American Routes ®

The sounds may seem old but the songs are not. This week on American Routes we visit with a few musicians who are known for crafting modern country music from old-time inspirations. Gillian Welch and David Rawlings share with us how they fit "an electric peg into an acoustic hole." Then conversation with Austin's king of the honky-tonks, Dale Watson, who literally wears his musical inspirations on his sleeve.

American Routes celebrates 15 years on the airwaves with a live concert from the Rock 'n' Bowl in New Orleans. On stage, the trad brass sounds of the Treme Brass Band, Cajun rock with the Lost Bayou Ramblers, and a cavalcade of New Orleans R&B stars, including Irma Thomas, Ivan Neville and Jon Cleary. Be sure to bring your dancing shoes!

American Routes heralds the birthday of our nation's greatest roving troubadour and social commentator, Woody Guthrie, with a two-hour special dedicated to his life in music. We'll visit with friends and relatives who share tales of Guthrie's trials and triumphs, from Okemah, Oklahoma to Coney Island, New York. Guthrie's children, Nora and Arlo, reflect on their father's life, scholar Guy Logsdon discusses Guthrie's Dust Bowl days and Pete Seeger shares the backstory to Woody's anthem for the "down and outers." Plus music and memories from Ramblin' Jack Elliot, Moses Asch, Bob Dylan and so many others.