Revival, Fantasy

U.S. Blues Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead from the Mars Hotel, WB

Yes We Can Part 1 Lee Dorsey
Yes We Can and Then Some, Polydor

Man Smart, Woman Smarter King Radio
Man Smart, Woman Smarter (Vol. 1), Deliagone

Closing Bed: Stripes Otha Turner and the Afrossippi Allstars
Otha Turner and the Afrossippi Allstars, Birdman Records

HOUR TWO

Open Bed: America the Beautiful The Happyland Band
Saints Paradise: Trombone Shout Band of the United House of Prayer, Smithsonian Folkways

If I Had a Hammer Toussaint McCall
Nothing Takes the Place of You, Fuel 2000

Right to Rock Trini Lopez
Right To Rock single, Volk Records

V.O.T .E. (Public Service Announcement) Chris Stamey with Yo La Tengo
V.O.T.E, Yep Roc

El Mexicano Los Cenzontles
American Roulette, Los Centzontles

Will the Wolf Survive Los Lobos
How Will the Wolf Survive, Slash

Instrumental: Kerr's Negro Jig Carolina Chocolate Drops
Leaving Eden, Nonesuch

Think About Your Fellow Man The Cate Brothers
Voices of Americana: When Love Comes, Demon Music Group

Old King Coal Sturgill Simpson
Cuttin’ Grass Vol 1: The Butcher Shop Sessions, High Top Mountain Records

Breadline Blues 2008 Del McCoury, Mac Wiseman, Tim O'Brien, and Gillian Welch & David Rawlings
Moneyland, McCoury Music

I Pity the Poor Immigrant Marion Williams
The New Message, Atlantic

Political World Carolina Chocolate Drops
Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan, Amnesty International

The New Mr. President Big Boy Henry
Work's Many Voices Vol.1 LP, JEMF

Funky President (People It's Bad) James Brown
Star Time, Polydor

Instrumental: We Shall Overcome Bill Frisell
Valentine, Blue Note

Alabama John Coltrane
The Gentle Side of John Coltrane, Impulse

Tryin' Times Roberta Flack
First Take, Atlantic

Tryin' Times Ernest Franklin
Holy Spirit: Spiritual Soul and Gospel Funk from Shreveport’s Jewel Records, Harmless

The Times They Are A-Changin' Bob Dylan
The Times They Are A-Changin', Columbia

Closing Bed: Blues for Langston and LaRue Charles Lloyd
Vanished Gardens, Blue Note

Next
Next

Drifting Cowboy Blues with Texan Charley Crockett & Homeland Bluegrass with Virginian Linda Lay